How NOT to Make a Binding!

Easy Street is finally quilted and bound  

I really wanted to have this quilt finished for Bonnie Hunter's visit last week, but time ran out for me to even think about trying to do it myself.  So I asked my friend Ruth to quilt it for me.  

We chose this lovely feathery panto and Ruth used a gorgeous aqua thread... I just love it!!!!

I also chose to do the binding by machine - another time saver!  

Plus, the binding will be more secure and sturdy.  

Since this will be a guest room bed quilt, it will see lots of use and washings :*)

Sounds quick and simple, right?  

WRONG!

I had a really, really stupid moment while I was cutting the fabric for the outer border and binding.  The fabric was an older one in my stash and it worked perfectly with all the colors going on in the quilt - I especially love the little lime green specks in there!  But I had just enough - you know how that works, right?  I had a good chunk of yardage and then a nice-sized piece left over from an earlier project.  There was not an inch to spare - and no chance of finding anymore anywhere!

I carefully measured the quilt to figure out the number of strips I would need.  Nine was cutting it really, really close, especially with some of the strips from the leftover piece being shorter than WOF.

I calculated how wide I could make the border and still have enough left over for the binding strips.

And then I got stupid!

 I didn't recheck my measurements and I didn't write them down!!!  

You know the old saying....

Measure Twice, Cut Once?

Well, let me tell you, life is sure a lot easier if you listen to that saying!

And I'm adding in a for-the-future note just for me - WRITE IT DOWN!!!

=^..^=

I also didn't listen to my inner voice.  The one that said, "Cut your binding strips first, then measure what you have left and divide it by nine for your border strips."  Yeah, that voice.  I didn't listen.  And I went to work cutting my border strips first.  TOO WIDE!!!!  Instead of cutting them 4-1/2" inches like I was supposed to do, for some weird reason I cut them 6 inches!   Oh boy, was I in trouble!

It didn't take very long to realize that I wasn't going to have enough left for my nine binding strips at 2-1/4" wide each.  I had nothing else that would work for the binding, and I really wanted that beautiful border fabric to flow out all the way to the edge!

So this is what I did....

The remaining fabric was enough to cut nine strips at 1-1/4" wide.  Then I cut 1-1/2" off each of the border strips, leaving them the 4-1/2" they were supposed to be cut originally.  This left me with nine strips of each width, some of them a few inches shorter than others.  This is a huge quilt, and I was worried that with the strip joins and mitered corners, I might lose too much and run short.  I was holding my breath the whole way!

I then zig-zagged them together, with the edges butted up next to each other, like this....

I used a dark blue thread on the actual pieces - this is just to show how I did it :*D

I wasn't really sure if it was going to work.  After stitching the first two pieces, I tugged on them to see if they would be weak or separate - nope, it was a nice strong join!  Next, I trimmed the strips to a nice uniform 2-1/4" wide.

Since the strips were different widths, when I folded them in half the zig-zagged section was hidden in the fold.  And it laid nice and flat for me!

Don't you just love the satisfaction of a pile of binding all prepped and ready to sew down?

But was it going to be enough?  

That was the big question!!!

According to my measurements, I was going to have only inches to spare!

And voila!!!! 

This is what I had left over - 9 inches!!!

It was actually more left over than I thought there would be, so Happy Dance time!!!

So that is my story about my recent Adventures in Binding.  

It is a cautionary tale, and one I hope to take to heart in the future.

In the meantime, I will be enjoying my new quilt....

I wish you all...

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

Stash Enhancement!

I want to show you the darling new Laurel Burch cat fabrics I picked up at the Pigeon Forge Quilt Show a couple of weeks ago....

This is the main panel.  Although I am still not sure of the design I will use for this quilt, I will probably cut these apart......

Here are some of them up close...look at all the cute details!

This is the fabric that first caught my eye.... it's a deep, rich purple, and I just love the sayings on it!

This is my favorite part...

Here are some of the coordinate fabrics that I picked up as well....Isn't this a fun and really cute line?!?  I'm so delighted that Laurel's family is beginning to release more of her designs.  No one does it quite like her, and the quilting world lost a great artist when she died.

