The binding.

I think I've mentioned on here before that I don't really like hand sewing. I find it tedious and I'd much rather just use my machine, and I hope to someday have one of those fancy machines that does embroidery and such just so I don't have to. The great exception to this aversion, however, is sewing on a quilt binding.

I have never enjoyed any piece of sewing more, on or off the machine. There's something about the wave-like motion of the blind stitch and the pure satisfaction you get as your perfect seam comes together.

This little number has been in my pile of unfinished projects for a little while, though not too long. The top fabrics are Japanese canvas samples my friend Ivy had, and she saved them just for me so I wanted to do her proud and make something beautiful with them. Each one measured 24 x 12 inches, and when all were pieced together it made a nice long rectangle. I've always meant to make floor mats for the apartment but with the cats I know they'd just get destroyed. But when I saw the shape, I knew this would look amazing in a bright, airy kitchen or hallway. So I added a layer of needle weight batting and backed it in an antique grey wool that my dear friend Jill gave me. I struggled for some time thinking about binding, as I knew I wanted to bind it by hand like a quilt even though it's just a rug. I tried some cottons but they were very insubstantial when paired with the canvas and wool. So I decided to use a bit more of the precious wool and I absolutely adore the way it came out. I want to make heavy bindings for things now, not to mention an entire quilt made out of wool suiting. As I said it's too precious to let the cats destroy it, and the colors in my kitchen are more bright and pastel anyhow, so it's up for sale in my etsy shop here.