Quilt binding...YouTube.....and question

[kjh9835]

First of all, does anyone know if and how you can save YouTube videos to your own computer for future viewing without waiting to download them each time esp if I want the same one over and over? My download speed is SLOW and I have to pause the video, wait for it to load all the way then hit start/replay to actually watch it all at once without a break every couple of words. It would be great if I could save it and watch it without downloading it each time.

Secondly, my quilt top measures 33 x 40. How large do I cut the backing and batting? I have plenty of backing and batting so wasting a few inches is not a big deal, I just don't want to cut any off the actual top as it would throw the design out of kilter.

Once it's quilted together, then I trim the excess from the edges and apply the binding? Any tips/tricks for doing this? If the "usual" way is to make them without getting puckets is with binding instead of the pillowcase method I've been using (with puckers) then I might as well do it that way. I have several more of these to make between now and first week of December and others for Christmas.

Kathy

[lendube]

Can't answer your second question but the answer to the first is that you can't. Youtube videos are copyrighted by Youtube.

[bridesmom]

Your backing needs to be at a minimum 3' larger all the way around, same with your batting. It may seem like a waste but trust me, if it all shifts during quilting and you end up short on one side you will really be an unhappy camper! Either spray baste all the layers together or pin the dickens out of it with safety pins. You will lay it out backing right side DOWN, batting on top, matching to the backing, then your quilt top on the top, right side UP, this makes your sandwich. Once you have quilted it and removed the pins, trim it up square, or straighten your sides, and make your corners 90 degree. Now make your binding by cutting 2 1/4" strips ( if your fabric is 40" wide, you will need 4 strips. Sew the strips together at the ends, making one very long piece. The next step will depend on if you plan on handsewing the binding down at the back or machine sewing the binding down on the top. Press your binding in half lengthwise wrong sides together. Lay your binding on the top of the quilt with the raw edges even with the raw edges of the quilt (this is if you are going to hand sew the binding to the back) Or lay your binding onto the bottom of the quilt with the raw edges even with the raw edges of the quilt (the binding will fold over to the top to be sewn down by machine.
Sew your binding to the quilt using a 3/8" seam. Start about 1/2 to 1/3 of the way down one side, don't start right at the corner. And start about 6-10" down on the binding so you have a tail of binding at the beginning. When you come to the corner, stop about 1/4" away from the edge, backstitch, cut thread. Flip your binding over to the right so the bottom edge is even with the next side of the quilt. Fold it back over onto itself so it is going down the next side of the quilt, folding exactly at the edge of the first sewn side (I'm sure there are you tube videos on doing this mitered corner.) Sew all the way around, and just as you get near the start - 6-10" away, fold the two edges together so they meet, sew them together, trim and finish off your edge. ( this is also probably on a youtube video) I know I have a paper copy of how to do this that I downloaded also, I'll see if I can find it.

Forgot to finish the instructions! Once you have the binding sewn on, press it up and over to the opposite side. Then you can hand stitch or machine stitch it down. you have to fold the corners in to make a mitered corner, pin it then sew it, makes it easier. Or you can use fusible thread in your bobbin when you sew on the binding, you have to zigzag the seam, press it up then turn it over and press the binding down onto the quilt fusing the zigzag stitches to the binding, makes it real easy to sew after.

Figured it out? Ready to send it out to someone to do?? You can do it!

[bridesmom]

http://quilting.about.com/od/bindingaquilt/ss/mitered_binding.htm. This is easy to read instructions on how to do your binding.
I'm sure some of the other quilt nuts here will have some ideas as well, it's kind of one of those things you learn and improve on as you go. Pinning helps with the puckers, and making sure that you haven't stretched your quilt sides when putting it all together as well, another learning experience.

[kjh9835]

Thank you very much Laura.

I found this video last week or so but it's so long it takes forever to download and I have watched it multiple times, usually watch a bit, go sew, watch a bit, go sew, watch a bit, etc. but at least I got the binding made last night. I was supposed to have it done for work today but ran out of time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZR6ls_IsIo

The top is done as well as the binding but it's not quilted yet as I wasn't sure how large to cut the backing/batting. I'm going to get spray adhesive tonight after my hair appointment as well as some new large safety pins as the ones I have are old/dull. I'm also going to get some long stick pins instead of the small ones I normally use. Oh, and some wide tape as well as see if that method helps.

