Binding Philosophy

I love sewing on binding. Many people see it as one more labor intensive step before the quilt is done. Not me. I like to think of it as a celebration at the end of a big project. I snuggle under my almost finished quilt and revel in the work of my hands while I add the finishing touch.

I especially love it when the binding is red.

Whenever I use red for binding I think of Mamie from Gone With the Wind. Isn't there something in Gone With the Wind about Mamie getting a red taffeta petticoat from Rhett Butler? She doesn't approve of him giving personal gifts to Scarlett but then he gives her a red taffeta petticoat and she can't resist it. He knows she likes the petticoat he gave to her because he can hear it swishing as she walks by. Whenever I add red binding to a quilt I think of it as a beautiful red petticoat barely peeking out.

Whenever possible, binding should be BOLD. It should be a crisp frame around your beautiful work of art. My other favorite choices for binding: stripes, polka dots (of course), leftover strips of scraps, orange, purple or really anything to add contrast.

My plans for tonight include catching up on my TV shows from the past week (Office, Chuck and a few others) with my hubbie and finishing up my Joseph Smith Quilt. I'll post pictures of the completed quilt later this week.