Learning New Things

Today I started on a journey.. Learning new things! I have a habit of not wanting to do things because I am scared because I really have no idea how to do so.  So with that said I have gone on many journey's lately but for right now this is the only one I can talk about.

So I started a quilt well over 20 years ago.  One of my most precious friends showed me how to use a sewing machine while I lived in New York and over the last 20 years I have done a few things but have not really taken up sewing until that last few months. 


Finished Quilt that took 20 years to finish



Last Mothers Day my family cleared out a room in my home and gave it to me so I can actually use it instead of stowing all my stuff under the stairs like Harry Potter.  So I set my room up and it stayed that way for a long time.  Things got put into it and stored and then it became a mess and then right before the New Year I finished a Crocheted Flag I did for a friend of mine as a gift for Christmas (mind you this project took me almost 4 years at least to finally finish). This set myself in motion for the year of 2014 to be the year I complete all projects I have started.  Its April and I have now completed at least 4 of them.

So even though I did get this far it took forever to work up the courage to finish so here is the details. So I have tons of scraps hanging around. I did not have any of the fabric left from this quilt 20 years ago, so with scraps that I had hanging around I started working on the binding. How do you do binding I asked myself? Well I have no clue, so what did I do I googled... :D All I wanted to know in the beginning was how wide most bindings are? Good Question to ask right. Man I found many different sizes ranging from 2" to 3" BUT I did find that most are about 2 1/4" so that is what I went with. Since this quilt did not come with instructions I really didn't know what would work. So I spent most of the day ironing and cutting many different pieces to 2 1/4". Today I started sewing all those pieces together and then I started right in :D as usual I just go for it and never think I am doing it wrong. Here is what I have now for your amusement.

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sewing right along
 
 
Then I thought to myself I might want to really check this out and figure out if I am doing this right?  Good question to ask huh?  Well so I looked into this again guess how?  You Guessed it I googled it and came up with this amazing video which was really and easy way to explain how to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZR6ls_IsIo
 
So after I realized the whole time that I was indeed doing it wrong I became friends with my trusty handy dandy seam ripper Jill.  Yes I name most of the items I become well acquainted with.

Here is Jill!! She is my love because she saves me all the time.



So once I finally fixed my original problem and then I was well on my way to making serious progress.

 

After finally getting it done correctly this is what it looks like when you finally iron it all.  The I sewed and continued to sew.  I didn't show you what she does in the video (wished I did) but please follow her directions she is right on the money.  My corners turned out amazing and I am excited to say I am not scared anymore of doing binding :D.  Here are some more photos of the finished product.  I hope you enjoy and please leave comments I enjoy hearing others input. 



The Finished Project :D so happy with it.



This is what it looks like when you have to do the finishing touches to the end.  Remember Jill yea she helped me here too :D

Here is the corner work.

Here is more of the binding.  Looks amazing

 
 
 
 Stay tuned for some more amazing work and updates.  I have made several quilts but they are for friends and I don't want them to see it first before they get them.
Have a great night.