Sewing the Binding

It's been awhile since I've turned and hand sewn the back of the binding onto a quilt, machine sewing both sides is a lot faster! But special quilts need special attention and to me, blue stars is a special quilt.

After I trimmed the quilt edge, I took it to the sewing machine to sew on the binding.

I learned the hard way years ago to always prepare the binding when I finish piecing the quilt, especially when you don't quilt the flimsy immediately! It's too easy to forget and use the fabric in another quilt.

I got out the small plastic bag with the binding (always label that bag of binding too) and found that I had cut the strips but hadn't sewn and pressed the binding. So I needed to take the time to do that. Finally, an hour later, I was ready to attach the binding which I did. 

Then I was ready for the hand binding. First I stitched the label onto the bottom right hand corner of the quilt. I always stitch my labels into the binding. If anyone is going to plagiarize my work, they're going to have to work at it!

So often I want to add a label but don't get it made ahead of time. But this time I was on top of things and made the label several months ago. I pinned it to the design wall so I could find it when the time came. 

With the backside of the quilt facing me, I use these clips to hold down the edge. I know there is a newer type of clip a lot of people are using, but those cost more and I think these work better. Someone felt sorry for me and gifted me some of the new clips, they're languishing in a tin somewhere in the cupboard.

And yes, I know, some people don't clip the edge of their binding at all. That's fine, you don't have to clip if you don't want to, bind your quilt however you want! 

I always bind with the right side of the quilt over my lap. Hand binding a quilt is not the best activity to do when the summer temperature is in the 90's! I put the bulk of the quilt over the ottoman so that helps to hold most of the quilt off of me.

Fortunately we had a cool down and it got rather chilly (to me anyway) in the evenings. I had to put on socks and took the quilt off the ottoman. The extra warmth felt good then.

I have been trying to bind a side a day, I'm making decent progress.

After the binding is finished, I'll rinse the quilt in cold water to remove the markings. After she's dry, I'll take the final pictures for a final Sunday post.

Linking to Put Your Foot Down, Peacock Party, Whoop Whoop Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, UFO Busting