I usually do that kind of thing too, Patti, but you don't have the luxury of 10 - 12in of straight edge here. I have a feeling that in the end, I left the start end (already cut to 45 degrees) as a raw edge. Then the finish end I folded under at 45 degrees and hand stitched it down overlapping the start end. That way I managed to get it exactly where I wanted it and it didn't show all that much either.

Ok...thats a good idea (there's a reason I alway rely on you to lead the way...LOL) I think I'll go ahead and sew it on and leave a couple of long tails to work with.

I did my continuous bias binding today. I cut a 40" square and ended up with probably 668" of binding. I think we only need about 510" or so...well for my size anyway. I didn't know exactly how much more to allow for all the "dips" in the scallops. I would much rather have to much and have extra binding left over than the other way around on this one! Well, cut a little snip at every "dip", then start sewing...wish me luck!!

OK Ladies...I found this for help on the scallops. I think the chocolate will really help, thank goodness yesterday was Valentine's or I might not have enough! These are really detailed directions though.

http://lindafranz.com/section/scallops/38

concerning the Dear Jane Quilt.

Just wanted to tell someone about Brenda, the author of the Dear Jane Book...I went to the quilt show in Paducah a few years ago, and had advertised on one of the quilting groups for a person to share a room with me. A girl named Kelly from Australia answered my email and said she wanted to share. So I flew from Tampa to Memphis and rented a car and drove to Paducah. Kelly did not arrive that night and I was a bit worried but about 3 AM I got a phone call from someone telling me she was Kelly's friend asking if it would be OK for her to come too, she would be bringing Kelly. I told her sure, and just knock and I'd hear and let them in. They arrived about an hour later, we chatted a little while then went to sleep. In the morning Kelly and I went to get coffee in the office ..she asked me if I liked the Dear Jane quilt, I said yes, but I preferred larger blocks...she said " your other roommate is Brenda Papadakis, the author of the Dear Jane Book"....talk about shocked, she didn't come to teach a class, but just to attend the quilt show...not as a celebrity. When I mentioned that she was my roommate at the show, two ladies just about went berserk and wanted to know where I was staying, what was she like...I said she was very nice, funny, but no doubt she was somewhere right there in the building.

I also had conversations with Kaye Woods and Eleanor Burns...but I didn't see them in their jammies. Can't wait to go there again, IT was the best show I have ever seen...I'll bet there were 500 vendors there. Sorry to be so long winded.

What a great story - one to dine out on for years, thank you for sharing.

Oh noni....what a cool story! I wondered about what kind of person she was and its nice to find out she is a funny, nice person! And I found it hilarious that you apologized for being "long-winded" on this thread..LOL!!!! This group of ladies is very gabby....LOL!

I sewed on the binding last night all except for the "joining" part. I'll figure that out this morning hopefully. I think we need a thread just about binding and the scallops..After I take some pics..I'll start one for us.

Oh Patti, I am so excited for you, me I have got stuck, yes yet again. My sewing machine isn´t quite right, it is still missing stitches on some of the quilting ones I have, it also seems to be showing the white I have in my spool a bit more that I want, so back to the drawing board.

Lesley one for you, how long did it take to hand quilt and did you put two lines down each of the sashings or just one down the middle, how about you Patti, was it one or two lines of QITD

Elle, are you using the "hand quilted looking stitch"? I think that it is supposed to not show every stitch on the top. I may be misunderstanding your issue though. Have you tried changing your needle? When I have issues with the machine not picking up properly from the bobbin, that is usually my problem. Good luck!

I only quilted in the ditch on my sashing...nothing on top of the sashing itself. I hope it will be ok since I sewed the batting together inside the quilt. I guess I'll hold my breath when I wash it. Lesley did 2 rows on her sashing..away from the ditch to hold the batting in place.

That Elle is doing it again - asking the same question in two places, here and on my PDA. I quilted two lines on my sashings because I made mine 3/4in wide, not the 1/2in you are all using.

Then when I had basted the backing on, I quilted in the ditch of my blocks to attach the three layers together.

Got my "joining" done today so I've only got to sew the binding down to the back. It seems surreal to me that I'm this far. DH is really excited. He keeps bragging on me :oops:..it makes me feel really proud of myself though. I can't wait for you all to get this feeling...At the same time...I'm finding myself not really knowing what to do with myself..and I'm not really finished yet!!

I did take some pics of sewing the binding on so when I have time in the next few days, I will post a thread with the pics and some tips..for whatever those are worth :lol: