Wednesday, September 15, 2010

A 'hi', a 'bye' and a thought or two on binding.

Last night my Beloved made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

"You haven't blogged in weeks! I'm taking the day off work, taking the boys out of your hair, and I'd like you to squander the day on blogging and sewing."

Oh. OK then!


To put things in perspective, Justin knows that I am about to take the boys out of his hair and have another hiatus from the computer as we travel interstate to visit family for a few weeks. He also knows that the horrible crotch hole in his jeans is not going to mend itself before my departure if I don't get a bit of toddler-free time!

So this is a bit of a 'hi' and 'bye' post. But I will be back in early October, oh yes I will.

Meanwhile, I have actually been doing stuff. I've also been not doing lots of stuff, in line with my Slow Project, and have many thoughts to share down the track on the matter. About Slow Parenting, redefining productivity, the Time/Money relationship, embracing my inner Feminist Housewife, that sort of thing. But there's no hurry, now, is there?

On the craft front, it's all been about Quilt Binding.

I've made three lengths of straight-cut binding in the last few weeks, and I've loved the process. This, in spite of the fact that each and every time I managed to sew my strips together in the wrong way and had to unpick. It seems that Slow Learning is another of my Slow skills at present!

I like to bind a quilt by machine-sewing the first side (as detailed in Heather Bailey's tutorial) and then hand-sewing the other side to finish. Slow, yes. Beautiful, you bet.

I definitely don't like to pin the binding down though. So to keep the roll of binding tape under control as I attach it, rather than unfurling in my lap or all over the floor as I sew, I've come up with this method:

Binding tape wrapped around a spool of thread and placed on the bobbin winder. This way it just unfurls as I go and I can concentrate on lining it up with the quilt edge.

And here is another preview of the Green Monstrosity, which is on its way to being fully-bound, having been recently quilted by the superbly-talented Karen of Quilts on Bastings. Her work is so polished, and has lifted the quality of this quilt remarkably. 

This weekend the Green Monstrosity will make its way with us to its natural habitat, my sister's place, where I'm hoping it will slot organically into its surrounds and look, somehow, more subtle. (Why yes, my sister DOES live in a swamp).

Well my friends, the lure of crotch-reparation is just too strong... to the sewing machine I go!


Keep going slow,
x Gina

31 comments:

  1. nifty trick with the binding ! thank you

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  2. i was thinking about you yesterday! wondering where you were.
    hope all is well in the clutterpunk world.
    have a great time away.
    hugs ♥

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  3. Tell your husband he's a lucky man - I hate doing repairs and my man has been spotted once or twice sewing up his jeans on my machine!
    The quilt looks great - Hope you guys have a great holiday!

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  4. Sounds like a win/win situation. Did you see the post the other day (not sure where) the lady fixed up her beloved's jeans with a scrap that she had embroidered hello onto. Slow lifa and learning is just dandy too. Would like to hear further thoughts on it in a year or too. lol Cherrie

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  5. I love the green monstrosity! I would be very happy if that was laying on my bed...I have been thinking about asking my mum to quilt me something, but feel a bit guilty about asking her to commit to something so big and will take so long. I'd love to be able to do it, thankfully know that ambition doesn't equal talent.
    Have a wonderful time away Gina.

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  6. Missed your posts Gina - what else is going to slow me down??? x

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  7. Ah, winding the binding on to a cotton reel is ingenious. Slow learner, maybe - but definitely a quick thinker!

    I think the green monstrosity is beautiful. Good luck with your trip ... and repairing the crotch!

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  8. Great idea for the bias binding! I'm going to have to use that one!

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  9. Have a great sewing day and a great time away with the kids.
    The green quilt is gorgeous. I'd love to see the whole thing!!
    And your binding trick is genius!! I hate getting all tangled in my bindings.
    Thanks.
    Andi x

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  10. Is your sister a big fan of Shrek?

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  11. Well, you know, if your sister hates the so-called "monstrosity," there is a happy, happy home waiting for it in California. I think it's stunningly lovely!

    Amy

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  12. I actually really like all the pictures I've seen of your green quilt so far. It looks amazing!
    I'm quite looking forward to hearing some more details about your Slow Parenting. Have a good trip and 'see' you in October.

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  13. Whoa - that really is a green quilt - beautiful stitching and quilting. Have a lovely few weeks away. Hopefully we'll see you cruising around Finders Keepers? Nic

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  14. Good lord I was just handed a pair of jeans with a similar crotch hole to "fix". Firstly, why does the Mr think I can fix a hole in his jeans? I sew I don't fix things! And secondly how the heck do they manage identical holes? Actually don't answer that.

    Have a great few weeks off! Miss you already!

    p.s. awesome tip on where to put the binding while sewing on. Like, REALLY awesome!

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  15. Enjoy the break, Gina.

    BTW - I think your binding holder method is a stroke of genius.

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  16. That is such a good idea for sewing binding on - I'm going to use that on my next quilt!!

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  17. You should be on The New Inventors, I reckon. Clever binding chook. Going to miss you G. Will also be needing full-scale therapy by early October. Wishing you a full-scale (restful, crafty, zenlike) BREAK.

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  18. goodness! i wish my partner would say that too me! perhaps i need to go make that hole in his crutch bigger

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  19. Have a lovely break, and I hope everything continues to be blissfully slow. The quilt is looking great and I personally don't mind hand sewing the back of binding on either its a lovely cool weather post dinner watching tv activity.

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  20. All those beautiful greens are making me green with envy that you're going on a trip!! Enjoy yourself and hope the children enjoy themselves too. I recall Claire's classic words from Modern Family last Sunday "I'm a mother, a holiday is a business trip". x

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  21. That is a neat tip with the binding....clever you!

    Have a great break :-)

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  22. now that's a clever way to handle binding :)

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  23. Hehe, I always do that with binding too, sew it together the darn wrong way! I don't even mend a hole in my hubby's socks, so a crotch tear is out of the question - you are a kind wife! Have a great time away.

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  24. lifes too short to unpick binding mismatches, I cut!

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  25. You are a genius. Have a lovely break and make sure you get some time out! See you when you get back :-)

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  26. Love that nifty bias trick.

    Hope you are having rollicking good time (for the most part anyway) in the swamp ;)

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  27. Gina,
    i am going to try yr binding trick....am about to sew some on a baby quilt......hope yrs all went well...I hate doing the mitred corners
    sharon

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  28. Lovely green quilt and Karen always does such a remarkable job!

    Enjoy your break..see you on the other side x Kate

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  29. *ahem* polite cough... I think I want to quilt. It's ambitious, probably a little too ambitious considering my sewing ability. Any pointers for inspiration and where to start would be greatly appreciated. I just looked at Karen of Quilts on Bastings- there was much happy gasping.

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  30. Hi Gina
    The Green Quilt is looking great - good to see it is nearly finished and going to it's home.

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  31. Hi Gina... I've been wondering why you haven't been popping up on my google reader... finally got to investigating! Hope you're having lovely family time. I really REALLY love your green binding - such a thing of beauty all in itself :) Looking forward to your return. Kx

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“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
~Albert Einstein