I haven't had any problems with the store-bought bindings. The double-fold wears well. The colors and patterns to choose from are limited, so there are times when making your own binding is the only way to go to get just the look you're after. It might be kinda hard to bind a quilt with denim anyway, so if the packaged binding matches, go for it! I'm sure your friend will love the quilt--Post a picture for us!

I agree with Leslee. The binding you find pre-packaged is fine. Nowadays you have some more interesting possibilities as quilting has made fabric options expand greatly. You can co-ordinate it with your decorative stitching colors or even join complimentary colors to create a colorful edging on the quilt. Please let us see when done. Hey BTW....how is your map quilt coming along?

here's a couple of ways to make a binding that don't require bias, will work great with any fabric you have already on hand, and don't require a Master's Degree. (Unless your're going around curves, in which case bias is the best.)

URL: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_quilting_tips/article/0,1789,HGTV_3307_4173454,00.html

here's another one. sometimes i find it easy to do this way. sometimes i turn the air blue in the process.

URL: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_qlt/article/0,1805,HGTV_3876_3178320,00.html

I wouldn't use the store binding because I don't think it is wide enough to cover denim, batting and the backing. Additionally, I think it is too thin and won't wear well.

If you want to match the blue color, choose a denim chambray of a similar color. I would cut it on the straight grain and make it double. Obviously, this will be a working quilt and will get a lot of wear.

Another choice would be to make a scrappy binding, using several colors and prints that you may have on hand. A blue or red check would make an interesting binding.

Suzanne

I have done it both wyas. store bought and home made. It depends on time, resources, and colors available. Go with the prepackaged. If it doesn't last, get her to bring it back in a few years and replace the binding. There is a fairly wide binding that Wal Mart carries or use to carry--wider than bias tape and maybe you can find it. I don't use bias as a rule, usually tear strips of fabric--to get it on the straight of grain--use 2 inch strips doubled with wrong sides together. I do piece my strips on the bias since the seam is less noticable that way.Sew the binding to the back side of the quilt and that way when you flip it over to the right side you will have a nice folded edge and you can hand stitch it to the front. Good luck!

Denim Chambray: a heavier cotton in a denim color. The denim shirts are made from denim chambray. Hope this is helpful. Suzanne

I do my own binding but that is a choice. I find the store bought way too expensive. I love the quilt. You are doing a wonderful job.

I think it looks great! you have certainly been given many options, so go with which is comfortable for you. Hope your friend and crew to be are doing well. No pressure on the other quilt, these things work themselves out when they are ready. Nice of fabric to be so kind and wait for us to catch up! LOL! Either way you decide to go we would still love to see the finished product. BTW, love the little toe peek!

love this quilt ,beibg denim it'll keep your friend very warm . tia sarah

OOOh! Give her congrats and wishes for me...newbies are so precious. Now you get to be friend and family "aunt". They can be the best kind.

Denim always reminds me of tuffness.....Stitch around the edges 1/2 to one inch and let the ends, fray..kinda goes with the theme on denim! and wow how fast is that!!! cut the batting close to the stitching before fraying.
Of course that would give it a more casual look....just an idea.

Hey there ! check out this site for binding help.....sharonschamber.com...look in the freebies section and you can download an instructional on it...good info whatever you choose.

catherine, i cant pic that .do you have any pic. of blue jean quilts like that. would love to see if you do. tia sarah

Are you talking about quilting it? If you ar in a hurry, you could quilt around the squares, or quit through the middle of each on a diagonal which woud make an "x" in each block. Or if you are machine quilting, just an overall swirly stitch would look nice. Basically, its whatever floats your boat. I love the colors--anything blue, thats me!

