Thursday, May 31, 2012

Binding Tutorial

I had a request to do a tutorial on how I put on binding. There are lots of ways to do this. This is the way I do it. If you need to, click on any image in this tutorial to see it larger.

When you start attaching your binding, leave an 8" - 12" tail.


As you approach the corner, stop and fold the binding back on itself at a 45 degree angle, as shown below. (The pin is just used to hold it back so I could take a picture.)


Finger press this really well so that you can see the crease. I put a pin in the crease, 1/4" away from the edge (or whatever width I am using for the seam), just as a guide for myself because it is sometimes hard to see the crease. Don't put it all the way through the quilt or you will scratch your table!


Now sew to the crease, then pivot and sew in the crease to the corner. By using this creasing method, it doesn't matter what seam allowance you are using. You will be stopping the appropriate distance from the corner. In my case, that is 1/4".


Pull the quilt out and cut your threads. It is time to turn it for the next side. To do a mitered corner you need to fold the binding fabric back along the crease, just as before. Notice that I have turned the quilt in preparation for attaching the binding to the next side.


Then fold the binding toward you, with this fold right on the edge of the quilt and the raw edge of your binding lined up even with the next side you will be sewing. (Again, the pin is just to hold everything long enough to snap a picture.)


Now start sewing right at the edge and continue along the next edge.


Do this for all four corners and then stop about 15" - 18" from your starting point. You should have two tails of binding. Take your quilt over to a large surface where you can layout it out to do the next steps necessary to attach the two ends. Notice that the majority of the quilt is hanging down toward my feet in front of me. This is important for my method so that the angle at which the two ends are attached is correct.


I have a small cutting mat that I use for this part. If you don't have a small cutting mat, get one! Or here is a link to my friend Peg's tutorial for how she does this step a different way. I line up one of the horizontal lines on the mat with the edge of the quilt and the end of the binding (the starting end) with one of the vertical lines of the mat.


Paying attention to which of the vertical lines the starting piece was on, I move the starting piece and lay the ending piece of binding over the mat. Make sure that the ending piece of binding is laying flat along the edge of the quilt.


Now, we are going to cut the ending piece off. You want to cut it so that it will overlap the beginning piece the same length as the cut width of your binding strips. For example, I cut my binding 2.25" wide. So I put the 2.25" line on the vertical line that marked the beginning of my binding strip.


Now cut.


The ends should overlap the cut width of the binding strips.


Open up the starting end.


On the wrong side of the fabric, lay your ruler so that the 2.25" lines are on the left edge and the bottom edge of the binding strip. (If you cut your binding a different width, then put those lines on the edges). Mark the top right corner of the binding.


Then draw the diagonal line from the bottom left corner to the mark you made 2.25" in from the top edge. Essentially you are drawing the diagonal line that is showing on the ruler in the photo above. My white marking tool is a sliver of Ivory soap. It shows up well enough for me to see it, but is shy and doesn't photograph well.


Pull your ending bit of binding over. Lay it right side up, with the starting bit that you have marked wrong side up. You are going to sew on your drawn line so it needs to be up so you can see where to sew.


Lay the ending bit of binding right side up in a vertical orientation. Lay the starting bit of binding right side down in a horizontal orientation, as shown below.


Line up the top and left edges and pine on either side of the drawn line.


Take this over to your machine and sew on the drawn line. I start sewing at the bottom left corner, as shown in the photo above. But just sew on the line. The direction you sew is not important.


Clip your threads and bring the whole quilt back over to your work surface. Lay it out to make sure that the binding isn't twisted or wavy.


Once you are sure it is correct, cut a quarter inch away from the sewn line.


Press the seam open.


Then press it back nicely in half. Sew the last bit down to the quilt.


And you are done attaching the binding to the front of the quilt.

I hope this is helpful. I tried to take a picture of every critical step. If you have any questions please ask in the comments. If you are a "no-reply" blogger and would like me to answer your question personally, please be sure that you leave an email address in your comment. Otherwise, I will answer you  with another comment and you'll have to check back here.


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Lattice Quilt

I finished up the Lattice Quilt top. I chose to sew them together into a different layout though. I'm calling this a "target layout."


If you click here you can see a previous version in the "lattice layout." I think I'll try a zig zag layout next time.


