Scallop edged napkin pattern

Even though we don’t host a ton on Christmas, I just hhaaaaaddddd to make some Christmas napkins out of this *INCREDIBLE* fabric that I found at the Liberty of London store IN LONDON a few weeks back! ACK! (more in this beautiful trip later).
I wanted the napkins to be full of charm so I decided to add a scalloped edge satin stitch around the outer edge to give them the exactly vintage-y vibe I was going for! This is a *super* easy way to add lovely charm and is SO simple with my sewing machine! 🙂 The full tutorial with tips are below so that you can make some scalloped edge napkins of your very own!!!!!

MATERIALS: 

• Fabric in your fave colors (I used Liberty cotton I got in London at the Liberty of London store, GASPPP)! 🙂 
• Coordinating thread (in a variety of colors if you wish)
• Your favorite sewing machine (I use a Janome, my hands down absolute fave brand)
• Bobbins
• Scissors
• Iron and ironing board 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Iron and cut your fabric to your desired size (knowing that you will loose about 1/4-1/2” on each side after trimming from sewing). I cut my napkins 14×14 (I wanted them nice and big). You will want 2 pieces of fabric per napkin (front and back)

2. Get to stitching
I chose number 21 on my satin stitch section of my stitch selection (you can generally find your stitch selections when you open the top of your sewing machine or in the manual). I wanted something that mimicked a scalloped edge and I thought this was a great size! 🙂 

*Be sure that you check your screen or manual to make sure you don’t have to change feet – I did NOT have to for the stitch I chose. 

Lay your fabric (both sides wrong sides together) and line up the edge of both fabrics with the right edge of your foot (this was an easy way to leave room for the bump or scallop of the stitch knowing I’d have to trim some off). 

You will just hit “start” and the machine does all the work. YAYYYYY! 🙂 

Some tips while stitching: 

• You will want to remove your foot pedal so that you are able to just use your “start” and “stop” button. This gives a more “consistent” stitch that allows the machine to do the work of making sure it’s as even as possible.
• Go slower – not like glacial speed, but turn your speed slower than usual
• Use your “bullseye” (I call it the anchor button) to end your last scallop/bump – you can press this at any time BEFORE the ending of the actual stitch and it all alert the computer on your machine to end when that stitch is “done” before it repeats again
• When you reach the corner (or end) be sure to pivot by keeping your needle down and just lifting your foot so that a you can pivot with the thread and needle coming from the last spot – this creates a beautiful corner
• Speaking of corners, be sure to end with enough space to pivot and then begin the bumps along the next edge (ie, don’t bring your scallops/bumps all the way to the long edge that you are stitching)

3. Trim away excess fabric
Use your favorite fabric scissors to cut away the extra fabric – BE SURE not to trim the actual stitching, but cut as close as you can. The tip I tell little kids or beginning stitchers is to hold their scissors in their dominant hand and only “open and close them” – let your non-dominant hand be the leader and “mover” of the fabric for these curves. This should give you more control over your curves rather than moving your dominant hand all over the place while trying to open and close them. 

Trim away the fabric on all 4 edges to finish them off 🙂 

Now it’s time to love these napkins and their gorgeous trim detail and show them off at your next holiday or dinner party! 🙂 YAY!