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.... 

Binding a King Sized Taffy Twist

jill here... latest on my list!

Modern Quilt Relish Taffy Twist in Marcus Fabrics Next Wave 

 This Taffy Twist is a wedding gift that will keep some newlyweds in California warm.  Sounds kind of crazy to send a warm quilt that direction after all the cold we've had here. 

King sized quilts are BIG!  Not to complain but they are heavy and cumbersome...especially when it comes to binding.  I usually machine bind by sewing the 2.5" binding to the front, turning to the back and stitching in the ditch from the front (catching the folded edge, most of the time).  I've gotten pretty good at it but its a multi-step process, two passes through the machine and there is a lot of quilt to corral.

Marny suggested that I use a one-step method to bind with a decorative stitch.  I planned on a "forgiving" print binding fabric so now seemed like a the  perfect opportunity to try something new.  I tested out several stitch options and decided on one that was a little more complex than a zig zag but still had some decorative interest.  

Machine settings.

I googled one step binding and came up with wrapping the backing around to the front.  Wouldn't work here. I  decided to design my own one step wrapped binding.  I needed 400 " of  binding.  I cut my 11 strips 3" wide, mitered the WOF seams (for better seam allowance distribution) and folded it essentially into thirds. This leaves two layers of fabric at the top of the fold, where the wear is the greatest.

Marked 45 degree seams....

Chained the strips...

Trimmed the seam allowance to 1/4 inch...

Pressed the seam open....

Folded 1" up from the bottom...

Folded the remaining 1" over, not quite to the bottom.

Pressed the trifold binding in half.

These steps took more time than my usual method but still easier to handle than the whole quilt.

I wrapped the binding around the trimmed edge of the quilt,
leaving a 12" tail, starting on the side.  The unfinished edge of the
binding was on the underside to keep it flat.  I tucked the edge
into the binding, sewing then pausing,  to to keep the feed straight
and even with a gentle tension.  No pins!

At the corner, with a straight stitch, I sewed the end of the fold.
This keeps the miter from popping out.

One pin to hold the miter...

I fixed my stitch and started again on the next side.

                      When I rounded back to my starting side, I stopped

                 with 8 " to spare, mitered the two ends together, trimmed 

and pressed the same. I then stitched the final stretch with the decorative stitch

                   Much, much faster with good, sturdy results!

All that's left is a label!
The back is another story....

Till next Tuesday,,,