Binding----YUK!!!!

I finished quilting and rather than stack it up with the other "needing binding" quilts, I made my binding and applied it right away. I am now in the process of sewing it down by hand. There are some ladies in my Guild that do a beautiful job on applying the binding by machine, but when I try it looks kind of "tacky". ...so I keep doing it by hand.

I have pictures of the three tools that have made putting on and sewing bindings a bit more tolerable. Two I found at the AQS show in Puducah last year---the binding tool and the custom thimble.

You know the debate---do you leave the mitered corner open or stitch it closed. This tool takes care of that since the corners are closed when finished. In addition, rather than one long binding strip, you bind each side with separate strips. I know I am not explaining it clearly, but should you ever be in a place that sells this little tool---buy it!

The next great tool is my thimble. I always had trouble finding one that fit---either they were too small or too large. Either made my finger feel hot, or even in some cases numb. They often didn't really protect my fingers and most of the time I ended up taking it off and enduring numerous pricks. This thimble is guaranteed!!! If for some reason it no longer fits or stops serving it's purpose, you can get another one. They come in sizes, so it fits my finger perfectly and it is made of some type of rubber-like material, so although it is flexible and comfy, needles don't go through. It is a bit pricey---but again, I feel worth the price since sometimes my finger would bleed from pushing the needle through.

The next thing are the quilt clips. Again, I use to scratch up my legs from the pins, not to mention the pins that would fall out of my quilt only to hide in the carpet, waiting for a foot to jump into. Because we don't wear shoes in our house, everyone has a story to tell about stepping on a pin from my quilt. With these clips that is a thing of the past. What I think is interesting however is they are now hard to find. I originally purchased them from Joann's but I can't find them there now. The Walmart is stopping selling fabric and when I was in there the other day looking around, I saw two packs--which I purchased immediately. I don't know why they are so hard to find---it is a great tool.

Anyway---I am procrastinating---I need to go back to sewing on that binding!

Hugs!

Patricia