Dog-tooth Borders--fun and easy!

I basted some strips of fabric to the block for
the dog-tooth border. The corners get added
later.

 We've been busy sewing our Memory Bouquet blocks since January. Don't tell anyone, but mine are almost all done...really!! I'm working on the last one right now. I probably would have been done months ago BUT, in a moment of craziness, I decided to kick it up a notch and add dog-tooth borders to my blocks. I am loving the way they look so far so I think it was well worth it. Now to figure out how to set the blocks!

All the block but one!

I made myself a paper template to figure out spacing. You can see the template laying on my strip on the left. It looks like I am going to make my dog-tooth border pointing out instead of in, but that is because I use it to mark my  points and valleys. I use a pencil to lightly  make a dot about an eighth of an inch from the inside edge of the fabric strip where I want to point of the tooth. I mark a line in the valley out to the inside edge where I will slash the fabric to turn under as I applique. I do my cutting as I go, one tooth at a time.

Here I have folded in the first side of a tooth and
sewn up to the dot that I had marked earlier. I usually take a couple tiny stitches at the point. Remember, it's about an eighth of an inch from the edge of the fabric! Then I tuck in the other side of the tooth, finger press to get a good crease, open it back out and trim the fabric a scant quarter inch away from the fold. Then it's a matter of tucking that folded edge back in and using the needle to smooth everything in nicely, stitch down to the valley.

Here's one tooth finished. You can see I use a  fine  pin to secure the side  I'm working on
 and one at the point where the tooth ends. After I have worked the points all the way around the block,
I will add the corners. I'll show you that next time as well as some nifty little tools that make
life easier!
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