Miles and miles of binding
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 5:52AM ;)
Or at least it sure seemed like it while I was making the binding for the lone star quilt!
I usually grab one of my pattern weights (that’s the pink center you see in the middle of the binding roll) and wind my binding around it as I go.
I’m not much into bed sized quilts, in fact the lonestar is the largest quilt I’ve made to date, and so I have a lot more binding too!
Which begs my question… is there some amazing tool out there that I don’t know about, to wind your;)
binding up on to keep it tame while you’re woking with it? My roll starts out neat and managable, but I guarantee at some point I will drop it, and it will unroll and get tangled up in my chair!
I have to call APQS today and speak with one of the technicians. I have done something to my tension spring on the head of my Millennium and I can’t figure out what! When I pull my thread through it, it’s “snaggy” as if it’s catching on something. I still don’t know this machine well enough to do much tinkering on it.
Reader Comments (13)
I recently saw a tip about putting binding on a toilet paper roll. Place a ribbon through it long enough to go around your neck and no more falling to the ground and unrolling. I haven't tried it yet but plan to on my next quilt.
Judy in MO
Not a tool exactly, but I don't roll it, I fold it. Back and forth into a pile. Then I put the pile in my lap, sort of on the right side (One time it helps to have a larger lap) The quilt sort of feeds in from/on the left side. As the quilt goes through, the binding un-folds. Rolls do roll away and have never really worked for me. Maybe this will help.
I've heard some people put it in a zip lock bag to keep it all in one place - I just let mine drop to the floor on one side of me and it works for me :)
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
I like a zip lock bag taped to my sewing table. Or stuff it into one of those pop up tissue boxes & use painters tape to secure the box to the table. I tried the toilet paper roll and it kept getting away from me. The cat wasn't helping. He thought it was a new toy. =o)
Ooh, I'm liking all these "tame-your-binding" ideas.
I have several old antique spools and used one of them to wrap miles of cording I made for my son's sofa cushions. Those spools were sitting all over my sewing room and I was hunting for a way to store the cording and it suddenly dawned on me -- duh.
Love the new blog look CJ.
Cj, I've used the toilet paper tube, but put it on the knee lever to keep it tamed. I like the new blog look. And you convinced me to order the EQ--which I haven't had in a long time. Just what I need__more time on the computer. Diane
Depending on how much binding I need (I also prefer to make smaller quilts!), I roll it up on either a toilet paper tube or a paper towel tube. I can stick either one on my cone thread holder for easy access and smooth delivery. :)
What? You don't like a mess? And you don't like to have to untangle your binding as you go?? Sheesh, take all the fun out of binding a quilt... LOL I just puddle it in my lap and go for it. My adorable daughter uses the TP roll.
I have, for several years, put my binding in a zip lock bag - sealing almost half the opening closed. I put it on the floor between my feet - and it "spools" out as I need it. Oh, I roll it up on my hand. Then when I am finished, I simply seal the bag closed with the remainder of the binding in it and put it into a plastic box with a lid that contains other leftover bindings. when I do a scrap quilt - I piece these binding together - those that will work with the quilt - and make a scrappy binding for the scrap quilt.
A method that I've used is to put my binding on one of those plastic holders that are used for lace. I got one from JoAnn's at some point. It's large and bulky but at least the binding doesn't slide off the side.
Actually there is a new spindle from Simplicity to go with the bias tape machine called the winding buddy. It has a clip to attach the end to so it doesn't spin around while you get it going. Simplicity also makes a winder to do the winding for you! I don't have it, but I do have the bias tape maker -- which is awesome. I also have the winding buddy, which is also pretty cool.
Hi CJ,
Obviously I'm behind in reading your blog....
What did you find out from APQS on the "snaggy" thread? I have the same thing with my Mille. However I took my beginner class on Saturday and when I pulled the thread on her Mille to compare. it seemed the same kind of thing. She said it was seemingly snagging when in reality there was no tension on the thread (before the tension discs). Thread used for both was So Fine.