Cutting off Binding

[Jeannie acton]

I have a quilt top that did not get as far as binding it yet. It was my first (and only) attempt at FMQ. When I had finished it all I could see was areas that did not look very good. However, I have kept it in view in my craft room and I can honestly say my opinion has changed. Yes, ok, so it's the same as when I finished it but and it's a BIG but, those not so good areas are not prominent and looking at the quilt as a whole I have decided to carry on with it and finish it with binding. The lesson I learned was walk away and. Come back later and you might just start seeing the positive and not the negative. I hope your efforts will reward you in the end.

[JCY]

No, I've never cut off binding. I guess I did enough practice on small sandwiches that I've been successful with the binding process. Be sure to save the cut off binding for another project! Those left over binding pieces work great for a string quilt. JCY

[coffeebreak]

Joan, I feel about the same with every quilt. By the time I've gotten the borders on I'm sick of looking at it! Fortunately, I enjoy binding so there's something to look forward to.

Chelea...I'm the same way! I am SO glad to FINALLY get to the binding to get it done!

[HdWench]

Welcome Barb and YES!!! I'd rather cut it off. I've no patience for that much seam ripping Sometimes that's easier to do, good luck and I can promise there's no one that makes perfect quilts, cept for God so we get to make all the others!! And oh yes, we are our own worst critics as many have said. To us we see every single mistake, but if you show it to anyone that does not sew, all they see is your love put into a beautiful quilt you took the time to make for them.

Good luck from Arizona

[coffeebreak]

I just finished a few weeks ago a christmas quilt. I had such high hopes for it. I was making 12" blocks from different christmasy prints. I hated it the entire way as was SO glad to get to the binding..that means IT's DONE!!!!! But I made 4 each of 5 different blocks and laid it out on my living room floor in the order I wanted...and it just wasn't right. Coudln't figure out why. Laid there for days! Then I went to Joann's and the christmas fabric was 65% off! So I thought, check it out and maybe find some prints I like and make more blocks. I did, and those turned out nice, but still...laying there on the ground, it just didn't look right. But I finally just said..forget it and sew them all together. Then the back...what to do. I had some of the blocks from the front left over and then just cut 12"x12" squares of the other left over fabric, and sewed them together with a red "ribbon" cross thing in the middle to resemble the ribbon on the package, but couldn't figure out how to make the bow, so I just said forget it, I'm so done with this. So I just FMQ'd it and was SO happy to get that binding on! I hated every second I worked on that quilt and I can't understand why. Now that I look at it, it isn't all that bad. Nothing special or anything, but still. very colorful and "christmasy". I showed it to my daughter yesterday and she said it was really nice and liked it alot. Granted, she is my daughter and wouldn't tell me it is ugly, but I can tell with her tone of voice if she is really liking it or just saying that to make me happy. She liked it. So I guess moral of the story is..just cause you hate it while working on it, doesn't mean you will hate it when it is done...or if you do, someone else might like it and you can give it to them..making you happy for getting the ugly thing out of your house and the other person happy for getting a beautiful quilt they like!