The Cotton+Steel Mesa that I was using for the front made it easy to quilt without marking, and I randomly alternated between straight lines and jagged, using perle cotton #8. I'd used Pellon Legacy Bamboo Blend batting, which is incredibly soft, and that paired with the hand-quilting created one sweet and cuddly quilt. And for the record, the bamboo quilts like a dream.
Before I was too far into the quilting, I used a dinner plate to mark rounded corners, so I had guide-lines in which to keep my quilting. Once I was home and it was time to choose binding fabric, wouldn't you know my stash let me down, and the only thing that suited me was the midnight peppered cotton I'd bought on vacation. It's not quite navy, but I think if you saw it up close you'd see why it goes so well with the Mesa. Full confession: it was only after I was sewing the binding on that I realized I hadn't cut it on the bias, which you should always do if you're doing rounded corners! I think it was because I was using a shot-cotton that I got away with forgetting. But don't take the risk....
Since I'd hand-quilted the quilt with that perle cotton, I really wanted to incorporate that element into the binding too. I machine-stitched the binding onto the back side, then folded it over to the front and hand-stitched it down very closely to the edge. I know I'm taking a chance, but I just had to do it, and I love the way it looks. I'll be sure and let you know how it wears, for better or worse.
All in all, this was a really delightful foray into a different facet of quilting, and I'm glad I gave it a try. So tell me, is it not really a whole cloth quilt since I pieced the back?? Hmm....
quilt finished at 40"x52"
