Binding thoughts?

I've used leftover strips from strip piecing for the binding- just sew all the strips together in sets and then make 45 degree slices in them and sew it all end to end. It looks really nice, but very tricky to not end up with a seam right where you need the miter to be folded. You'll have to do some serious playing with it to avoid that problem. It sounds really cool- good idea!

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

I'm not sure why you want to do a bias cut binding, I would definitely try it on a smaller sample before going for such a big quilt, apparently lots of people have problems with wavy edges if they stretch it unevenly.

John, I'd be tempted to layer the colors and set them around the quilt

As for the "barber pole" look, I did that once (on a quilt for DH: ) and liked it very much. I would, however, caution you to lay out the pieced binding before actually stitching; try to avoid having any of the seams hit the corners, as it's *very* difficult to make nice corners with all of that bulk. Ask me how I know. ;)

Leslie, I had not thought of the problems with the mitering vis a vis the pattern spacing of the colors. Maybe I should round off the corners and just carry the colors in their order around the edge and continue on to the end. There might be a joining problem at the end but if you eased it the last foot or so you should be able to come to the correct resolution of the color sequence unless you are a couple of colors off. Then I guess you just say T.S.Eliot, an join it up and be done with it. I am thinking maybe rounding it about the size of a small drinking glass diameter. That should allow for the transition from horizontal to vertical without emphasizing the round nature of the corner that a much larger size would. It would not cut off the color of the corner block too much either. Thanks.

John

The only reason is so that it gives the diagonal barber pole look to the binding. I guess you could do it another way to achieve the same effect but I don't know what that would be.

John

If your color segments are only 2", you might be able to solve the corner miter dilemma this way: Start attaching your stripey binding. When you get almost to a corner, remove the 2" piece and replace it with a 3.5" or even

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obvious)

John

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Great idea. That should solve the problem of the reduced color on the corner miter. See what happens when you ask the experts. You get a bunch of expert opinions as to process.

John

John, I agree with the others--no need for a bias cut binding. You can join your color strips with slanted seams and get the same end effect. The advice about carefully planning so that the seams don't land at a corner is spot-on. I had that happen last night as I was sewing the binding on my latest quilt, and I *HAD* laid the binding out. (Had to unsew, take out several inches, reseam the binding so the seam missed the corner, and resew. Grrgh.) Binding creeps as you sew it on, even if you pin it. Even with a walking foot. Binding is evil.

Monique in TX

I'd be inclined to use straight strips in the 4 colors, joined on the diagonal, in random lengths, for the binding. Of course, that wouldn't give you the barber pole look you are after, but it would be a lot fewer seams and it would avoid any potential problems with using bias.

Julia > Here is the design problem for today. A quilt made of 4 patch design

I could probably dummy up a corner and test the various sized end pieces that are to become the miter. Just using scrap stuff of appropriate size and a test sandwich, then finalize the dimensions from there. I think the last straight end mating with the starting color, might have to be compromised if it doesn't correspond to the rest of the pattern of the barber pole. Maybe you could ease one color either way but I think you are limited with the 2 " inch color repeat. Now with 1" color segments, it would be doable, but that is a lot of seams to sew for the binding. Man I love to challenge myself with this stuff. I never seem to take the easy way around on these projects. I guess that is what keeps me interested. If it was easy, then anybody could do it.

John

You have several ideas to follow here, John. Your best first conclusion is to make up a dummy corner and work out how much is lost on a mitre. That will be same for all four, so no more worries about that. If you wanted it to be really smart, you could measure between your now known mitre pieces and then choose a length for the small pieces so that you could get them to fit exactly to the remaining length of each side.

On the whole, though, with bias binding and many seams, I would go with your rounded corner idea. I would 'match' the curve radius to one of the measurements that exist in the quilt - whichever looks visually best

- just try it with paper cut-outs. I love the barber's pole idea/look for a quilt dominated by squares. Rounded corners will spice it up yet more. . In message , John writes

Well, you could do as Leslie suggests and piece the strips and then cut them on the bias.

I would piece half a braid in the right widths and trim the edges. If you use it for a border that is called tilted bricks, or Aunt Miriam calls it "fishbones" (I think she confuses it with herringbone. (G)) Looked at quilters cache and they call it "tipped bricks".

Same result, different method. Whatever is easiest for you.

NightMist

Howdy!

I'd do this w/ single fold binding:

Line up your strips -- 2" or 2 1/8" of scraps, use a smaller stitch to sew them together (because of all the diagonal cuts), press the seams open; cut them on the diagonal or make continuous bias binding out of them. Then attach as a single fold binding, as I would for a curved edge (all those seams will add plenty of thickness/bulk to that binding).

You said you've done bias binding; I just like to include this lesson at every chance; it's my favorite for continuous bias binding (Hi, Rita!)

Good luck!

R/Sandy

cheers Bronnie

Join the different pieces with diagonal seams? When I put together my binding, I don't use bias binding, but I always join on the diagonal (to reduce bulk, it said in the book, and it works for me).

Hanne in London

I have the carpenters curse. I walk into a room and the first thing I notice is if a picture is "a little bit out of alignment". I drive down the street and "notice" when vent chimneys are out of the perpendicular, as they exit the roof surface. When you are judged by the correctness of your measurement, and the plumb nature of your work all your life, it is a very overriding element and becomes part of your persona. I love to make things Exact. I am not a big fan of impressionist paintings and love realism. I think it will be some time before I go for the freeform style as I am having too much fun doing what I do best. In a similar vein, My wife, Conan the Grammarian, who spent her entire working life in the copyediting field, proofreads signs as we drive down the road and comments on the improper usages she sees. It appears a perfect storm of obsessions.

John

Ah, but does she do as I do and keep a pen in her back pocket so she can slyly cross out the improper apostrophes in supermarket produce department signs?

--Lia

No, but I will pass along the idea to her and I am sure she would approve of your approach. She does have a concealed pen permit, so it should not be a problem for her.

John