Updated
A few weeks ago, I reported on using up the contents of one of those infamous packets of unfinished goodness located on the never-ending shelf of unfinished stuff. I made a couple of table runners and had just a few wee bits left of the border print used in the runner.
I knew that if I put those little bits away somewhere, they were gonners. And I was striving for a clean slate and an empty packet. I just couldn't let it go!
All that was left was a bunch of fussy-cut 3" squares and two pieces with mug and/or cookie mat potential.
To finish it off, I could have used some pinking sheers around the edges of each coaster to keep the fabric from fraying, but I decided I wanted a nicer bound finish. I used the loop binding method I developed years ago for some nine-patch projects.
I cut a strip 2" wide by the length of the perimeter plus one width of the binding. In other words, each side measures 4-1/2", so 4.5x4=18" plus 2 (the width of the strip). Or 2" wide by 20" long - one for each coaster. I pressed the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, then connected the ends with a diagonal seam to form a loop, in between, I trimmed the extra fabric at the seam to reduce bulk.
I added the binding to the quilted coaster just like I would add binding to anything else - one side at a time, mitering at the corners. I started sewing the binding to the coaster top on one side (starting in the middle), and sewed a 1/4" seam to the end. I like to take a 45-degree turn about 1/4" from the end to secure the corner (below left).
Then (below right), I mitered the border being careful not to overlap the edges too much or too little, but just enough to have fabric width to turn to the back later.
. . .and then I just kept going until the binding loop was attached all the way around. If it didn't fit, I reviewed the 1/4" seam and the miters to make sure everything is just right. A little bit of reverse sewing *could have been* involved, but only once or twice out of more than 20 coasters.
A little hand sewing to secure the binding to the back with a little Netflix ("Dept Q" - recommend!).
Yippy-skippy, they're done!
I just love the squish of the fusible foam batting, and it launders nicely too. But, any old batting scraps would do for this, too.
And the best part, that project pouch is now empty. That's two wins - gifties complete and and empty pouch.
What's up next? . . .
Happy Stitching!
Head Hummingbird
Hummingbird-Highway.com
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