Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Binding Time!

The quilting is done and now I am binding DD and SIL's new quilt! The good news is that it will be done in time for the movers to pack it up and take it to Georgia to their new home. The bad news is that it is over 400" of binding! Ha Ha! Ginger feels the same way I do about binding!

She is snuggling up to it this morning. Last night she was laying on the part that was at my feet while I stitched one side of binding down. I had to keep moving her as I adjusted the quilt to get to the next part for stitching. I guess she is making sure to get the snuggles in before the quilt goes to it's new home. Funny how pets love to snuggle on quilts!

She had a good report on her broken leg last week! It is healing well. She now has freedom to walk slowly on the wood floor and have freedom throughout the main floor of the house. No big flight of steps allowed yet, but she got a little energetic and ran up and down when we weren't looking! So now we are doing the baby gate thing for a few more weeks while we build her strength back with daily walks. She is still limping a bit at times and I hope that will go away soon. I hate that she is hurting even a bit when she walks!

How do you like to make a binding? I cut bias strips 1 3/4" wide, sew the strips together and then press the long length in half. Actually I offset this seam a bit as you can see in the picture below. It is offset about a scant 1/8". I use a walking foot and a 1/4" seam when stitching on the folded binding.

Using this method gives me a nice small binding. I like to use one goodie clip as a pin to hold the folded edge in place a bit as I stitch up to it. I only use one clip because it is easier to handle one as you move it along the binding. Using more clips ahead of my stitching does not do me any good because I am placing the binding in it's exact place one stitch at a time. I usually place the clip about 4" ahead of my stitching and work up to it as shown in this picture below. The clip helps me get the folded edge in the approximate location needed and reduces the pull the binding makes with the double layer as it is folded to the back. Make sense?

Have a great day and take care ! I will show a picture of the quilt on a bed when the binding is done... Until then...

Missie

 

7 comments:

  1. hi missie. thought id check in while im having my first cup of morning coffee. i love love stitching on bindings! yep the best part of the quilt! i wish i could come help you and ginger! im going to scroll down and see if there is a picture of the quilt..what a great gift! enjoy your day missie and im so glad ginger is feeling better!

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  2. I cut 2.5 inch strips on the bias, stitch them together, press in half and stitch it to the quilt with a walking foot. Ginger looks great!!! I feel like Ginger and Enzo are the quality control personnel! lol

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  3. I sew mine on before I quilt it, then I fold it over to the back and stitch it on. Not an exact science and would like to do better ones, but I like the extra edge for my prim quilts. How do you do the corners? I do an envelope style fold, but makes it thicker and doesn't always give me a nice smooth corner.

    Debbie

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  4. I like that clip idea instead of snagging pins (ouch!); I make straight of grain binding and them pretty much do the same method. I really think that the binding is my LEAST favorite part of making quilts. Getting the quilt through my machine is a hassle for me. Julierose

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  5. Oh how I LOVE the quilting on this, great choice! I'm a double fold binding girl, but my next quilt I"m going to bind like this. I was told the double binding is stronger, but then someone said, "what would you do if the binding wore through the first layer?, replace it?" Yes we all said, So why not use one layer to begin with?! Great advice from Gwen Marston

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  6. So glad that Ginger is feeling better - I absolutely love the pictures of her - especially the first one, it just made me laugh! I've never seen binding done your way - and I want more info, please!

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  7. Ginger knows that it's good luck to take a nap under a quilt before it goes to it's new home!
    So glad she is doing better. She is such a darling little fuzzy.
    Hugs!

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