Binding in Solid Black

These eyes aren't getting any younger!

Too often, lately, I've had to use a black or dark blue binding on a quilt (love the way it frames it).  Do you know this trick?  Since the front and the back of the fabric is solid - you can't tell them apart - make sure you mark both ends with a yellow or white pencil.

That way, when you join your binding strips, you can place "right sides together" instead of sewing haphazardly and creating a serpentine mess!

Why does this matter?  You don't want to sew 7 strips together and then discover, when pressing, that some seams face up and some don't.  AARGH!

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Simplifying Solid Bindings

I loved that last Memorial Quilt - I had a really hard time handing it over.  I'm particularly pleased with the way the binding really framed the quilt.  That binding, however, was a pain in the heinie.  It was a solid fabric - same color on both sides.

What's the big deal?  You don't want to join your strips together and, while pressing, discover that you have some seams facing up and some down.  When you sew together 200+ inches, you don't want to sew "right" sides together and, 40 inches later, "wrong" sides together.

So here's my little trick. Since you can't tell which side is the "wrong" side, I marked them!  No big deal as any markings on the ends will be trimmed away. It's not a very good picture, but I've laid 8 strips atop each other and marked them.  Then I rotated the pile and marked the other ends, too.

When you grab two strips to sew together, you just make sure the markings are on the same side.

I wish the pictures were a little clearer.

Happy Stitching!

Elisa