YOTS2018 / How I Bind

My Year Of The Stash is off to a slow start but I love using this space to identify and explore the ways that I quilt and what quilting means to me. Due to my quilting background being diverse and mostly self taught, I am constantly examining why and how I quilt. 

One technique that I find I do very differently than most quilters is how I bind my quilts. I bind my quilts by extending the backing and folding it over to the front. I have seen people do a folded binding before, but it is a rare sight. I love making my quilts this way and I'm not sure why more people don't use this method. 

I really enjoy that this method gives the quilt backs a clean, full to the borders, look and that the backing shows to the front. Recently I have been using mostly full cloth backings, but I also like to piece my backings sometimes. I love the way a pieced backing shows to the front of the quilt when creating a folded binding. 

Sometimes when binding, I make a straight corner, sometimes a mitered edge. it usually just depends what the quilt "wants" so to speak, and like all my quilting, is an improv decision made as I go. 

As I am working on a quilting a few quilts at the moment, I find my mind moves forward to the binding step as it is such a satisfying aspect of quilt making. I'll be happy to get to that step with my current quilts and see what happens! 

Another thing I like to track in Year Of The Stash is my stash usage. Year of the Stash is all about using what you have and here is my fabric intake/output so far: 
Fabric Added Since Last Update: 0
Fabric Added Year to Date: 0
Fabric Used Since Last Update: Approximately 3.5 yds
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 3.5 yds

How do you bind your quilts? Is it something you look forward to?

YOTS2018 / Basting Party

Basting quilts is one of those things that I find myself putting off. But when I do baste, I try to do a few quilts at a time, Usually it's a party for me and the cats! We all get on the floor and wrestle with quilt backs, quilt tops, batting and each other. 

This time no cats joined me. Irving briefly put in an appearance to scuffle with one of the quilts, but it was half hearted and short lived. You'd think it would make my basting task easier, but I still struggled with these two little quilts. 

My basting method is pretty easy and perhaps too rudimentary. Like all my quilting methods, it's simple, not fussy, what some would call wonky. I usually place the backing on the batting, smooth it out, flip it over on the floor, place the quilt top on top and pin. The backing tends to be a little loose, but I smooth it out while hand quilting and there usually aren't too many gathers when it's finished. Once washed, my quilts tend to be looser and more puffy than some, but you hardly notice. Occasionally I tape the backing to the floor, then tape the batting in place before smoothing the quilt top as the last layer and pin. But that seems like a lot of work. 

The two baby quilts I basted on this party day came out even looser than normal. I'm not sure if it was bc they are so small and I'm used to dealing with larger heavier quilts. Or perhaps it was bc I didn't have my helpers!

Time will tell how these two small quilts come out. Any other non traditional basters out there?

Year of the Stash / 2018

In 2016, Quarter Inch from the Edge started Year Of The Stash. In 2017 I continued the tradition on my own. I made monthly tracking reports and YOTS became a way to showcase some ideas I have about quilting as well as how I use my stash. Even though the community aspect of Year Of The Stash was gone, and the fact that my intake was far more than my output, I feel like 2017 was the best year yet! Let see how much stash we can use in 2018!

I like to start each Year by creating a manifesto to follow. 
1) Buy less / use more. Pretty much every YOTS should be about using up what we have, but also about not bringing much new fabric in to the stash. I always leave room to find vintage or reclaimed fabric bc I try to always use some of these fabrics in my work. 
2) Incorporate some vintage, reclaimed, and or repurposed fabric in all work. I feel more satisfied if I'm using vintage and reclaimed fabric in my work.
3) All the finishes. There are a lot of projects I want to see to completion this year and there's no better way to use up stash!! 
4) Remember zero waste sensibilities while sewing. My Zero Waste journey has me thinking about organic, sustainable, local, hand made, reclaimed, and thrifted fabric and techniques this Year. 

And here is my fabric intake/output so far: 
Fabric Added from the Start of the Year: 0
Fabric Added Year to Date: 0
Fabric Used Since Start of the Year: 0  
Fabric Used Year to Date: 0 

Who else is making 2018 a Year Of The Stash? Share your manifest below and let's get started!

2017 manifesto:
1) Use as much stash as possible. Last year, I said buy less, this year my mantra will be use more. I will still try to buy less, of course, but 2016 really gave me a good appetite for not buying. 
2) Incorporate some vintage, reclaimed, and or repurposed fabric in all work. I feel more satisfied if I'm using vintage and reclaimed fabric in my work.
3) Sew, Sew, Sew. I'm starting off another year hoping for a finish each month. I have a lot of stash to help me with this.  

2016 manifesto:
1) Buy as little new fabric as possible. I won't say buy none. I want to be free to get a great new piece here or there, patron indy quilt shops, or buy backing when needed. I'll buy used, reclaimed, and/or vintage fabric when possible. I pride myself on using these fabrics in my quilts, and need to scoop them up when they preset themselves. But I want to be mindful not to add too much to my stash!
2) Use some used, vintage and/or reclaimed fabrics in all quilts. Last year was the first time I used all new fabric for some quilts and it just didn't feel right. As I said above, I pride myself to use these vintage items, and I need to get back to that. I have such a wonderful collection in my stash, it needs to get out into the world!  
3) Organize as I go. When we moved, I started folding and color coordinating my stash and discovered that I have far too much fabric!! I barely made a dent before I filled up the entire space I'd set aside. I'd like to utilize this space better this year. I want to use up, organize, and consolidate during The Year of the Stash!
4) Sew, sew, sew! One of my goals is to have at least one finish per month, I'd also like to make one new block per month. Sourcing from my stash will help me as I have so many wonderful fabrics at my fingertips!