Binding is the fabric added to the edges of a quilted item that encloses the outer unfinished edges. Often, it is a strip of fabric that has been folded in half length-wise with wrong sides together, which is then sewed to the top of the quilt using a sewing machine. The final step is to pull the binding from the front to the back and hand sew the folded edge of the binding to the back of the quilt, using small, invisible stitches. There are a number of other ways to bind a quilt, but the majority of quilts use this technique.
I have been living in a sea of quilted items that have been waiting for bindings to be finished. I finally decided that I would get more done if I simply sat down and began to work.
Yesterday, I trimmed three lap quilts, made binding for two of them, and sewed binding to those two lap quilts and one full sized quilt. I also added binding to two sides of a lap quilt that was done for the Empty Nester group. I have one more full-sized quilt, a table runner, and one lap quilt to finish. That doesn’t address all the unfinished projects, just those that are close to completion. My purpose in the marathon sewing session was to give myself things to work on at night, when I’d like to sit with Dear Husband and watch some of the new shows on T.V.
That was six hours of work, but already I can see a dent in the work that needs to be done to take my home into the winter. I need to reorganize the sewing area, and our closet, and get serious about what needs to be stored in our living space, and what might be stored in the basement, or (shudder) thrown away. I NEED to see some projects brought to an end before I start some new ones. I need to know that I can carry a project through to completion. I should note, that the lap quilts are all projects that Elegante Mother started this year for her great-grandchildren, which she has been unable to finish. I simply see them as projects to be completed, not hers or mine.
So, If you’re looking for me in the evening for the next couple of weeks, I’ll be the one under a mound of quilts! *G*
Daily Archives: September 27, 2008
Crosswords
Do you do crossword puzzles? I used to do them all the time, and then I slowly set them aside when I became addicted to quilting. I resumed doing the puzzle in the Chicago Tribune earlier this year, on-line. There are times when I have a few extra minutes, and I pick up a book of New York Times puzzles and try to wade through one.
Why is it that the first time you work a tough puzzle, you can stare at the blanks and not get a thing, and when you walk away in frustration and come back later, answers fall into place with ease?? I frequently feel that “Duh!” response, when the answers are obvious and generally easy. Is it just that I’m working against myself, expecting the answers to be a lot harder?
I’m VERY glad that I took Latin. It amazes me how many times an answer to a clue will be a Latin word. Many times, I can guess the answer to a Spanish, or Italian word because it’s related to Latin.
It’s odd, but I find that the vertical clues are easier. You’d think that seeing the boxes in a pattern other than our usual left to right, would make it more difficult. I tend to fly through the puzzle starting from the upper left (Northwest) corner, and answer as many of the horizontal clues as I can. Then I make a run through the vertical clues. More than half of the answers will fall into place on the vertical clues. The hardest clues for me are those that pertain to the young stars who are likely to be found on the pages of “People” magazine. I admit it…..I’m an old fogy.
Years ago, the editors of the puzzles provided information concerning how many words made up the answer. Now, they limit their advice to “var.” (variation) or different ways of indicating that the answer is an abbreviation.
Today, one of the answers was “music.” In another life, I was a band director, so you might expect me to find all the music clues easy. WRONG!! I over-think the clues, and they are often the last clues I answer. I dread having someone assume that I will get all the music questions. In fact, I can usually guarantee that I’ll miss anything that took place between 1975 and 1990, and a lot of the more recent stuff, too. I’ve got COOKING terms down, though! lol