Monday, May 28, 2012

A Wall of Stars

I put my stars up on the design wall yesterday afternoon. At first I put them all up without giving any thought to which one went where, just so I could see the layout. Since then I have been moving them around until I'm happy.


This is how they look this morning. I'm also thinking about whether or not this needs a border. If so, what kind of border. I don't have enough of any single fabric left to do a border with just one fabric. I think I'll get the stars put together before making a final border decision.

For those of you in the U.S., Happy Memorial Day!


Friday, May 25, 2012

Stars Done!

Whew! I finished all my little 4" stars for the Oh My Stars quilt! I'm posting a little later than usual because I was determined to finish them up before posting again. Here they are, 68 four inch stars.


Now for the fun part, putting them all together with the 8" and 12" stars.


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Two quick things this morning.

First, I have the last 14 stars cut out for my Oh My Stars quilt. They are matched up and ready for sewing.


Second, I finished the Cuddle Blocks quilt I showed you on Friday.


In the photo it is folded in half so I can show the backing. It is 5 blocks by 6 blocks in size (45" by 54"). The Cowboy print and the backing print are both Cuddle fabrics, the blue and red are flannel. It is definitely a very cuddly quilt!

I quilted this one in the ditch and used the quilt in the ditch walking foot. Wow! I love that thing!


Can you see that guide in front of the needle? You just keep that guide in the ditch and the needle follows stitching perfectly in the ditch. Below is a side view.


This is the first time I have used this foot with my walking foot and it won't be the last. The only complaint I have is that it isn't easy to change the feet out on the Bernina walking foot. It requires a screw driver and it's a little fiddly to hold the foot in place while tightening the screw. However, I was able to sew faster because I wasn't worried about being careful to stay in the ditch. With the guide in front I could easily see the ditch and that I was in it.


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

On Dasher ...

I finished my first reindeer, Dasher, in the Reindeer Games.


I couldn't decide about the extra stars or snowflakes around him so I left them off for now. I can always add them later if I decide he needs them.

This was very fun to do. I've not ever tried this type of embroidery before and have decided I like it. I'm looking forward to the next reindeer!


Monday, May 21, 2012

Modern Monday Quilt Along

Block 34:


I got a new pink fabric recently for my Modern Monday blocks, the print.

Please go visit Caroll at Attic Window Quilt Shop to see her block then go visit Jenifer at 42 Quilts to see what we will be making this week.

FYI: The Heartstrings and Heirlooms blog is participating in the Sew, Mama, Sew! sponsored Giveaway Day. Click over to Heartstrings and Heirlooms to enter and Sew, Mama, Sew! to browse all the giveaways being offered.




Friday, May 18, 2012

Progress Report

I sure am working on a lot of projects at the moment!

To start, my first red work reindeer, Dasher, for the Reindeer Games.


This has gotten me into the Christmas spirit. So I started on my first Christmas gift for the year, an Urban Runner.



The colors are accurate in the second photo I took outside, but I couldn't get a good picture of the whole thing outside. This is similar to the Urban Baby quilt I showed last Friday. Click the link to see the finished Urban Baby top.

Hint: If you check the Heartstrings and Heirlooms blog on Monday you will be able to enter for a chance to win a kit to make your own Urban Runner just like the one pictured above.

Next I am working on a new quilt for Heartstrings and Heirlooms shop called Cuddle Squares.


The Cowboy fabric is Cuddle fabric (very soft, similar to Minky). The blue and red are flannel. The back is also Cuddle fabric in a pony print.

I'm almost finished with all the Lattice Quilt blocks.


And in case you didn't see it yesterday since I posted later than usual, I've got 54 four inch stars now for my Oh My Stars quilt.


Whew!


Thursday, May 17, 2012

54 Out of 68 Done


So close and yet so far. I need to cut the print fabrics for the remaining 14 stars. Maybe tomorrow.


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Urban Baby


My second Urban Baby top is finished.


I now have the pattern all figured out so I can write it up. It is essentially the Urban Runner pattern which comes with the Quick Curve Ruler, but different enough that I needed to make a second one while paying attention to the details to be able to write a pattern.

I am teaching this pattern as a class at Heartstrings and Heirlooms this quarter. Kits will also be available soon in the Heartstrings and Heirlooms online shop. If you would like a kit, let me know or go the online shop. The kits will be added to the online shop some time today so if they aren't there yet, please come back in a couple hours.