Advice Please
Just a quick post to ask about binding a quilt without a border. It occured to me in the small hours of this morning that I have never made a quilt without borders, until now. When you put a border on it sorts out the edges of the quilt if one is a bit longer than the other, so the finished quilt isn't wavy. How do you do that without a border? Do you measure the centre of the quilt and then pin the binding on as you would a border, or do you just put the binding on and hope for the best?
Curious Downunder
If I make a simple quilt and am happy with making more blocks, I don't bother with borders.
ReplyDeleteThink back to the "older" style Grandmother's Flower Garden types, they were rarely bordered.
I' afraid I'm guilty of not measuring bindings, just make sure I don't stretch as I sew them on.
hugz,
I've never really thought about it - I just put them on... (I barely even pin...)
ReplyDeleteI never measure bindings either - I just tension the binding a bit -that is pull it slighty as I sew down on to the quilt. I find if I just lay the binding down without the bit of pull the quilt edge does wave a bit. This seems to work if the quilt has borders or not. I LOVE doing binding ! Sounds like you're at the finishing line Jenni - hurray !!
ReplyDeleteMe too, I sew on the binding as usual. I like at least one border for quilt blocks that have points to keep track of, seems to give me a chance to make adjustments if something needs to be eased about. Your couch quilt should be simple enough.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly are a dedicated quilter to quilt and sew bindings with the humidity that you are living with. Rosie would say "atta girl!"
never thought about that since I've only done it once or twice. but I will be curious to see what everyone else does.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it weird that we even think about quilting before going to sleep, i count ufo's instead of sheep.LOL
Like The Calico Cat, I never thought about it. No pins - just sew and go *s*
ReplyDeleteHi Jen, I guess I've just gotten lucky in this department. Bet you will be lucky, too.
ReplyDeleteHey, I noticed your travel bug is poised to leave the island for the mainland. Mine's in Hawaii but hasn't been dropped and logged in yet. Hope it keeps heading in the right direction.
Cute picture of Simon. What a sweetie.
Are you making a bias binding or a straight grain binding? I used to make a lot of bias binding. That will stretch a lot if that is what you're worried about. Lately, I've been doing a double fold, straight grain binding. I cut strips 2 1/2 inches wide, join them on a slant (if you know what I mean) and iron them in half. Then I stitch the raw edge to my quilt, making diagonal corners. I never mind about it, I just adjust the tension on my machine, and off I go! I hand hem the binding on in the back.
ReplyDeleteMust confess I would just whack the binding on and hope for the best! Interesting that Roz uses 2.5" strips - mine are 1 and 8/12" inches wide!
ReplyDeleteI make sure my quilt is square. If not, I have run a hidden heavy thread along an edge if it's a bit too long, and pull up ever so slightly.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE doing the binding also. I do Straight of grain usually, cut 2 1/4 inch. Sew with slightly greater than 1/4 in. (No measurig, no pinning.) Join the ends on the diagonal. THEN I trim, then (don't laugh or gasp now) I press that binding over the edge - I like things to look crisp! Then hand stitch it down, pining about 18 inches before my needle. ( Hopefully my seams in the binding do not hit the corners. If they do, I recut the binding shorter to avoid seams on the corner. )
I know one is supposed to measure it out so the opposite sides are exactly the same length. However I thumb my nose at the quilt police and just stitch it on. If it has no borders then it isn't a special contest quilt - and I don't make contest quilts anyway LOL!
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