Facing Binding for Quilts

Table Topper

For the past 2 weeks, I've been having trouble accessing my business emails which I purchased from Google Workspace. It was started when I created another email in Godaddy for the newsletter. After back and fro chat with Godaddy's agent and doing some reading, finally, I understand that we cannot create different emails from the different email providers. I wish I knew!

I apologize to those who tried to reply to the newsletter or email me regarding your orders and bounce back. If you like please resend your email.  I also added a backup email so that I won't miss any important emails. Hopefully, now the emails will all be back to normal and I can focus more on the work at hand. 

Source: Pinterest

This week, I'm able to finish 2 table-toppers still in my fave pattern - the one from Suzuko Koseki's book  (I call it moonshine and valentine). I've made and sold a few in different sizes in my Etsy shop. This time, I decided to use a red poinsettia print and a green cotton handloom combo. Added a mustard yellow stripe in the center. 

Also, instead of hand quilting, I decided to do serpentine quilting on my Husqvarna Viking machine using the golden thread I got from the swap last time.  

Another new thing I tried this time is instead of the usual binding, I did facing binding! 

What is facing binding? 

A facing is similar to a binding on a quilt, except that it's turned completely to the back so there is no visual line around the edge of a quilt. (source: We All Sew)

I love the clean look of these table toppers. Binding is great to finish a quilt but sometimes I don't want to spoil the look especially when the quilt has a different color on the outer border. 

I used a 1.5" wide binding strip and also tried a 2" wide binding. The end result? I prefer a 1.5" wide binding as it gives a narrow binding on the back. 

Serpentine quilting with golden thread

facing binding

I have a few more small quilts in the same pattern in the WIP stage that I plan to hand quilt. Now that I have 3 C-dramas to catch up on, I should be able to finish the quilting before the end of the year. 

Even though it's been a pretty stressful week regarding the email things, but I'm happy to finish a few on my WIP list. Time blocking really helps! Last week, we went to a wedding party for the first time. My SIL's nephew got married. it was a small occasion but felt good to meet and greet people in person after almost 2 years! 

The boys' board exam also just started and as the weather is getting cooler, the younger one needs a new set of winter clothes, so we went shopping! 

And one more thing, I made a sofa cover! Upcycle from my old Kantha quilt. It's removable and I can easily take it out to wash and put it back again. Now, this corner looks cozier :). I still need to make the sofa's back cushion covers though. I am collecting ideas on Pinterest right now! 

Dotty Purse 

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have a great week ahead.

Happy Sewing!

Elvira

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Hand quilted Trivets - Moonshine and Valentine

 Here are some 9980 hours to mastering hand quilting 😃

I'm a big fan of Suzuko Koseki and I collected a few of her books. The one I particularly love and want to learn from is the Modern Quilts book. It has an interesting quilt pattern from simple to complicated ones, or at least it looks complicated to me :D. 

In these 2 mini quilts, I am using Indian Handloom fabrics in high contrast colors. I was not sure in the beginning but once done, they turned out really pretty. Sometimes, we have to try something out of our comfort zone! 

Colorful Trivet

The book only gave dimension of the block but not really gave instructions. But I supposed it was to be pieced in half circle. So I did with this teal and orange one. 

I made another one which I cut 5" square and piece quarter circle block. I don't know if this is the correct term :D. 

I called these block my Moonshine and valentine - just because it the shape remind me of the moon and I was watching C-Drama with the same title. Johnny Huang is stunning in the drama 💙! 

Mug Rug

On the back, I used glace cotton fabric in dark teal and I love the texture of the finished quilt. They turned out very soft. The trivets finished at 8" x 8" and it's just the perfect size for anything. From mug rug, doily, trivets, or even for indoor plant mat.

I am still curious about the block and plan to make more but using poplin cotton instead of handloom fabrics. Although handloom colors are gorgeous, it's a bit too stiff for circle piecing. Maybe I can do better with cotton or Bali Batiks! 

I bought this local brand needle Jyoti Needles before I did the Kantha Workshop. I was skeptical in the beginning but the shop owner didn't have Pony Needle when I went. And guess what? It turned out really good and all the needles are sharp. I always have a problem with Pony Needle for hand sewing my wallet. But this one turned out better than Pony. I may need to stock up now.

I am still doing the quilting based on the Kawandi Quilt as I really love it. I plan to make more small kawandi quilts too, but it may take a while before I finally get down to make it. I have a few UFO quilts that I want to finish. Most of them are small quilts and a few single bed quilts. 

