Monday, June 17, 2013

Binding update

First off, thanks to all of you who left comments on my last post, regarding my binding frustration.  Many of you suggested using a hand-quilting thread for hand-stitching the binding to the back of the quilt, which is something that honestly never crossed my mind!  Hand-quilting thread for hand-stitching.  Hmmm.  Seems obvious, right?


Armed with a new spool of hand-quilting thread, first up for repairs is my Sweetwater Pure quilt.  Closer inspection showed that the binding had come loose in quite a few places.  Ugh.  So I sat down with my seam ripper and quickly took out all of the binding stitches and will re-do the whole thing.  I don't mind - I actually love doing this step of the quilting process.  

I'll keep you updated down the road whether this was successful or not.  I sure hope it will be!

10 comments:

1 CJ said...

This makes me wonder how many of my hand bound bindings have come undone. :( I have give all of the quilts away, are they unraveling?? I have taken up machine binding but it still makes me wonder about so many previous quilts.

2 Toni said...

I hope the hand-quilting thread is the answer! I think I would cry if I had to redo very much binding, but I'm one of those odd people who doesn't enjoy hand-stitching them. I really want to love it, but it just hasn't happened yet. Good luck!

3 Lucy | Charm About You said...

Now I'm wondering if I should be using hand quilting thread to do my binding?? I just use regular cotton thread?! oh no!

4 Nat at Made in Home said...

Let us now if it feels stronger!

5 Susan said...

I guess it has to be stronger!! Maybe consider how you start and stop the length of thread too. Do you knot?

6 Susan J Barker said...

Funny, I never thought to use regular cotton sewing thread for binding, I have always used the hand quilting thread to bind with, the main reason I used it was because you can use a bit longer piece and it doesn't EVER get those tangles where you have to cut and tie off and start another length... I now do all the donation quilts I make by machine, but I don't think any of my own quilts have had the binding come loose, they have frayed at the fold before the sewn down part comes loose.

7 Debbie said...

Good for you - I think you've got us all wondering now! ;-/

8 Erica said...

Definitely keep us posted! Now I need to go back and check all of my older quilts to make sure that the bindings are still intact!

9 hydeeannsews said...

binding is my favorite part of the quilt process, so i wouldn't mind too much either. but i sure hope mine holds! the handquilting thread is a good idea. hope it works.

10 Carla said...

Oh yes! I just started doing this with my quilts after hearing Amy Ellis mention it on her new podcast. Makes total sense. I was doubling up my regular thread after the bindings had popped on a couple of quilts, but hand quilting thread seems to work much better and doesn't tangle as easily.

(And waving hi from Alberta! I found your blog on Sew Sister's Blogathon post, and I've been happily wandering around here for the better part of an hour looking at all the lovely!)