A Wave Sunset - Binding

1 day ago

3 min read

a wave sunset quilt , binding a wave sunset quilt

It has taken me a while to finish the binding on this quilt, a process that I had anticipated would be straightforward but turned out to be more challenging than I initially thought. First, the weather was simply too hot, and the thought of cutting out the binding strips, measuring and preparing each piece, was daunting enough. Then I also had to consider the additional step of ironing all those strips to ensure they would lay flat and be easy to work with.

Finally, the idea of sitting down with that heavy quilt draped across my lap and shoulders in the sweltering heat was just too much, making it hard to find the motivation to get started. The heat seemed to sap my energy, making the task of binding a wave sunset feel even more laborious than it already was.

As I thought about my quilting projects, I realized that I had about ten quilts waiting for binding. So I planned the stages, first, I chose the fabric and threads for the binding, carefully selecting colors that complemented each quilt from fabrics that I found in my stash. For one of them I couldn't find any colors in my upcycled stash for the binding, so for the first time in 10 years I took myself to Tel Aviv, to Nachlat Binyamin Street, where there are fabric stores in abundance with huge selections of different colors and not too expensive prices. I found the color that I had envisioned in the last store.

Once I had my selections of fabrics for the bindings of the other quilts, I cut everything out in manageable pieces, ensuring that I had enough fabric to complete each binding without running short. I then ironed the strips in stages, breaking the task into smaller, more manageable chunks in the hot weather, over the course of a few weeks. This way, I made steady progress without feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of boring work ahead of me.

Now, as the weather is changing, I can feel the days getting cooler, and I am beginning to feel a fresh breeze making it much more pleasant to engage in quilting activities.

So, to begin, I decided first of all to bind the Wave Sunset quilt as I had just enough fabric for the triangles in the corners and the binding and I really wanted to see it hanging on the wall already!

I don't use bias binding. I create my own binding, it is doubled and then foloded, sewn onto the quilt, folded over and then top stitched.