10 May, 2012

Binding, Binding, Binding


Lest you think I'm not getting anything quilty done, here is a pile of bindings. Two of these are out of the book and one is a precious baby quilt. One hand finished - in progress. One machine binding - in progress. One machine bound and ready for it's debut.

I'll admit, I can do machine binding, but I'm not a fan of it. I find them stiff and it somehow feels wrong to me to have that seam on the front. I just prefer the look of a hand finished binding, for my quilts. You can't however, knock the speed of doing it by machine and sometimes you just need to get things done. And there is a lot of satisfaction in getting a quilt from squared up to completely bound in only a few hours. There is a lot of enjoyment in sitting and stitching in rhythm too.

I guess I'm not one to judge.

7 comments:

Suzanne said...

I think it's great to know how to do all kinds of bindings just to have a choice. Enjoy the rhythm.

Live a Colorful Life said...

Totally agree--I love the look of hand-finished binding.

beth said...

i got your book over the weekend and have so enjoyed reading is slowly!!! it is just perfect. i love it! (and strangely i zigzag stitch on the binding... i first saw one done and thought 'never', but then i tried it and liked it. you just never know.)

Esch House Quilts said...

I agree - I prefer the look of hand binding, but it is hard to beat the speed of machine binding. I avoid the seam on the front by attaching the binding like I would for hand, pinning it to the back and stitching in the ditch from the front. I learned this method from Rita of Red Pepper Quilts. The back isn't as beautiful as hand binding, but I've gotten better as keeping it somewhat even.

Josie McRazie said...

I do love a good hand bound quilt, but I think for kids quilts that are going to take a lot of washing or beating I think that it does make a little sence! I guess it depends on what you want out of the quilt!

Emily said...

I feel the same way about bindings... Sometimes I machine stitch (for others) and sometimes I hand stitch (for me). I'm a purest at heart and would hand sew them all if it wasn't for the time factor.

Andrea said...

I hate binding. I think we need to invent something as a substitute. I cannot imagine having that many quilts in line to bind.