International Quilt Festival #4: Fine Finishes (to be retitled to Bindings and Piping and Facings, Oh My!)
Saturday, November 24th, 2018![](https://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/IMG_6118-e1542901842179-600x800.jpg)
Bindings and Pipings and Facings, Oh My! class in Houston 2018: Truth in teaching: this is usually what my teacher’s table looks like: a hot mess!
I LOVE teaching this class! I LOVE that EVERYONE gets how to achieve a perfect mitered corner no matter what width your binding! I LOVE showing students how to use Susan K. Cleveland’s Piping Hot Binding tool–students come into class thinking “I’ll try it but don’t think I’ll ever use it” and leave with the tool in hand planning how they CAN use it because it rocks! Then I teach my perfect facings for art quilts which by the way is also how you can do perfect prairie point “bindings” etc. I LOVE that this class has something for everyone: traditional, modern, art, contemporary, whatever you do, it works. I also LOVED that this class more than any I have ever taught immediately embraced the idea of taking notes ON their class samples: that way the notes don’t get lost, what you need to remember about how YOU sew and what to do to improve is right there on the sample.
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One older quilter in the class was BEAMING when she left–she was so delighted as she had never done a corner, let alone a piped corner, this good. I think I will remember her smile forever–THIS is why I teach this class!
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Midday/right after lunch we get to the piping (do the precise and time-consuming stuff first). LOVE Susan K. Cleveland’s Piping Hot Bindings tool. Available here. It may be available at larger online sites, but I like buying things direct from the creator–Susan’s website is Pieces be With You (in the link). I wrote my own instructions for the class handouts (without looking at Susan’s), but her more in depth instructions are worth every penny!
The absolute BEST PART of International Quilt Festival is FRIENDS! Over the summer I learned that Linda, a BFF from my life on San Juan Island, would have a quilt in a special exhibit and was coming to Festival. On Tuesday she showed up at my classroom door at lunch break with her friend from SJI. They decided on the spot to take my Bindings class on Friday, their last full day at Festival (pitter patter, tear in my eye)! It was like the intervening 14 years since I left the island evaporated.
She and Barbara managed to get the stuff to make the quilt sandwiches (class prep) and amongst the three of us came up with the requisite thread, scissors, rotary cutters, etc. to use.
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Class….the lunchtime lull. Thank you Kathy Spier for being my “Teacher’s Pet”—so much fun, met Suzy Webster when she took one of my classes a couple years ago. This year her mom took Bindings, and we all had lunch together! Like I said, the BEST PART of Festival is friends, old ones and making new ones!
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Time permitting, we even get into some fun alternative edge treatments…couched yarn is perfect for postcards and small works
And miraculously, I remembered Linda and I needed to get a photo before she packed up for the day!