Saturday 26 March 2022

maggie pearl quilt and binding thoughts













I’m pretty much loving a zingy binding right now. Picking out the binding fabric for a quilt is one of my favourite things in the quilt making process. And then, to be honest, I tend to stall, as actually binding a quilt is not one of my preferred tasks!
 
My technique has been the same for ages - I cut my binding strips 2.25" and I join my strips with a diagonal seam. I square off my quilt to leave a slight amount of batting along all the edges. The batting excess then gets folded into the binding, making it firm & full and more durable.
I always machine attach my binding to the front and then hand stitch down my binding on the back with a mitred corners. I use a blind stitch where my needle travels through the backing fabric and picks up a bit of the binding fabric. 

I want to try hand stitching to the front with big stitches sometime, any tips? There's a tutorial here on big stitch hand binding, looks interesting.   I'm also keen to try machine sewing my binding to the back first, wrapping it around, and then machine sewing on the front. It sounds like it's a nice, clean look… and fast? I see Rita too has a tutorial here which I need to check out before I actually give this a go.
Maybe if I find a better way to do this part, my quilts could all get finished in a timely manner 🤞

Hm-m-m there are so many lovely binding ideas out there, what's your favourite?   














Quilt details:
"Maggie Pearl" quilt, a free pattern from @penelopehandmade on her website!
A quick & easy project that sure packs a scrappy punch!
I started out using Liberty lawn fabrics 
then added in a few fabrics from The Deco Dance Collection, Liberty by Riley Blake Designs, 
and some Karen Lewis tone-on-tones to balance things out.
Batting: Lately I've been using a wool/polyester mix, 
which {when combined with an open quilting pattern} gives a lovely soft cuddly drape
Machine quilted by me in a zig zag design - it was a little tedious but so so worth it! 
Backing: I stitched together a bundle of FQ into a big 9-patch, a successful use of boring fabrics!
Binding: a three toned blue stripe, Onofrio in Shirt by Giucy Giuce.
Finished quilt top measures: 40" x 56"


I'm very happy to get two small quilts all finished this week. One is off to a new mum-to-be already, the other is waiting patiently to be gifted sometime … and maybe now it's time to start something new? Linking up with Cynthia for 'oh scrap' and with Kelly for NNT 

Linda


12 comments:

Mystic Quilter said...

Inspired choice to add the three dark blocks into the mix with this quilt, I really like the effect. Also liking the quilting design.

Karen S said...

Love the binding you have chosen. Great finish on another gorgeous quilt.
I use the same binding method as you outlined. I have not had success with any other ways unfortunately.

FlourishingPalms said...

I don't follow any of the traditional binding methods, such as you've described. I use "No Tails Binding: Mitered Corners by Machine" to sew binding to my quilts (Tutorial on my blog, and it's a Modern Quilt Guild webinar, if you're a member.) But I have big stitch quilted AFTER hand sewing binding to the back of the quilt. Though that's redundant, I'm happy with the best "polished" finish. I never machine-stitch bindings because: !) the stitching is never as perfect as I want it to be; and 2) I enjoy the hand-stitching step. I revel in taking the last stitches that signify a finish. Trying new things is always good, and though I've tried all the binding methods, I've settled on the one that works best for me. You should definitely do the same!

Robin said...

I really like this quilt; so simple and yet so elegant. I cut my binding 1 3/4" wide, sew it to the front with mitered corners, and then wrap it around to the back to sew by hand. I've only done machine sewn binding once and I didn't like the way it turned out. That being said, I have a friend who does nothing but machine sewn binding. Also, I love "Big Stitch" but what I notice is that everybody has a different length stitch. Mine tends to be a little larger than some. (I try for 1/4" long.) Once you get a rhythm going the length will even out and it will be the right length for you.

Kat said...

Very pretty quilt. I love the binding you chose. I used to hand sew to finish all my bindings but over the last few years, I have been machine quilting them, except I sew to the front as usual, and then sew it down on the back. There is a line of stitching close to the binding that is visible on the front, but it mostly looks like a quilting line. I can’t remember which blog I found this method. I use 2.25” wide. I practiced sewing binding on to placemats first, and that’s how I discovered I prefer to not see the stitching on the binding on the front of the quilt. It’s a matter of personal preference, and it just takes practice, and for me, lots of pins and a stiletto.

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

That striped binding really is a fun way to frame your lovely quilt. I enjoy the traditional way of hand sewing to the back so I probably won't be straying from it. Thanks for linking up with Oh Scrap!

Linda said...

Perfect choice of binding. Lovely quilt finish.

gladiquilts said...

I bind my quilts the traditional way exactly as you’ve described and won’t be changing any time soon because I enjoy hand sewing the binding down. I get to relax and admire the quilt as I do it, maybe for the last time before sending it off, giving it away, or storing it. I would, however, like to try “facing”some time for small pieces.

Susan said...

I am a traditionalist when it comes to binding. I have followed Linda's method once, and the 'machine to back then front' method a couple of times, and I faced a wall quilt recently, but always seem to go back to the original method. I actually love the hand stitching process- it gives me a chance to slow down and get up close to my quilt again, just as 'gladiquilts' says.

Julie said...

I always bind the same way, reducing my binding strips from2.5" to 2.25" was the best thing to get that nice firm edge, I always hand stitch it down too. It's like sewing the hug into it.

Cynthia@wabi-sabi-quilts said...

Your striped binding looks great. What a terrific looking quilt. I used to bind exactly as you describe, and I savor the process of stitching it down by hand. The change I've made in recent years is that now I do single-fold binding for most quilts. The corners are easier and the binding isn't stiff at all. I cut my strips 1 1/4".

Ann said...

Lovely binding choice and a charming quilt. It’s such fun to use our scraps and leftovers, isn’t it?