Baby Buckeye Quilt (With Binding Tip!)

Until 2017, I totally sucked at making, attaching, and turning binding. Super sucked.

All thanks to Darlene, I am now competent in this important step.

Part of completing this important step includes coffee, of course, and free weekend hours.

FYI: Binding is the outside edge of the quilt
(for those dear friends of mine who I've roped into reading
and don't know what this is).

I almost exclusively use funky beer cardboard to hold my binding because it happens to be found in our recycling bin. Nearly all the time. Don't judge.

Previously, I would cut way too many strips of fabric when making binding but now know there is actually a way to figure out exactly how much you need for this. Credit goes entirely to Darlene at Material Girl Fabric Shop:

Measure your quilt all around and add that all together. 

E.x., For my current make, it is a square top measuring 38 1/2 by 38 1/2 which equals 154. 

Divide that total perimeter by 42 because that is the length of a cut of fabric from the bolt

 (I think...something like that...just divide it by 42). 

That number, 3.667 in this case, is the number of strips you need. 

Round up to the nearest whole number and ta-da! 

You now don't have way too many strips!

Taking quilting classes has been a game-changer for me. If you quilt or want to learn, the usefulness of sitting down with a great instructor and a bunch of enthusiastic learners shouldn't be underestimated.

Check out this finished binding! I used to do a sloppy whipstitch all the way around. Not so professional. This is much better. ...Just don't look too closely at the knobby corners as I haven't quite perfected those yet.

This quilt is a baby gift for my dear friend from graduate school who helped me through some of the toughest parts of my twenties who is going to be a MOM soon. She doesn't know about this blog yet so SHHH! Don't tell her!

I can't wait to give this to her Baby Buckeye.

Ohio Star block crafted with the help of
Jeni Baker's Half Square Triangle book.