12/28/13

Cornered

Yesterday I had some errands to run in the morning. When I came home, I wasted no time taking a nap. Do you feel let down and tired after Christmas? No doubt, I'm just getting old, but it seems there's a lot of build up for the holiday, and then a sharp drop-off in energy afterward. So I just listened to my tired bones and snuggled up under a flannel quilt for a nap. And I had a furry companion in the ample form of Gracie to keep me company. She's an excellent nap cat, and she loves her flannel.


When I woke up, I decided it was time to get going on the binding for the Heart of the Home table runner.


There were some questions in my feeble mind about how to do this because I've never bound a quilt with more than four corners and angles at anything other than 90°. "How hard could it be?" I asked myself. Well, not hard, but I quickly discovered that there was more to it than meets the eye. Fortunately, I learned this after doing it incorrectly around just one corner. It was apparent this dog was going to have to learn a new trick. 

So I turned to my new best friend, Google, and was immediately confronted with the first question along the way. How does one search for such a thing? And I have to tell you that I'm simply amazed at the utter gibberish one can type into the search box and come up with something downright intelligible. I started out with "binding a quilt with corners different from ninety degrees." And I came up with a lot of tutorials about binding quilts, but only one that was instructive about what I wanted to do. "Instructive", yes, but helpful, no. Nevertheless, it did give me a new search term that got me where I wanted to go: "Binding a quilt with odd angles". As it turns out "odd angles" is the key. I came up with this very helpful video from Marcie Baker.


If you can't see the video, click right here. Isn't the internet a marvelous thing? I'm almost happy to be old enough to remember encyclopedias (and to know the song Jiminy Cricket used to sing to teach kids how to spell "encyclopedia"). Allow me to digress for a moment to illustrate how amazing the internet is by actually posting Jiminy Cricket, because everyone should know him and his song. He is ageless.


Here's the link if you need it.

Ahem. Can you tell I was procrastinating on those corners? Anyway, so I was also happy for an iPad that allowed me to bring the video right to my sewing machine so that I could keep replaying it as I went. And there you go, mitered corners on my corner with an angle greater than 90°. Here's how it looks from the top:


It worked out, although when I did the hand-sewing, I was guilty of over-thinking it a bit. Here's how it looks from the back. I had a little trouble getting the edges of the binding to meet up, but it's good enough. And who but the quilt police will be looking anyway?


And so here it is, my 22nd completed quilt for 2013.


It looks pretty on my table, and it's a good size as well. So bring on Valentine's Day...or maybe we should get through New Year's Day first. Either way, I'm ready.

Updated to say that I'll be linking up to:



and to Slow Sunday Stitching:


Today Mike and I are going to take advantage of a sale on storage containers going on at our local megamart. He's looking for some of those shoebox sized ones to use in the camper. I'm looking for some about twice that size for larger quilting projects. I have so many projects going on right now that I need more storage bins for them. Go figure. We're also hoping to replace the plastic trash can that holds our bird seed...the ones the squirrels chewed through last summer.


And speaking of new projects, don't forget that the last NewFO Challenge linky party goes live on Tuesday. I'm giving away the last little needle nanny, so don't miss out!


I hope you have a restful weekend. Do lots of sewing if you can.

25 comments:

Lyndsey said...

I've always found post Christmas a perfect time for catching up on naps. It is the end of the year after all and we need to reserve our strength all ready for whatever excitement 2014 throws at us. A nap with a cosy quilt and cuddlesome cat is even better.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Flannel and a furry - great nap cozies!

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Love it! I completed zero...:0

WoolenSails said...

I will have to remember those types of corners when I do my hexagon edge, hopefully I won't make too much of a mess, lol.

Debbie

Michelle said...

I have 4 to complete. One by next weekend. Need to send more time quilting and less on laptop. LOL

Anonymous said...

There a couple of things to remember that will apply to all corners (regardless of degree): stop 1/4" before the next edge (I backstitch and cut the thread at this point for ease in manipulating the binding strip) and flip the binding up so that the raw edge(s) of the binding are following/in the same line as the next edge that you will be sewing. Then, bring the binding down, with the fold at 90 degrees to the raw edge of the binding. Begin the new stitching at the top edge(don't leave a 1/4" space, begin right at the edge. I secure with a couple of backstitches) and continue down that side. If you have any questions let me know. I could do a photo tute. Your table topper is great!!!! Hugs........

Kate said...

Naps have been a big part of my post Christmas plans. Hope you have had more stitching time today.

Quiltsmiles said...

NIce finish and 22, WOW! great numbers and productivity.

kathyinozarks said...

thank you for tips with the corners, nap with kitty-just perfect

Dasha said...

We have begun a new tradition with our family (they live just 5 minutes up the road). We have our Christmas lunch, at which ever house is hosting, then the visitors trundle off home and we all have a nap. The visitors then return for pudding and the extras. At that point it is also game time with the board or card games coming out. Its good.
How do cats know that you are napping? Tibby invariably appears from wherever she is to come and join me.
Love Mr Google. Love the doodles which appear regularly and love the info that you can come up with. I get amazing results both for family history research and for quilting questions. As you say, obscure questions always come up with answers.

Denise :) said...

Barbara, I love this! It's quite beautiful and I've already run over and scooped up the pattern for later use! You've done a fabulous job with the binding, too. Whoohoo!!! :)

Junebug613 said...

Yes, to the after holiday crash, and yes, the internet is a limitless source of wonder (and sometimes frustration). Congratulations on your finish! I received 3 needle nannies for Christmas and was surprised at how strong the magnets are! I will have to be careful not to set my phone or tablet near one.

Tami C said...

I caught a little nap myself today & it sure helped! Thanks for sharing Marcie Baker's video for binding odd angles. That really made a lot of sense. Your Heart of the Home table runner really turned out nice. Congratulations on getting 22 quilts completed for 2013!

Astrid said...

Your table runner is gorgeous! Love it! Recently I made a table runner with those odd corners too and I had a hard time to figure out how to do it. It turned out OK, but I know I didn't do it the right way. Thank you so much for posting this, I will definitely bookmark the tutorial.

quiltzyx said...

Thanks for posting that tute on the odd-angle bindings. She makes it look so easy....
I LOVE that Jiminy Cricket video - I was singing right along with it. :^)

Wow! 22 finished quilts this year. You ARE my hero!

I believe in naps too - they just hit the spot, don't they? Yay for your nap-buddy Gracie too. :D

Michele said...

I'm old enough to remember Jimminy Cricket. Yeah for you for the binding trick. Those quilt police had better not step near your place or Smitty can quickly put them in their place.

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

Thanks, I saved the link to the video.

Carla A Few Of My Favorite Things said...

Great video! The best way to do this I have seen yet!

Brown Family said...

We did not have TV to see Jimminy Cricket. Love the binding video.

KristinHoltPhotography said...

Barbara-
Cats, quilts, & hearts!! YEAH! Super LOVE! I'm visiting from ALYoF.
Pinned!
K-

Celtic Thistle said...

22 quilts! Awesome output Barbara :)

Thanks for linking up to New to Me too.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

I love Jimminy Cricket. I saved the link for the binding for later, when I have another project to bind.

Quilter Kathy said...

What a fun blast from the past to see Jiminy Cricket!

Terri said...

Love it! Thanks for sharing it over at Val's.
Hugs

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

You did great! I have a tutorial on binding that includes odd angles, thanks for the idea for different tags for it. Visiting from Val's.