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karpet_gw

How picky is too picky?

karpet
11 years ago

I'm sitting here hand sewing the binding on the back of a quilt, and as I'm looking at the binding, I'm thinking that the fabric would be perfect for the quilt top I just finished instead of the fabric I have picked out for that binding. AND the fabric picked out for the quilt top would match better with the quilt I am currently hand sewing the binding on. Would it be crazy to take off the binding on the almost complete quilt and put in with the finished top, and use the other fabric (that, in my defense, just found a home with me yesterday)for the binding on the almost finished quilt?!? Am I crazy? I'm thinking of taking a binding off of an almost finished quilt and putting a different binding on it!

Karlene

Comments (13)

  • loisflan
    11 years ago

    Are these quilts you are keeping for yourself or that you will be seeing often? If they are, and if you will always be thinking that the fabrics would have been better reversed, then I would do it. When someone says, "That's a beautiful quilt," you don't want to be thinking (or worse, saying), "Oh, it would have been so much better if only I'd used the other fabric."

    If you are sending them away where you won't be seeing them, then your time might be better spent on something else. That being said, I'm picky too, and I want everything to be the best it could be, so I would understand completely if you ripped.

    I don't know if that's been any help at all. Lois

  • msmeow
    11 years ago

    Another consideration: would the current binding fabric be useable in the other quilt top? Is it wide enough to cut pieces from, and if you are using folded binding, will the crease come out?

    How big is the partially bound quilt? If it's a wall hanging I'd say go ahead and change the binding; if it's king size I'd give it some more thought!

    Donna

  • magothyrivergirl
    11 years ago

    Very good responses so far! I am very picky....but sometimes I need someone to save me from myself!!!
    I always think your quilts are pretty. So unless you picked a binding fabric for the almost completed quilt that looks terrible - which I highly doubt, I suggest you finish it as is. I think you/we can always find a better choice if we keep looking.
    Now, having said all that, if it was a quilt I was keeping, it would always bug me that I didn't make the best choice, but unless I hated it, I would live with it.....I think.

    I'm no real help - I'm too picky.

  • karpet
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Well, noone saved me from myself in time - I took off the binding! I have never done that before! The almost complete quilt is larger than the quilt top so the binding will work. (And I don't iron, so there is no crease)Oh my, oh my. Well, I'll cut the other binding tonight and start that process over again.

    Both quilts are getting brown bindings - not a color I use a lot of. The prints on the first binding are more stylistic, while on the second they are more realistic. I know, I know - but it all makes sense in my thinking!

  • magothyrivergirl
    11 years ago

    :~) Pictures!

    After you finish, you will be so happy!

  • polardream
    11 years ago

    Karlene,
    You have more patience than I would. Looking forward to seeing your finished quilt!

    Sue

  • loisflan
    11 years ago

    You obviously did the right thing. Please let's see photos when you're done. Lois

  • karpet
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I went to cut the new borders last night and started looking at an aqua fabric instead of the brown and decided to go with that - got the border on last night and started hand sewing it today and I am happy - it was a good decision! I don't enjoy that much frog stitching, but it was worth it this time. I will post a pic when it is done.

  • geezerfolks_SharonG_FL
    11 years ago

    I wouldn't call that being picky! You did what you had to do to make it more pleasing to your eyes. If we know we can make it look better, we do!

    SharonG/FL

  • littlehelen_gw
    11 years ago

    It's always worth in the long run...looking forward to the pics!
    V.

  • jennifer_in_va
    11 years ago

    Just look at it this way, If you hadn't decided to change to the other brown, you never would have considered the aqua! So, one step brought you to a better conclusion. Good for you!

    (I never would have taken the first binding off...I would have lived with it ;) )

  • pirate_girl
    11 years ago

    Hey Karlene,

    I saw your other thread w/ the completed quilts (post surgery ;>), loved 'em & commented there about them.

    To the question at hand: I believe you let the fabrics speak to you about what would & wouldn't work & ultimately you were true to them. To me, artistically, that's the best possible, ideal path.

    I recently had a similar experience, where I bought fabrics & designed a quilt back accordingly, all the while imagining I'd use some of the feature (novelty) fabric from the front for the back's binding (I make 2-sided, 2- colored bindings). When the time came to cut that back binding, I realized the novelty print no longer worked w/ the ensemble I'd made into the back. It seemed to clash & looked unintegrated to the whole, like a tacked on afterthought. Had to change the back bindings colors, but I caught it before I cut the less desirable bindings. (Was that too confusing???)

  • karpet
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I understand! It is one thing to pick out colors/fabrics before things are put together, and another to see if you still like your choices once things come together.

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