Not sure if I'll even get into the sewing room tonight but plan to work on it again tomorrow. My hair appt. is at 5pm and usually takes about 1 1/2 hours then I'm off to the store for another hour then home hopefully by 8pm.

Instructions are great, I can copy/paste and print to hang on the wall for quick reference as I'm sewing then I won't be running back and forth to the computer (being distracted).

Kathy

[kjh9835]

Made the binding and stitched it on all the way around, no problems there.

Now the corners are kind of thick and the binding barely meets my stitching line from where I attached it. I don't think I made the binding wide enough even though I cut it 2 1/4" wide and stitched it on with 3/8" seam allowance.

So, if I carefully remove the layer of batting IN rhe seam allowance that will give me a bit more room. I also feel I need to cut the corners down just a bit so they will fold over/miter better on the back side. I'm also not exactly sure how I'm supposed to machine stitch it down without the stitches showing on the front of the quilt.

I could not find any fusible thread so may have to order that online. I have some 3/4" fusible web that I could cut in half lengthwise and use to hold it in place then hand stitch the binding down on the back?

Kathy

[HeyJudee]

Kathy, you have to hand stitch it down in order not to have the stitching show on the front. Whenever you machine stitch it down it will show on the front. We usually machine stitch the binding down for quilts that will get a lot of use, e.g. kids quilts, or if you need them done fast. The charity quilts that we make for VQC are always machine stitched or we wouldn't be able to produce the quantity of quilts that we do. When I do machine stitched binding, I sew the binding on the back first and then have it fold over to the front. Then from the front I either use the blanket stitch or a straight stitch to sew it down. It will look better on the front that way.

Edited: Forgot to mention that if you are using 2 1/4" binding then you have to sew a 1/4" seam allowance. If using 3/8" seam to sew the binding then I would cut my binding 2.5" binding.

And here are a couple of videos by Leah Day where she shows how she machine stitches the binding. The first is how she sews it to the back and the second is how she sews it down on the front. Maybe this will give more help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wprg5vzkuGw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MRfADz_pyg&feature=related

[kjh9835]

Thank you Judee. I have already stitched it down from the front so rather than remove all those stitches, I'm going to machine stitch it anyway. I already decided that using this method of quilting is more time consuming than "stitch and flip" but it makes for a nicer finished item. This one is for a co-workers son who is about 3 and I'm sure it will get alot of use so I really don't want to hand finish it. It has a few puckers but not as bad as others I've made and I going to tell her I tried a new method and she can just have it (instead of selling it to her) since it's not perfect but still very usable.

Next time, I'll sew the binding on from the back. I viewed and saved to my desktop both of those links. She pointed out she uses a button-hole stitch for applying the binding. My Singer 401 (daily machine) makes ALOT of stitches with the selector knobs and the many additional cams (which are in the attic but easily found). It also has a blind-stitch built in, should I use that? I never have played with them much but have a "cheat sheet" fabric scrap from the previous owner that shows what each setting does on each width,etc and I also found a stitch chart online. Maybe that would look better from the front than just straight line stitching?

Kathy

[kjh9835]

It's done but what a pain. First I practiced on scrap, not too bad. Then for actual "sewing the binding on": broke a needle at a corner, broke my thread, broke needle on another corner, broke the thread, ran out of thread, etc. The last 8 inches took me nearly 25 minutes to finish but it's done and so am I (for tonight anyway). I now have new thread cause not only did I run out but who knows how long I've had the initial light blue thread?

I think I'll practice a bit more before I take orders for others. The videos are great but make it look so easy/simple, it's not but I figure it just takes time and practice esp on the corners.

Kathy

[HeyJudee]

The videos are great but make it look so easy/simple, it's not but I figure it just takes time and practice esp on the corners.
Kathy

You've got that right. But like everything else, practice makes perfect. And the next one will be easier.