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Thursday, December 29, 2011

To Bind or not to Bind.......

That is the question...............................................................

I've just finished quilting my crazy collage piece.  It has been blocked and trimmed so it is a perfect rectangle.  During the quilting phase, I've just not been sure how I wanted to handle the outside edges.
Here is the collage, quilting complete, edges trimmed, ready for finishing.

So it is time to make the big decision.  Sometimes I want to have a contrasting trim on the outside edges. Lately, I've been more tempted to face the edges of some quilts, to avoid having to sew the binding on the edges.  Sometimes I think it is distracting.  So what do I do in this case?  What do you think?
Bind or face?

Here is the trimmed quilt with 3 choices of bias laid on the outside edge.
  • Choice 1 is the black fabric with blue, turquoise and green subtle striping
  • Choice 2 is a charcoal gray print with light gray and red accents
  • Choice 3 is a stripe which includes most of the colors of the little pieces within
  • Choice 4 is facing the outside edges so there is just a clean edge

I think I've made my choice, but let me know what you prefer and why.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like choice 1 or 4, but I'm leaning toward choice 1.

Janet

Barbara Strobel Lardon said...

I agree with Janet but lean toward facing.

The Idaho Beauty said...

I don't think any of these options work. I'd be tempted to try a very narrow, perhaps even a piping, of a red - that red that is part of the pieced background. If that doesn't seem to do it, then I'd say try the dark charcoal with a bit of red piping in the seam. It's just so busy that I think it needs something to contain it and more of that red along the outside edge.

Ruth said...

I love your collage. I like the facing because I think the piece looks complete in itself. I have been leaning more in that direction in my own work.

Rachel said...

With so much going on in the quilt I prefer #4 (facing).

Anonymous said...

I prefer the stripe at the bottom. But that's just me. Anxious to hear your final decision, but I'm betting you won't have any border.

Linda Kittmer said...

Hi Ann. First of all, let me tell you the quilt is beautiful. Having said that, I'd face it (option 4) to avoid taking away from the piece. If you do go with a binding, I agree with some of the others that the first option is the best of the choices you put up. It's fairly subtle but interesting too.

Linda

Colleen said...

I guess I'm different. I like #2. It is a binding, but it is sutle.

wordmama said...

I like the way #2 finishes without being distracting. I can see the case for a facing finish as well. I love the collage.

Kris

Agnes B. Bullock said...

I don't think that it needs binding- I think the binding would distract from the inherent beauty of the work itself. (Am a novice quilter, so am overwhelmed by your work)

Pixie said...

i vote #2, it frames w/out distracting.