Saturday, November 7, 2009

Unusual procedure

I guess the proper way to finish a quilt is to do the backing first and then do the binding. I made a binding first. It is because there are still a few smaller parts that have to be quilted, and I am applying some change on the middle part because I wanted it to be brighter in color in order to adapt it to the rest. I started with subdued colors, but soon found out that it doesn't work. I must have folk art of my Russian ancestors in my veins. So I started to let some green stuff grow around the birds on the olive green background.
Before I did the binding, it was so thin at the edges that I felt cold; now I can sleep properly under my not-quite-finished quilt. It feels a lot warmer. Could it be that the binding contributes so much to the warming effect of the quilt?

6 comments:

ArtSparker said...

Color draws inward to the hearth in winter.

jude said...

i have no rules for what comes first. i often put the binding on in the middle of a project. it has some effect like a hug.

Pat said...

I love your work on this piece. And, I thank you for the helpful suggestions via email that you sent in response to my questions abut korak. Soon, I hope, I will have a post with progress on the korak.

Judy said...

we are such kindred spirits! we absolutely must have color in order to survive! I love your quilt and I'm so glad that you don't play by the quilting rules!

xo

Emmy said...

very colorful and beautiful quilt

Deborah said...

The colors are beautiful! I don't think the process is up to anyone but you. Part of the fun is trying new ways of doing things, changing your mind, ejoying the process your own way. Sometimes I don't use binding at all but 'finish' the quilt by the inside out method (attaching the backing and then turning the whole thing inside out), maybe it's called envelope. Sometimes I do this even before doing any of the quilting.