The Planets Are Not Aligned Today

[she-quilts]

Before you tackle a big project, I thought I should let you know that!

I sewed down a bias binding this afternoon. Three of the 4 corners ended up with a binding join/seam ON the corner!! ops: No, I do not map out my binding to check that. I just put it down. Occasionally, a seam lands at the corner. Today... A. Lot. more than occasionally. LOL!

[she-quilts]

Your right,the Planets are not aligned today, because if they were you would have had all four of your corners with matching joins on the binding :wink:

[Margo]

Before you tackle a big project, I thought I should let you know that!

I sewed down a bias binding this afternoon. Three of the 4 corners ended up with a binding join/seam ON the corner!! ops: No, I do not map out my binding to check that. I just put it down. Occasionally, a seam lands at the corner. Today... A. Lot. more than occasionally. LOL!

Doncha just hate when that happens!! When my bindings fall with a seam in the corner, I just back up a few inches and cut out a section and re-sew the strip together so that the seam falls at least an inch or two before the corner. If you had just done that on the first one, the other two would have been OK!! :wink:

[Lorchen]

Margo, you should have told Joyce before she started!

I heard in the news today - seriously, not joking, that there is some unusually strong solar flare activity on the sun that effects the earth from yesterday to Wednesday. Didn't actually say that it messes up quilt bindings, but who knows......

[Margo]

Margo, you should have told Joyce before she started!

I heard in the news today - seriously, not joking, that there is some unusually strong solar flare activity on the sun that effects the earth from yesterday to Wednesday. Didn't actually say that it messes up quilt bindings, but who knows......

Sorry Joyce! I guess I assumed that since I knew to do this, that everyone else would too!

[Margo]

Hi Joyce,

Your post could not have been more timely. Last night, I finished a 53" x 53" baby quilt and wanted to share a tip that I found quite by accident. This scrappy quilt was made completely from scraps in my stash. I searched my stash for a binding fabric and came up short on every fabric considered. So, for the binding, I "borrowed" a bit of an 108" wide navy print fabric being saved for another quilt's backing--so the binding only has two seams, centered on each side of the quilt. It occurred to me while sewing on the binding that I would not have to worry about my seams falling into the mitered quilt corners. Then I thought, why not buy a quarter yard of 108" wide backing fabric to use for quilt bindings? I use 2 1/2" strips. So, if you typically use more narrow strips, then 1/8 yd. might be enough.

[Margo]

Great idea Nancy!

[Margo]

Oh Nancy! That is a wonderful idea!! Only two seams!! I love it!!

I do the "layout and rough measure" before I stitch my bindings. Then I pin the starting spot, so I don't lose track of it. Takes a few minutes but they are minutes better spent before I sew and have to rip...

[she-quilts]

Thank you all for your support!! Many smiles ... Margo, you should have called me!! Lorchen... I needed to know there was a real reason for binding not working out. I am going to use that all week!! Nancy, that is a brilliant idea to find wide fabrics for bindings. This fabric line didn't have that option but I sure will keep my eye out for that in the future!!

Love this group and that you understand.

This morning I did redo the end 20" or so. I had the ending/join seam, one seam RIGHT next to it, and then a new strip had joined on about 6" back. UGH! (You know when you make bias binding using the start w/ the square method, some of those seams are so close. This was right near my ending point.) I added in a long strip and took out about 3 seams. So all this chat gave me that idea/incentive. You are good!!!

[she-quilts]

Can I jump in this thread to ask --- and bear with me, remember, I'm a beginner! --- why is it bad to have binding seams next to seams in the quilt itself?? Or near corners??

'Cause I completely didn't even pay attention to that AT ALL on my first quilt (the red/white/blue I posted a while ago) and it's likely I have this issue, maybe. Is it significant enough an issue (like, the binding will rip off and the quilt fall apart kind of significant....) that I need to check and redo as needed?? Or is it just an issue of aesthetics?

Thanks for explaining ladies! (and I LOVE the idea to use wide fabrics; making that biased binding was a pain in the rear and if I can manage to never have to do that again, I would be thrilled.....I much prefer my method of "just cut it wider...." although I imagine that breaks all kinds of rules.....)

[Margo]

Heather, a seam in the binding that falls right at a corner of the quilt puts excess bulk in the corner and makes it difficult to make a nice miter.

[Margo]

Heather, a seam in the binding that falls right at a corner of the quilt puts excess bulk in the corner and makes it difficult to make a nice miter.

ah, since I've not graduated to even attempting to miter my corners yet, no wonder I didn't know this!

if that is the only issue, I will breathe a nice sigh of relief. Thanks Margo!

[she-quilts]

Yep... Margo hit it right. Just bulky. Hoping my Personal Binder does all right with that. (I forgot to leave the binder clips with her yesterday!)

[lotti]

heather, check out these methods of making the bias binding...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cedg4qE7MSo
http://modernquiltlove.wordpress.com...-bias-binding/

my favorite method is:
http://sherimhoward.blogspot.com/200...-tutorial.html

good luck on your next bindings

[she-quilts]

I make continuous bias binding and pre-cut it before joining. Heather, you should come over and I'll show you. :-)