See, it's pretty right? You would never guess how many days of swearing it caused. The problem was caused by the binding, which I was determined to sew on using my machine. The only other times I've attached binding I've machine stitched one side and hand stitched the other, to create an invisibly attached binding. Which was what I did AGAIN eventually after about several different attempts on my machine.
I started out my using this video to make my bias strip out of flannel.
I'm so pleased with how I managed to match the stripes going along the binding. You can barely see where it joins on the way round the edge. I'm so proud of how well the flannel matches both fabrics. I bought it on a whim from eBay, with no particular project in mind, but really to check the quality of the flannel being sold from this trader. It matches the green and the pink in both fabrics perfectly!
Once I had the bias binding made, I followed the instructions in this video to attach the binding to the wrong side of the quilt.
Once I had this done, which was easy, I wanted to follow part two of the video instruction, which is below. This video uses a button hole stitch on the right side of the quilt to fasten the binding down:
But when I used this method of fixing the front side of the binding, it seemed to make a bit of a mess on the back side of the quilt. So at this point, I ripped it out and looked for a another method of fixing the binding down on the front, that I could manage.
This next video didn't show me how to finish it off, but it was quite helpful in showing me how to do the mitred corner. The video said I should attached the binding to the front, then stitch in the ditch from the front to catch the newly folded over binding. As I hadn't done the binding this way round I couldn't do it, as neatly as she suggested. If you do watch this video, isn't this the most cheerful woman you have ever seen?
But having been given the idea of doing stitch in the ditch I did decide to try it. It didn't work very well, as I've never done it before. I went all over the place, and it didn't really stay in the ditch. More ripping was involved.
It was at this point I decided to hand sew before the edging fell apart. It only took a few hours as this is a small quilt, and it does make it look lovely.
Look at my mitred corners! (Don't look at the messy floor though)!
Look I even put on one of my little labels, that's how proud I am of the finished product.
I will probably make another one of these blankets for future babies, as apart from the journey into binding hell, it was pretty quick. Though I did find a nice tutorial for how to make a self binding baby blanket, that looks pretty straight forward. I might go that route next time.
You will be pleased to know that, hours after finishing the hand binding I found I had a Stitch in the Ditch sewing foot for my machine, that I could have used DOH!!! It came with the quilting kit and I forgot I had it. So next time I will try that method. In fact, I should really practice with some scraps so I don't spend so long next time figuring it out.
I love this blanket, in spite of all the drama it caused. I took it to show the Knit Club people yesterday and they loved it too. In fact I spent the afternoon sitting underneath it. It is such a nice weight. I kind of want to keep it for myself, but I know there is a baby in need of a blanket, and I must let it go. I suppose that is the mark of a good gift, if you want to keep it, then other people will want to receive it.
As it is a Friday I am hooking up to Tami's Amis for FO Friday, Fiber Arts Friday at Wisdom Begins in Wonder and Fibers on Friday at Visions of Sugar Plums. All three linky parties can be reached by clicking on the buttons below. I know that the subject of this post isn't particularly woolly related, but cloth is made of fibre right??