I did get a little ticked off at the Show, because I bought the panel and several coordinates at one booth at the show, left there and went directly across the aisle, and a lady there had the SAME FABRICS for $1 less per yard!!!  I didn't buy that much - this will be a wall hanging - but still, I was not happy.  In the end, though, I reminded myself that it was my fault for not shopping before buying :*)

Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes, right?  I'm sure I'll forget all about that when I get the chance to cut into these fun prints and begin to create.

I also stopped at Loose Threads in Harriman, Tennessee, and dug through their scrap bucket.  In addition to all the wonderful fabric, tools, notions and sewing machines at this shop, they have a bucket that they place right at the side of the door, filled with little packets of scraps for $2 and $3.  There may be anywhere from 4 to 6 fabrics in there, depending on the size of the scrap and the price of the bag.  Most scraps are at least 3 inches WOF, and some are as wide as 7 or 8 inches!

I picked up two bags of orange scraps to replenish my scrap bin.  I just about cleaned them out during the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year, and what was left was not really very interesting or inspiring.  I needed fresh inspiration in that bin!

And then I couldn't resist a couple of bags of these black prints!  What great variety & interest here!!!

Have you been enhancing or busting your stash?

Please share with us at Judy's Patchwork Times!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

On the Needles - 4-5-13

All these wonderful pictures of socks on Judy's blog have once again lit a fire in me and made me hanker (pun intended!!!) to learn how to make socks!  I've always thought that would be a fun and very useful skill, but the use of little tiny, very pointy, needles - 3 or 4 of them at the same time, no less! - and all those terms, like "gusset" and "turning the heel" scared me off!  :^O

However, this time I have actually gotten to the point of purchasing yarn!

Now, I am well aware that this is cheap yarn and probably not worth the time and effort I will put into the projects, but I didn't want to put a lot of money into something that I may not be able to do.  All of these were on sale - one pair was even on closeout and dirt cheap!  The needles are not what I really wanted either.  Those Harmony wooden needles at Knit Picks in beautiful colors in the shorter 6" size.... oh yes, I drooled over them!!!  But I picked these up at Joann's with a coupon, and they will do until I decide whether sock knitting is something I will be doing for the long term. =^..^=

One thing that has kept me back is finding the right pattern to start with.  I need something easy enough for a beginner, but I want the sock to fit!  I don't want some big, bulky clunky sock that bunches up in my shoes.  So I need a good, well-designed pattern, but easy.  I downloaded a few from Ravelry and picked one that I may try.  Then I saw a really cute pair of socks on Paula - The_Quilter's blog and really liked the look of their shape and simplicity.  You can go HERE to her blog to see them.  (I didn't want to show her pictures without permission).  Her pattern uses circular needles, so I'm off this weekend to get a pair of those so I can try it out!

In the meantime, I have been practicing my stitching and tension with these fun and quick dishcloths!  Here are a few more to add to my portfolio :*)  And they are actually square LOL!!!

Now I'm finding myself left with little bits of Sugar & Cream yarn, so I downloaded a cute and free Soap Saver pattern from Ravelry to use up those bits :*)  Isn't this adorable?  And I bet it's a quick project!

Photo from Ravelry - designed & knitted by Danyel Pink

I'm hoping to start my first pair of socks sometime this weekend!

=^..^=

So what's on your needles?  Share it with us at Judy's Patchwork Times!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

A Visit from Quilting Royalty =^..^=

Bonnie Hunter has been visiting our Music City Quilt Guild this week ...

and what a fun visit it has been!!!

These geese greeted Bonnie and gave her a good-ole Tennessee welcome when we went to dinner Tuesday night.  The food was great, but the company was better :*D

Bonnie gave a lecture on Tuesday morning and then taught a half-day class that afternoon.  I didn't sign up for that class because she was teaching Pineapple Blossoms which I had taken from her several years ago.

But I did sign up for today's class - Jared Takes a Wife.  Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the class and the easy-going, point-by-point way Bonnie led us through the different parts of the block.

