Book Binding a new/old craft

Remember how we used to use thread or string to make little booklets of our own poems and pictures when we were kids?  Weaving the string carefully back and forth and tying a neat knot and bow in the middle of the 'spine'.  It is not so far from what you can do with paper today and adding a cover makes it even better.

You begin by folding the pages into signatures which are just 3-4 folded sheets nested together.  Mark and pierce the folds with an awl.  I used foam board that I had in my sewing room for the covers.  Then after the buttonhole thread sewing is done I covered the spine with a piece of fabric.  Viola!

Then after the buttonhole thread sewing is done I covered the spine with a piece of fabric.  Viola!

Clara's Quilt is all Done - Yeah

So here it is finished.  Lovely, a citrus-y quilt for a fresh little one.

Basketing Around Finished

It was pretty intense, but with a few long hours at my machine in the dining room, I got it done.  I even powered through the hand sewn binding while watching free videos from Quilt Con.  It was really interesting to hear about the Amy and David Butler team.  They are amazing.

Here it is...

The echo quilting in the borders is very rewarding but time consuming.  I am happy I did it though.

This might be my favourite block.  I loved how the colours came together.

And now...

Is that too much or what.  I think I made my brightest quilt ever.  And I designed it all myself too.

Quilting...Quilting....Quilting...

There it is... moved to the dining room table for the big finish.  Then lots of work...The Machingers are marvellous.

Yes more apple-y goodness....

And then the border.  I used a puffy polyester bat so to tame and contain it, I did some straight line sewing to outline areas and then I put on the binding.  It worked well and sure made it easier to get the carcass in and out from under the foot.

Recycled Hand Towels

Good Morning,

I have downsized my linen closet because there are just many more things I could store there besides linen and came up with a pile of mostly gently used bath sized towels.  My DD says she's in need of hand towels in her bathroom... Hmmm... so here goes.

I laid out the bath towels and cut two hand towel sized pieces from them.

To do this I cut a crosswise strip from the towel that was about 15 inches wide.  Then I searched through my left over quilt bindings and found what I deemed suitable pieces and folding over about 1/4 in to the inside I stitched them on.

As you can see I used the walking foot and used a scant 1/4 inch seam.

The binding worked well.  I am kind of known for cutting the binding small so I am using left overs  that are only 1 3/4 inches wide.

 The result would be a bit different if you used 2 or 2 1/2 inch wide binding.  But I am very pleased with the result.  We'll see what my DD thinks about white hand towels.  I'm thinking with her crew she might have been hoping for something darker but c'est la vie.

Binding in the rain...

So in my wanderings on line I came across a gorgeous tutorial for a bowtie block done up as placemats.  It was sooo cute I went straight to my sewing room and whipped up a mat to Lee's specs.  Today I'm binding the mat I made. And it's raining gently on the roof...