Binding Bliss!

I already knew that Bliss was a heavy quilt.

Seam allowances are about 3/8'' instead of a 1/4'' so they wrap around the hexie papers enough to hold it more securely.  This puts the basting tacking stitches closer to the center of the hexagon on the back to firmly hold them in place.  

These are small pieces, and with all of that folding of corners on the back side, there is more fabric on the back of the top than is showing on the front, or at least it feels like it.

Add a batting and a backing to the whole thing and this beast is HEAVY!

This 201 machine was gifted to me by my friend Nancy, and she is the best binding machine ever.

With that gear-driven *potted* motor (no belt to slip) She will power through  everything smooth as a whistle, and that includes adding the thickness of the hanging sleeve at the top edge.

Top, batting, backing, 2 layers of binding AND 2 layers of hanging sleeve.  She can handle it. No bogging down, no struggling.  Just keeps on sewing perfectly.

The Singer 201 was considered to be the Cadillac of straight stitch machines in her day.  The last of the really heavy duty cast iron machines in the 1950s before the zig-zag machines and *modern* slant needle machines with aluminum bodies came in.

She's been sewing away for over 70 years now and there is no stopping her.

I keep the walking foot on her at all times and she is always ready and willing to stitch on a binding for me.

And then Hazel jumps in and settles!

I was attaching the hanging sleeve at this point - hence the quilt being face-down. She's on top of the ironing board I use to support the weight of the quilt to my left. 

The chair beyond her also catching the quilt and keeping it off the floor.

Needless to say, I had to pick her up and move her to her cat tree so I could get the job done, and this girl complains with meowing if I attempt to move her when she doesn't want to be moved!

I guess she's channeling her inner grumpy cat!

Binding on, and ready for evenings of feet up and flipping binding to stitch it down.

Another view of the backing fabric - just enough with  barely a margin left over.

And of the piece I used for the hanging sleeve - I had 1/2 yard of this and what is left is ready for the background of the next hexie project, with some strips going directly into the string bin.

Let the stitching begin!

This is going to take a while, but here's the turning of the first corner.  I think this binding print is perfect.  It's got a bit of ombre to it.

From the back side.

Hubster Dave still has 10 days left of his trip to visit with his brothers in Oregon so I will be enjoying quiet nights at home stitching binding and watching girly shows I wouldn't watch if he were here.

Anyone else enjoying Jennifer Garner in Five Star Weekend?

I think there may be some Outlander in my nighttime watching as well.

Today - The August Quiltvillians 2.0 will be arriving this afternoon.  I've got more string diamonds underway.

I was also able to get some quilt photos taken during our cloudy sky morning yesterday - Sunnyside is up next on deck for PDF pattern gift-aways!

I used my Essential Triangle Tool to cut ALL of the block parts from 2'' strips so I was able to put a lot of scraps to good use.  Of course, traditional rotary cutting and optional piecing methods will be included so you can work the way you want to work.

Be watching for this one to release on August 18th - it's going to be a HUGE gift-away day.  Not only will we have the Sunnyside pattern and a notable neutrals fabric roll to gift-away for TWO winners, but my publisher will be hosting a gift-away for FIVE signed copies of my newest book Scrap-Savvy.

To top it off, my friend Bruce is releasing the sixth Hadley Carroll Mystery, Quilt City: Payment Declined on the SAME DAY so we'll be hosting a Gift-Away for THREE signed copies for that as well!

This all happens next TUESDAY, so there is much to do before then, and be sure to come back for all of the goodies.

Okay - time to get this day really started.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

After 60 it's all Snap, Crackle, Pop- and I'm not talking the cereal kind!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone -