Monday, July 2, 2012

Easiest CQ Finish Ever...Herringbone Hearts

I finally got to finish this quilt!
I was most eager to see how that 38mm silk ribbon done in the herringbone around the perimeter of the quilt was going to look, acting as a visual "binding".  I mean, it is there where the binding should be, isn't really binding at all, but suggests it.

Because this quilt:
a) is not for competition
b) has no weighty embellishments on it
c) used a woven "batting"
d) is for the wall, so is therefore not functional
I chose to use a very simple finishing technique on it that went super fast.

Here are the steps I took to do it.....

This is the back of the quilt top.  You will notice the blocks have been interfaced before I embroidered them.  The silk edge fabric I used for those big honking ribbon stitches was interfaced too.

My "batting", which is actually cotton drapery lining, much like flannel only spongier with a looser weave, is draped over the quilt top.
I love this stuff for crazy quilts and use it all the time.  It is flat not puffy, and the weave gives a nice internal structural support to the quilt.  It is cheap and easy to work with too.  I get it at Fabric Depot in Portland.

For the backing I used some positively lovely shirting fabric that I got for $8/yard at a men's ties outlet store.  This is very, very smooth and finely woven cotton.  I pinned it all together with just a few safety pins.

You can see where I am going with this!  After the drapery lining was cut to size (to reach just to the edge of the brown ribbon herringbone stitching), I ironed the shirting fabric over the edge of the batting.
I folded the extra silk fabric beyond the stitching to the inside of the top.

Then I whipstitched the folded edges together.


On the back, I just sewed four buttons to keep the layers together, located at the four corners of the center block.  Here you can see that my button stitching is "in the ditch", through to the front at the intersection of the corners, and hence won't show.


Poking the needle back through to the back here.
Just four buttons, I told you this was fast!
I put a sleeve on it too...

Now the front edge looks like this:

It definitely has an unusual look to it!

I like it.  ;-)
And I am glad to cross this project off my "to do" list.

I'll be teaching this block at Road to California next January.  Registration begins July 8th!

14 comments :

Monica said...

Beautiful! I love hearts. And I'm all for an easy finish!

Valerie Bothell said...

I like it too!

Anonymous said...

What a terrific idea! The edge is beautiful. You are so clever.

Amy Munson said...

Love the soft edge created by the ribbon. Beautiful.

Mary said...

This is beautiful! I love how these hearts look.

Quayceetatter said...

It is a simple but eloquent wall hanging! Thanks for sharing your tips on backing. Linda in NM

Judy said...

What a lovely quilt! I love hearts and that's a neat idea to finish the quilt that way. What interfacing do you use? Thanks for sharing what you use for batting.

Susan Elliott said...

Easy peasy lemon squeezy! I think I could do that! Thanks for sharing the step by step. Loved it!

Karla Hartzog said...

'Love the quilt AND the edging!

Carol Bledsoe said...
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Carol Bledsoe said...
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Carol Bledsoe said...

Great quilt! I like doing simpler projects. They often inspire creativity that really help with the next challenging project.

quiltingbonnie said...

Really pretty

RightShopping said...
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