Super Simple Strip Quilt ~ Day 6

As I mentioned in the past post, I decided to go ahead and quilt this myself. I "stitched (mostly) in the ditch" on the entire center panel and the thin yellow border. Then, on the large outer border, I used the masking tape method.

At this point, I was getting a bit tired. Looking to the left of my machine as I stitched sure did perk me up, though. Look at all of those colors!

One thing I've learned in my short life as a quilter is to run a basting stitch along the edge of the quilt. This helps so much to prevent the fabric from moving as you're sewing on the binding.

Before sewing on the binding, trim the excess backing and batting and create a straight edge.
Note: If your husband and/or children suggest buying a ping pong table or air hockey table, say "Yes!" It's a GREAT place to lay out and cut fabric. :)

Trimmed and ready for the binding.

Best use of a paper towel roll...

I start my binding about a quarter of the way down one side. I usually clip it to the quilt just on the first side, and then I just match it up as I'm sewing.

Want perfectly mitered corners? It's much easier than you think. Measure the finished width of your binding (the part that you'll see from one side after it's all sewn on, or the measurement when it's double folded. Mine was 3/4" . As you're sewing, stop that distance from the end of the side. So I stopped sewing 3/4" from the end of the first side. Spin the quilt to the next side, and fold it like this....

It's hard to explain, but basically you fold it back up on itself. Underneath you should have an angle at the corner.

and then fold it back down again. Start sewing up there at the very top of the new side.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

There are several methods to use when sewing on your binding. The method I prefer takes a bit longer (and puts a slight cramp in your hand), but I love the way it looks. There aren't any visible seams. I like to sew it on the top layer with the machine, and then I fold it over and slip stitch by hand on the back.

I love it when the corners turn out like this!

All done!!

Doesn't the red border just finish it off? Thanks so much to my sister-in-law, Ann, and

one of the employees at the quilt stop for helping me pick the two borders and the binding.

I love the back, too!

I always wash my quilts after they are finished, rather than prewashing the fabric.

I have a terrible time getting all of the wrinkles out of washed fabric, and I love the way it looks after it's washed and dried. It'll crinkle up due to the quilting.

The quilt's in the washer now...I'll post just a couple more photos once it's out of the dryer.

Then, just in case your all tired of looking at this fabric, I'll blog about something else. :)

My favorite moments of this process have been...

~watching Emma as she sits at the kitchen table and watches the fabric move.

~hearing my son's compliments (although he'd prefer it to be blue and orange)

~the numerous times Bob asked, "And this is for us, right? We get to keep it?"

~last night after I finished hand sewing the binding, I curled up under it with a book and enjoyed the fruits of my labor.

~

Linking to Skip To My Lou

Super Simple Strip Quilt ~ Days 4 and 5

This next step can be a pain in the neck (and back, literally), but it's so important.

Once you've got your quilt sandwich laid out as smooth and straight as possible, pin it together with safety pins. Lots of them. I prefer the ones sold by Singer that have a curved pokey side.

Then it's time to quilt.

A friend showed me her completed jelly roll quilt this past Sunday. It was quilted with a floral design and was beautiful! Sadly, I do not have a quilting machine, can't seem to get my machine to stipple (could be the operator), and am not willing to pay $60-120 for someone else to quilt it for me. Therefore, I'm stichin' in the ditch on this one. I don't like the ditch...I seem to enjoy jumping up on the banks (a little farm humor). But we'll give it a try.

This is my backing fabric...it's so cheery that this quilt might spend some of it's time with the backing facing front!

Super Simple Strip Quilt ~ Day 3

Sew on the 1 1/2" border

Sew on the 6 1/2" border.

I am loving how this is turning out!

~~~

I started the two borders on Fri eve at 10:00 pm and finished two hours later. I was a bit surprised by how long this step took. Now it's time to put it all together...I can't wait to see how it looks with the binding, backing and quilting.

Super Simple Strip Quilt ~ Day 2

So now you should have 1600" of fabric, with seams trimmed and pressed.

Once you find them, match your two ends, right sides together.

Follow your fabric all the way back to the fold...make sure that neither end is twisted or turned the wrong way. I tried to imagine ripping out 1600" of stitching...not a pleasant thought.

Once you're sure it's all laid out correctly, start at your two matched ends and sew...sew...sew...with a 1/4" seam.

Once your 800" seam is complete, trim the folded edge at the bottom, match the two ends again, make sure it's all lined up, and sew a 400" seam. Keep doing this until your quilt is approximately 50" x 60." It goes amazingly fast since you double the width of your completed sewing each time you fold it in half.

In less than an hour, I had this!

Now to find some border, binding and backing fabric to finish it off!