Monthly Archives: November 2017

Janome Walking Foot for Juki

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One of the things I like the least about my Juki 2000 is the walking foot. It is loud, does not stitch evenly, and is just not the best. I had heard that there was a Janome walking foot that worked wonderfully for the Juki. Once Brynn @brynnsews bought one and told me that it was indeed a great fit and sews wonderfully, I took the plunge. I am happy to report that after quilting a few quilts with it, I am soooo glad I spent the $60 on this walking foot. It comes with guides, which the Juki does NOT have and I missed desperately. Here’s the link to purchase it on Amazon if you’re in the same boat. It is an affiliate link, which means I get like 2 cents from you buying it, but in the spirit of full disclosure, there it is.

Heritage Threads Binding Book

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I am so excited to share a bit about my binding book today! This has been a project in the works for a long time and I hope to share how it came about and why it is helpful to any quilter!

I started a binding service business almost 2 years ago. I love binding quilts and have never seen a binding technique like mine. It provides a unique finish where the binding on the front and back are both 1/4″ wide. As I started taking on clients, I realized that not everyone could send their quilts out for binding, nor would they want to. I had a few friends reach out for tips and tricks with binding and the idea for a book sprang from there.

As I was binding a quilt to gift to my sister, I took step-by-step photos of my entire process, start to finish. Those photos, along with detailed instructions are found in my book. I share what tools I use to make it easier, how to choose thread, how to make binding, how to make your corners perfect, how to get an even width of binding on the front and back, and other general tips and tricks to make your binding life easier.

Here is an example of what you’ll see in the book:

 

Whether you are an experienced quilt binder or new to quilting, there is something for you in this book. It is separated out into different sections: Planning, Cutting, Sewing, and Hand Stitching. If you feel confident in planning, cutting, and sewing, but not so much in hand stitching, you can focus on the hand stitching section.

I firmly believe that we all spend SO much time, energy, and money on our quilts that the binding deserves to be as perfect as possible! It is the crowning touch on a huge work in progress that takes so much time and money to finish. I hope you’ll enjoy my book and it will make your hand binding life easier and more enjoyable!

You can find my book on Craftsy or on Etsy

How to: Make Bias Binding

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I recently had the need to make bias binding and I was really surprised that I could not find a tutorial geared towards quilters that actually made sense to me. I realized I couldn’t be the only one who had a hard time finding something without frustration and decided I’d make a tutorial the next time I made bias binding.

Start with your yardage laid out like this. It would probably be wise to press it first. If your top line of your fabric isn’t straight, make sure it is. 🙂

Fold the selvage up to the top line of the fabric.

Fold again, but bringing the top down following the diagonal line. This is your bias and where you will cut. Continue folding along this same line until your fabric is a small enough packet you can cut it.

Turn your fabric so you can use the markings on your cutting mat.

Cut off the far right edge to make it straight.

Now you can cut your binding at whatever width you desire. I use 2-1/4″. When you cut bias binding, you will end up with 2 strips from each cut.

If you are attaching it to a scalloped or curved edge quilt, I highly recommend doing a stay stitch around the edge of the quilt before you trim it and before you attach the binding. This helps keep the bias edges of the quilt from stretching too much.