Thursday, July 2, 2009

SAMOAN GOODNESS SAGA CONTINUES

So I called the dealer and he gave me a few suggestions about my tension and why the machine was going slow (probably hit a button by mistake while moving the quilt around, easy enough) but....he does not know why it just stopped working twice. So that remains to be seen but he said to send it in if it continues to stop. For right now, it is working...yepeeee but....I will say that I do have my eyes on a few machines if this one konks out. He also told me, which most of you know............that the tension for the top thread is the bobbin and the tension for the bottom thread is the top tension. Hummmmm I have been trying to fix the top tension for the top thread and my friend has been trying to fix my Janome's bottom thread by working with the bobbin. Lo and behold, the tension is wonderful. Problem solved!!!! For now.

THE WAY I BIND MOST OF MY QUILTS!!!

Now....as for the way I do my bindings....I came up with this when I first started doing quilts, saw no tutorials, got no advice, just came up with this.....so we will call this THE EASY WAY TO BIND A QUILT. I make my bindings just like most of you....but...I do not cut on the bias, I cut from salvage to salvage. So that being said....(oh...use alot of starch too) So....I have my binding...I start to sew but leave a few inches of binding hanging to attach to the end of the binding (just like you do)...but....as you see below, I sew both sides on at the same time...just put the quilt inbetween the folds and sew.


I sew all the way to the end, backstitch and cut thread.....


Then I fold over the corners as you see below and I backstitch and sew all the way to the end again....
This is a picture of the front of the corner after sewn


This is a picture of the back of the corner after sewn.


Then I just continue to sew until I get to the end.....I sew the bindings right sides together (no angle seam...just sew straight across, haven't had trouble with this and it works for me)flip back over and it just folds ever so nicely down and sew...and there you have it, one completed binding.

The finished quilt (also, I have a makeshift way of trying to display the quilts, sometimes it does not show it in the right way or even square but it is. The light is shinning through also, not a good picture.


Here is the back of the quilt. I have seen on several blogs...(sorry that I can't name blogs), to where they use pieces of the fabric or squares from the fabric to put on the back to extend it....so I decided to do this.


I just want to thank all the comments yesterday and the show of concern over my machine....only a quilter or someone who sews alot would understand the value a machine is and the loss of one. So thank you so much.

15 comments:

Pat said...

I hope the machine problem is over and won't start acting up again. Gee......it would seem that you could bind all your unbound quilts in a flash with your method!!! (So we won't feel sorry for you the next time you tell us you have lots of quilts to bind!!! LOL)

Rumi said...

I also cut my binding strips straight of grain but have never thought to sew it all at once. Sure would be a time saver.

Kaye said...

glad to hear machines are starting to behave.

i guess sometimes, like us, they get tired and need a rest. My sisters (I have 3) always marveled at me as I could and still can take a catnip and be good to go. LOL

Gene Black said...

I have a question. How wide do you cut the strips for your binding?

Your method looks easy to me - I may try it on the quilt I am working on now - If I ever get back to it! LOL Summer has lots of stuff to keep me busy.

Crispy said...

Hooray on getting your machine up and running. I didn't know that was how tension worked, very interesting.

The quilt is just lovely!!

Crispy

Betsy said...

Barb yipee! I am so glad that your machine is up and running again.
Love the quilts you have made.

Anonymous said...

About "extending" the quilt by using pieces of the fabric on the back -- there you have it, "back art"!

Sandie @ crazy'boutquilts said...

I'm so happy to read your machine is working! Yay!! :) I'm a little confused abt the binding though~ how do you press it to have folds on both edges? I always have the one raw edge that I sew down first... ?

Needled Mom said...

I knew about the upper and lower tensions, but the slowing of the machine by accidentally hitting something doesn't make much sense to me. My Ber*nina gave me fits for about a year with speeds and the needle jumping back from a decorative stitch to straight stitching. Of course it would never do it for them!!! They ended up finally replacing the motherboard computer and it has worked great ever since. Good luck with yours.

lesthook said...

I'm going to try your way of binding soon. Makes sense to me! Fingers crossed on your machine.I had to take my machine foot in yesterday to get the cord replaced. The puppy chewed it in two! An hour in each direction!

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

Oh your baby is feeling better, I am so glad, I use to do binding that way and love it, how wide to you cut your strips?

sewfunquilts said...

I love the blues in this quilt, and glad you got your tension problem fixed. Hurray!

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Scrappy quilter said...

I too hope your machine problem is over. Great looking quilt.

Jackie's Stitches said...

I'm so happy your machine is working! The alternative would have been bad!

Rose Marie said...

Love your quilt and the backing is great. Your binding method is different from what I do, but your corners look a lot better than mine. My corners are always hit or miss.