Here is Bonnie posing in front of her quilt at the end of the day after many of us had pinned our blocks on top of some of her blocks on her quilt - LOL!!!  All of the top & bottom rows are Bonnie's blocks ....

I bet you can pick out my block..... it's the small, bright one with lime green points, top right.  

Bonnie said, "It so cute and little and bright ... just like Teresa!"

Here's a closeup of the two blocks I completed in class....

My blocks are half the size of Bonnie's original quilt blocks - 6 inches finished instead of 12.  My goal is to make a small wall quilt for this project, and since I wanted a lot of color and interest going on, just doing 4 or 6 big blocks just didn't work.  I needed a lot of blocks to get the variety and color I wanted going on in it!  So I graphed the block to half size - these colored squares finish at 3/4" and they are cute as a button!  I think maybe 16 blocks will be enough to get the size I would like.

At the end of the day, I asked Bonnie for a hug and a picture with her....
          .........in case you were wondering, I'm the little short one on the left

=^..^=

I'm not in the Smith Mountain Morning class tomorrow either, but that's okay.  It has been such an amazing week!  But I have to say, I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning :*D

Besides, I think Gypsy has been missing her morning sleeping buddy, what do you think?

Thanks to everyone who told Bonnie to tell me Hello!  

It was really fun to hear from you that way!!!

UPDATE:  Click HERE to read Bonnie's post about this fun day!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for a huge Whoop! Whoop!  

I think sewing with Bonnie deserves one, don't you? 

NewFO Projects for March 2013

It's been a good month for starting new projects, and I'm linking up with Cat Patches' 2013 NewFO Challenge in the hopes of winning this really, really cute cat needle nanny that Smitty has talked Barbara into offering as the prize this month, plus a one-year subscription to McCalls Quilting magazine - whoohoo!  Now I ask you, doesn't that sound like the perfect prize for me???  Wish me luck, would you please?

=^..^=

My first start was Hudson's Heroes.  It is nearly complete except for stitching down the wheels and quilting/binding it.  I'm hoping to give this to my grandson next month, hence the hurry :*)

Then I started two new projects in classes I took at Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge this month.

Here is the first Tower One block I made in the class taught by Paula Nadelstern.  I haven't touched it since, but this block was so much fun, I know I'll be picking it back up soon :*)

And here is what I have done on the blocks for the second class, Strip Stacks....

Did you start anything new this month?  

Why not join in the fun? .......  Remember the great prizes!!!

Also linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times!

Hugs & Blessings! Teresa =^..^=

Claiming My Blog =^..^=

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3999498/?claim=8wtgnsx85rp">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Claiming my blog on Bloglovin!

The Easter Bunny is not the only one coming.....

We will have a very low-key Easter celebration at our house this year, but I don't really mind.  I have a couple of very busy weeks behind me - I need rest! - and a couple of very busy weeks ahead of me too.   As my post title states, the Easter Bunny is not the only one coming to my neck of the woods.....

BONNIE HUNTER is coming to our Guild this week!!!!

Oh yes!  That Bonnie Hunter!!!!

She will be giving a lecture and teach 3 classes while she is here, and I plan to enjoy every minute possible!!!  I took a class from her a couple of years ago, and the most memorable thing I learned was not a technique or tip from this Quilt Diva..... no, I learned that Bonnie is one of the most fun, joyous, spontaneous, down-to-earth people you will ever meet!  And I'm so excited about being in her class once again :*)

Since the classes filled up pretty quickly, we had to limit how many classes our members could take.  I'm in her Wednesday class - Jared Takes a Wife.  This is Bonnie's quilt...

I am planning to make a smaller wall quilt with smaller blocks, so I have to resize all the different pieces and sections.  The basic block is called Blackford's Beauty.  I also plan to totally change the color scheme to solid brights on black, Amish style.  Here is an example of my colors....

Big difference right?  LOL!!!  

I can't wait to start on this and see how it works out in the smaller size.

I'll be blogging a lot of the fun with Bonnie, so stay tuned!

Happy Easter to all of my Blogging Family!!!  

No matter what your plans are for this lovely Easter Day, I wish you joy and happiness

and a profound sense of what the season really means.

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=