At the beginning, in the planning stages and initial working stages of a wall quilt, I never make any hard and fast decision on binding (a) whether to do it or not, and (b) which fabric I will use if I do. The growth of the piece during construction can change the final outcome to the point where what you envisaged at the start somehow doesn’t really apply so strongly any more – all the colours, shapes and their ratios to each other being part of that, I guess.
This is the first of several pics I have taken over the past hour or so, in order to come to a final decision about which fabric to use – my client prefers a binding, and I agree this piece will be enhanced by one.
The following couple of pics show some of the choices I am considering, although what ever I do it will be a narrow, about 1/2 inch binding, not a great swag of fabric that appears of some along some of the sides. Interestingly, the one I have always favoured, with a lot of black but all of the quilt’s other main colours in the rather wild stripey design, has gone in and out of favour as I try other possibles. In this photo, one I thought would be great, on the left hand side as you look, somehow has a deadening effect on all the colours. The one on the right which I love is totally wrong, too pink. The stripe, lower right hand edge is a serious contender, but the one along the top edge, a spot with varicoloured background, is also very seriously in the running.
English
It’s hard isn’t it, to pick when you’re only going to use a small binding, but the fabric looks so big when you first hold it up to the quilt. I always end up trying to use a stripey binding, don’t know why, so of course I like the once in your second to last post on the bottom edge.
I know, I know, pamdodra – what I am going to have to do is cut another strip maybe two at least to pretty well encircle the quilt with this stripe, which has been my fav since the start. It’s stupid – what is holding me back is that I only have about a linear foot of it (and very wide – more than enough for several this size) so I will just have to bite the bullet and do this after all – it will keep for something else if it isn’t all I hope it to be. Actually, I have had it in my stash since about 1993!!!! so I am not sure what I am being so precious about….well yes I do know – fabrics of the kind I llike to use are non existent here, so I don’t waste or throw out anything lightly. It’s amazing what en effect your immediate environment can have on you and your attitudes. Food for another post there.
Watching the quilt grow is amazing. Your ramblings about the progress is a fun “thinking out loud”. I find blogging in this way very time consuming, mostly because of the odd conspiracy of blogger.com and the computer. Your contribution is a welcome additive to my own ruminations.