Time Well Spent in the Sewing Room

Though a thing of beauty was not created, I did learn something and that is the most important thing.

I have been floundering (floundering? flopping? flipping?) trying to figure out how to properly join binding. My face burns with shame that some of you have items from my sewing room where this joining has been improperly done. Please don't hate me! I'll do better next time.

~Lesson 16 Craftsy Block of the Month 2012~

It has certainly helped to have the iPad, which goes with me all over the house. It used to be that working on something in the sewing room that I had seen once was a real challenge because I don't learn well seeing it once. I need to see it over and over and over again before it gets knocked into my crowded brain. And those up and down trips on the stairs got annoying...very.

~2~

2. So here I have some green polka-dotted binding that I have made the easy way...no more binding tutes for me thank you very much.

~3~

3. Oh-oh. The connections are going to be way too close! Better try to slide the left one down a bit.

~4~

4. Here I am finding what Amy Gibson told me is the "critical point." After all the nasty joins I've done, I think critical point is a good term.

~5~

5. I used a straight join as all other connections are also straight. Diagonal joins are also an option, but who cares? Not I!

~6~

6. Okay, that's better...not great, but better. This post should not be considered a tutorial because many important things have been left out. I gave you all the important info in the caption on the first picture.

~7~

7. What is it? Hmmm...good question. It's a sample something or other. I've worked on piecing, machine quilting, and binding. 

~8. blanket backing instead of batting~

8. It's made on a washable blanket rather than a piece of batting. I was able to purchase this blanket for a mere $10 so it's much more economical than purchasing quality batting (especially when practicing). This idea comes from a quilter from way back, a family friend who has made hundreds of quilts over a lifetime. I have not included a fabric backing because this blanket fabric is grabby and so works well as an ironing pad.

Oh. There I go! It's become a mini ironing pad for use on my work table so I don't have to go back and forth to the ironing board. 

Gosh, just stick with me here. You never know what you're going to get. Tomorrow, I may show my experiments in food photography. This blog is nothing if not eclectic.

Have a wonderful weekend and, if I don't see you before then, a Happy St. Patrick's Day!