tate_elliott

Sewnoma, you and I think alike. I sew some of my own clothes and I'm always amazed at the convoluted methods that are used to avoid showing stitches. It's like we aren't supposed to think that clothing is held together by thread! And if worst comes to worst and some stitches HAVE to show, they come up with fancy names like "top stitching" to explain why it should be seen.

And quilters are the same way. Just look at the traditional method of putting on binding - if the final seam isn't hand-stitched - Oh No! The stitches might be seen! Well, look at all the stitches out there on the quilt making all those fancy loops and feathers. How come we prize those but not the ones on the binding?

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now.

Tate

madamekelly

(nudges soapbox aside quietly) I only hand sew the binding down because I can't sew a very straight line, and bindings are thin targets, so I hand stitch. If you look tooo close, I will stop showing you my quilts! Lol!

Snooze2978

Been there, done that. A friend asked me to fix a quilt she picked up at a thrift shop. I told her I could look at it before I said yes. The 1st overview didn't look too bad but I knew I'd have to look for 30's style fabric to fix the sections that were frayed or totally gone. This was a hand pieced, hand quilted Irish chain in 1.5 inch squares. Was I kidding myself or what. I counted 30 fabrics that needed to be replaced. Once I got it home and laid it on the floor, I found over 60 squares. OUCH!!!!! But I found fabric that would work, gingerly took out the bad fabrics and replaced them with new, hand stitching them back into place. Will never do that again.

bearisgray

Learn and make one's life easier!

tate_elliott

After I posted on here yesterday, I had a co-worker ask me if I could alter some pants he'd bought. What does he want done to them? He got a really good deal on several pairs of pleated pants and wants to know if I can take the pleats out. Um, that would be "No."

Just thinking about how to do it gave me a headache.

Tate

bearisgray

You could have just stitched them down! Then he would have had "decorative stitching and tucking" on his pants!

Wonder what the person would have thought if you came up with

I bought this car with four doors - can you make it into a two door car for me?

CanoePam

I prefer to offer to show someone how to do the job themselves. Don't get too many take me up on it, but I have had a few! If it is for a good cause and I am feeling particularly generous, I tell them they can't afford me, but a nice donation to a charity might convince me. I have done some hems and repairs that way. I have even contributed some embroidered articles for charity auctions and door prizes. If anyone asks me for something big like a quilt, I generally laugh out loud and say, "Sure, right after I finish the 10 years of sewing I have for myself." People know I am a very well paid professional in my day job, and I can always use the "I am too expensive" line.

Pam

Sewnoma

LOL!

I just saw this. Yes, we do think alike! I machine sew every single one of my bindings and I refuse to change my methods. Both of my grandmothers did it that way on their quilts so it seems "right" to me! It doesn't always look perfect but it usually looks pretty good, and I'm 100% certain that none of my friends or family members would ever notice if I did it another way. I even won a ribbon at the county fair for one of my quilts, machine-binding and all.