If you want to know how I did the quilting, I uploaded a small video on my Youtube Channel. It was recorded during my first Instagram Live. You can watch it here. 

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you enjoy your visit!

Happy Sewing,

Elvira

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Resources:

Book: Modern Quilts by Suzuko Koseki

Fabric: Handloom / Shotcotton

Mission Accomplished Part 1 - Meeting Suzuko Koseki

Hello,

Last month, I went to see Tokyo Quilt Festival in Tokyo Japan again with a couple of friends from Indonesia. It was rather sudden decision. My dear hubby asked me if I'd like to go again and I grabbed the opportunity with both hands! ha! I traveled with mbak Belly last year too, so this was our second Japan trip together!

I had 2 missions this time! First, I want to meet Suzuko Koseki again and show my passport wallet I made with her fabrics!! I was so excited (despite having cough and cold).  Suzuko Koseki has a distinct quilt style. Or maybe it's just me. I could recognize her work even before I saw the information written on the special booth.

This year's Theme was Little Women. You can read the details about it in HERE

I love how simple yet attractive her quilts are. 

Thank you mbak Belly for taking this photo for me!

I love how the Japanese make everything so intricately beautiful and beautifully displayed. The quilts displayed are mostly hand quilted and hand applique with uniformly spaced stitches and not a single thread shown on the appliques. One must see closely to see that the leaves are stitched and not glued. 

I then made my way to La Clochette, Suzuko Koseki booth, and I bought quite a few of her fabrics. I did not see her in the booth, so I asked the lady there if she will come back. She could not speak English and tried her best to explain to me where she's gone. 

I showed her my wallet and there was another Japanese lady, who speak quite good English,  told me, that Ms. Koseki was giving lectures in her special booth. Then she sweetly told me to wait, she will take me and introduce me to her, since she's the student of Koseki Sensei. 

I wish I could understand Japanese

We went and listened to her lectures and this generous lady, translated (in general) of what was being said. Generally, Ms. Koseki was explaining the making process of the quilts being displayed in the booth. The most difficult part was to draw the face of the 4 women who each has a distinct character. It certainly took a lot of hard work to be able to capture that in a quilt. 

Thank you!!

Afterwards, I was introduced and interacted for a while with Ms. Koseki. I felt so humbled when she took my wallet and inspected it,  she gave me a thumbs-up and told me to come again next year (I hope hubby will take the hint!!) . I felt like a kindergarten kid who got her first 100 mark LOL. 

The sweet Japanese Lady

I love the hospitality of Japan and how down to earth and humble they are. All the extraordinaire quilters I met in the show this and last year, left me speechless. We can certainly learn one or ten things from them! 

Another best thing was I get to meet Vatsala Kamat of Tsala Studio. A quilt shop owner in Bangelore. I always admired her Japanese style works. I hope to see you soon in India! 

I hope to be able to go back again next year! Maybe I can join a workshop or two or even visit La Clochette store! That would be awesome, right? 

 If you want to see the quilts photos (and some of my weird photos), you can see them HERE. 

Until then,

Happy Sewing,

Quilted travel Wallet

Hello,

Last week was quite productive self sewing for me. I made 2 travel wallet for my self and my friend in Japan, Sari who owns this cute shop selling Japanese Kanzashi in Etsy .

She loved this tree print fabric which I used to make this passport cover. 

I only have one fat quarter which is just enough to make this wallet. It's amazing what 2 fat quarter can do, right?

For my self, I made this wallet using Suzuko Koseki fabrics I got from my last  year's trip to Japan Quilt Festival

I really love the quilted version of this. I used stiff fleece batting which I got from Tina of the Square Inch a few months ago. I added the thin fusible interfacing to give a little stiffness for the exterior fabric. While on the interior, I used as per the pattern instructions. You can get the pattern HERE.

For the interior, I added the flap. This is a fab idea from Maria when she did the testing for me. It's very useful,  especially if you're going to use it for everyday wallet. Very handy to use it as a smartphone wallet too. 

I'm so excited to take this wallet. I hope I get to meet Suzuko Koseki again this week at the quilt show!!

So, who will there in Tokyo Dome this week? 

I better get going now. It's a long trip from North East India to Tokyo but I am all excited to see my friends, the dreamy quilts and of course the fabric shops --err...shopping!

Until then,

Happy Sewing