Vicki is on to something... You could quilt each square on your machine using denim thread and with all of the different colors available (denim thread colors) you could choose to quilt each block with a different color. That might get a little pricey, so you could always use a high contrast color like red or denim gold to really bring it all together. Like Vicki suggested, you could do the crosshatch through the center of each block (X), which would be a pretty quick and simple method, or you could quilt it in the ditch, or any way you choose. Just remember to baste your layers together VERY well because that heavy denim may want to shift a good bit (someone more experienced with denim can tell you better than me how it is going to act when sanwiched). I would highly recommend a walking foot if you will be using your feed dogs or a free motion/darning foot if not. And, consider the weight of the quilt as you mentioned before. You are going to have to be able to handle it throughout the entire quilting process, and the more you quilt, the heavier it is going to be. I am most definitely not trying to discourage you, only remind (or warn if you've never heard) you of the extra weight the quilting will add. I guess my point for it would be to say less (quilting) is sometimes more.

Also, if possible try to position a chair or two to support the weight of the quilt as it goes out the back side of the preser foot. the weight hanging off the machine, and/or table will pull ate the quilt, and make it difficult to sew. The chairs or a table will help support the quilt. If you are unsure if you can sew a striaight line, I can't, the you could use blue painters tape or regular ole masking tape if you want to have good straight lines. Just position the tape and sew to one side of it. I have used that techinque lots and its a lot better than trying to mark a quilting line. If you have access to a sewing notions store, check out the varigated or multicolored thread. That will add some pazzaz to the look.
Let us see how it comes out!

i've done three denim quilts,and it wasn't bad to quilt down at all.a bit heavy yes .but hey their worth it once your under it .i've used the lighter batting and we 're all ready in the 90's here.and i'am still sleeping under it tia sarah

Ok... Stitching in the ditch is actually going right along side of the seam where the 2 pieces are joined. I have also heard it explained as stitching right on the seam as you asked, but I have also heard this can cut the joining threads if you have your seams pressed open.

A walking foot sort of acts like feed dogs for the top of your quilt to insure all 3 layers feed at the same speed (the backing doesn't reach the finish line before the batting and then the top).

As far as your space issue, is there any way you could stack those books and such on the floor beside the coffee table you sew on and let your quilt rest on those ? You just don't want too much of it hanging down away form your machine. Anything would work as long as your quilt can drape onto it. You will know if you need to put something there immediately because you will feel the weight pulling at the needle area as you are trying to quilt it... you'll be wresteling with it. If you have enough table top space, you can pile the majority of the quilt's weight around your machine, it will just require adjusting the quilt more often and good basting.

As for basting, safety pins placed every couple of inches work very well. If you do not have safety pins, grab a needle and some contrasting thread (different color than the quilting thread) and hand baste it the old fashioned way. Divide your quilt into quarters (mentally) and begin at the center sewing out to the edges first forming a cross then from the center out again, this time forming an X. After that, baste as many additional radiating lines as necessary to secure the sandwich together. I make stitches about every inch or so, but others may have better information about this basting method.

Yup... Do you have dogs??? (my dogs like to claim anything smaller than them & made of cloth.

I find quilt blocks for past projects all of the time.

Here's an idea... Do you have another tv tray?

Ok then, well how about you fold them down and stack one or more on top of the paper mountain & allow the quilt to drape onto there. If they have the removable legs, take them off & stack only the tops on the table. You could even fold another quilt to lay under the tops of the trays... anything to create height for the drape to rest on. That's all...

Where there is a will, there is a way. You're an artist, right? Be creative. And if all else fails, fake it until you make it!!

Could you temporarily put the mattress on your bed for a few days? (I've seen people "store" them in this manner before) However you do it, you're on the right track to figuring out a way to get it done. Maybe you could set up in another room for a couple of days? How about the kitchen table? Maybe even a porch or patio outside? A local library or friends house? You keep considering your possibilities. You obviously want to finish this quilt for your friends, so the drive and determination are there; all of the rest are minor inconveniences to overcome.

Did you find those other patches?

