My new favorite binding technique!

Marny here...I recently made a baby quilt using a blue, aqua, and gray collection of Lagom Art Gallery fabrics. I tested scrappy binding, solid binding and a print binding. None of them supported the layout of color within the quilt. I really wanted one color for two opposite sides and another color for the remaining opposite sides. In steps serendipity!

I'd asked Penny at a recent Des Moines Modern Group meeting who some of the best teachers in our area were. She named Linda Hungerford (although Linda now resides in Florida), mentioning that many beginners she had taught were now accomplished quilters. She then specifically reminded me of Linda's binding technique using machine sewn mitered corners. It is well detailed on her blog here. Lightbulb moment...if I used Linda's tutorial I can change fabrics at the corners without guess work.  Using the new (to me) techniques allowed me to place a mostly blue print on two sides and a mostly gray with aqua print on the remaining two sides. 

I used 2 1/2" strips, pieced diagonally as I usually do,
to bring them up to the recommended length. 

I just matched my process to Linda's photos
and worked my way through the tutorial!

Checking how the mitered corners are going to look

I stitched right next to the seam from the right side of the quilt the way I usually do. 

Gotta say this looks pretty good from the back

Mitered corner from the back. All sewn up and no hand stitching required!

This method worked smoothly for me. Thank you, Linda, for the thorough tutorial. I am excited about this method because it will allow me to place fabrics/color in very specific spots anywhere along the edge of my quilts without guesswork.  

We hope those of you within shopping distance plan on attending Lucky Star Market December 2nd and 3rd. It is great fun choosing which quilts we'll be selling. More pictures of vendors etc on their Facebook posts. We can't wait to do some shopping ourselves!

Till Tuesday....