A binding task

I offered to sew on the binding of a beautiful quilt made by my artistic daughter (pardon me while I just adjust my halo. . . .).   Now to me, binding a quilt is a bit like taking up the hem of  trousers - thinking about it is worse than actually doing it - so yesterday morning I cut the fabric and sewed it on, no trouble using my "Sew with the Flow" method of binding i.e. NO PINS.  If I am binding a symmetrical or geometric quilt I meticulously measure the sides, pin centre markings together and so on but with a free design miliimetres are not critical and the binding is actually much smoother to match and sew without pins and so goes on with ease. Formal quilters will probably cringe at this, I know, but cotton will cling to cotton, especially with a smooth of the hand as you sew, and all I can say is that it works, at least for me!


On the subject of spiders, if you fancy doing some lovely little creatures in your sewn masterpiece, it's worth taking a look at an invertebrate identification book. Libraries usually have a good supply as no-one ever takes them out on loan (apart from me, it seems). Older books often have better illustrations (did they have more time to draw and paint without spending lots of  time blogging, I ask myself) whereas modern books go for snazzy photographs which are more difficult to convert into a sewn image.  I like the Oxford Book of Invertebrates which has a wonderful range of beautiful creatures from Jelly Fish and Sea Anemones to Spiders and Woodlice - no insects, you will need a separate guide for those.


Take a look at these lovely Sea Anemones. Aren't they just waiting to be stitched?

In fact the background of the illustration already looks like a crazy quilt, don't you think? Oooo, I can't wait to start the Crazy Quilt Journal so that  I can add some little darlings.