There are several ways to baste a quilt--by hand, with safety pins or basting spray. My favorite method is with basting spray which is a temporay adhesive that you spray onto both sides of the batting. I have done the other methods also. If you are using the spray, try to lay out your batting on maybe the dining room table. If it hangs over just spray the middle. Fold your quilt in thirds and lay the middle third of the quilt on the sprayed batting and smooth it out--top of the quilt only. Repeat this step for the other 2 sections of the top and then flip it over and spray the batting on the other side, say 1/3 at a time. Smooth it out too. I should hold everything in palce w/out shifting while you quilt.
A walking foot feeds the quilt under the pressr foot in a more even fashion than a regular presser foot. It keeps the presser foot from pushing the top layer ahead of everything else--it feeds it through like I said more evenly. Is it an option to maybe set up on the dining table to sew? If you think it is heavy now, try wrestling with it once you get your "sandwich" put together of top, batting and backing. Not impossible, I don't want to worry you, but any extra support you can figure out will make it that much easier.
Good LUck :-)

Um...I don't have a bed. I sleep on a mattress on the floor. No luck with the dining table either because...well, we don't have a kitchen table (hence the coffee tables and the TV trays). And I really can't set up anywhere else anyways because usually I quilt late at night when everyone else is asleep and no one can bother me (my room's on one end of the trailer so the rest of the house can't hear my sewing machine humming away). I guess dealing with the weight right now is not too bad (have to wrestle with it a little bit). But its going to be a more than just a little hassle once the batting and backing is on.

No luck finding those other patches. I wish they'd show up because most of them are of the same dark blue color (the light colored ones have the variations in tone). I don't have anything that'd be exact to that dark blue color and using anything close will make it painfully obvious (at least to me anyways) that I ran out of the dark squares and had to improvise. Yeah, I know the quilt doesn't have to be perfect, but hey...I'm an artist. I try to go for my idea of perfection when creating works of art.

This spray adhesive stuff sounds pretty sweet. But how much does it cost and can I find it at my local Wal-Mart Super Center?

Is it going to be impossible to sandwich the quilt if I don't have the walking foot? Don't think Wal-Mart has anything like that and I doubt anyone is gonna drive me to La Crosse so I can go to Hancock's because of the recent trend in gas prices (Did someone blow up an oil rig in Iraq? Gas is like $3.14 a gallon. Geez. Well, at least the high gas prices are probably lowering the amount of drive-by shootings in the bigger cities.)

flying v g. any ways my situation is kinda like yours. but walmart does sell adhesive spray 5$ or under.i usually need about 2 cans to get a full size quilt down.believe me i sometimes have to put aside to buy my goodies. as long as you have some grass do it out side the spraying of your quilt i mean,if your room is that small you wouldnt want to do it inside any way. fumes would make you to happy if you know what i mean.do you have a clothes line you could all so try that , it must be very tight though ,i tried that once to it wasnt tight enough though.wasnt to neat looking thoughvery beautiful just not neat. f.v.g .dont let theese little things get the best of you. keep on quilting. oh yeah i have to wait right now to finish my crazy quilt so i am cutting out blue jean squares .there all diff. types of b j .and they look great together.i ve done 2 more like that and there beautiful. tia sarah

I'm extremely space-challenged too - I use reject masonite spread over tv tables, expanding the space as needed with the ironing board covered in dollr reject masonite from Home depot. I'm going to be putting this queen top together and was wondering if there was a way to hang it all on the clothesline to pin together . Has anyone tried that before? In theory, it should work.

If space is a problem maybe you can quilt it in parts. This means you will have to rip some seams out. Divide the quilt in 3 by 3 sections, quilt these then put them all together like a "Quilt as you go". Also adding batting is going to make this VERY heavy. You might just want to quilt the top and back together. Have you got the back fab yet, if not a nice flannel would work well. If all else fails you can always just tie them together

Basting it the old fashioned way is not bad either. If you do your work late at nite, you wouldn't want to spray in the house because of the fumes anyway. Quilting it in sections sounds like it'll be the easiest way to go. Especially because of the weight. I have not done it that way ye, but wish I had thought of it before I pieced this top together. I had to resort to handquilting the part of the top, it was too big to manuver around the small pieces on the machine.
Good LUck! CAn't wait to see it completed.