Vintage sewing patterns?

This isn't really quilty, but didn't know where else to turn. Does anyone know if there is a market for truly vintage sewing patterns anywhere? I got a bunch in an auction box today (I didn't want the box but it went with something else!!). They are from when patterns originally sold for 50 cents so are the old sizes. I really haven't taken them out of the box to look at them, but would like to pass them on to someone who might appreciate them. If you know of any on-line trading post like places, I'm open to suggestions.

TIA!!!

Bindings

I'm glad to see that quilters are not afraid to use easy methods to bind a quilt. Using the sewing machine speeds things up considerably on that last stage of quilt making and the finished binding can be decorative as well as dependably sturdy.

However, I'm currently working on a project where I am attaching a binding by hand. Years ago on the BB, Doni from Kansas told me about using the "ladder stitch" to attach binding. I had been using a tiny slip stitch but my stitches were visible and not always even. I was amazed at how well this ladder stitch works. I make three or four stitches, leaving them loose as I make each one. When I have 3 or 4 done, I pull the thread up gently snug. One stitch in the binding, one in the Q, one in the binding, one in the Q. In the photo I've left more than I usually put in at one time simply to show you how they look.

What I'm saying is this ... if you wish to do hand binding, and if you wish the stitches to be invisible, the ladder stitch is much more easily done and much more invisible than a hem stitch or slip stitch.

Now, I hope someone will post a photo for us of using a decorative machine stitch on their binding. I may dig out my zigzag machine for my next binding job.

JudyPete

Binding by machine

Hi everybody! Since I am so busy teaching at the daycare, I always make my binding the regular way and then sew it to the back, pull around to the front and simply topstitch in place on the front. I know "critics" at the shows say doing bindings by machine is a "no-no" but otherwise I would get nothing done! I guess its just the quilt police raising their opinions again. Off to visit a couple of shops today to reward myself for getting the 2 operation snuggles quilts done as well as 2 baby quilts to donate. I must have been inspired by you guys after my last posting. Beautiful weather this AM, but slight chance of showers this afternoon. Too bad, guess the leaves will have to rake themselves or wait till I have time.

Happy Halloween!

Shelli

Thanks

Thanks for the advice about the binding! I think I will try the stitch it to the back and use a decorative stitch to topstich it on the top. I have quite a few special stitches on my machine that I never use. This will give me a chance to try them on a "low risk" quilt. I would never have the nerve to try all these things for the first time on a quilt I was planning to give as a gift. I try really hard not to be a perfectionist about quilting, because I am sure that is part of the reason I seldom finish things! I also seem to have a short attention span--I just lose interest at the border stage. My MQer said its because then I know how it looks, so it's not as much fun! Does anyone else have that problem? Why do you have those UFO?

Laurel (where the weather was marvelous today!) in Iowa

HOUSTON

I'm taking a liberty here with a post by Mary from Kansas on the Yahoo site.

I haven't been able to post on the Bulletin Board and Chat Page since I was invited in by Eric. It will not let me post. I don't know if Pat Nordmark reads this page, but if you do, Pat, Marge in Louisiana and I are going to meet in Houston at the quilt show on Thursday next week. We plan to meet upstairs by the Starbucks place about one o'clock. It would be great if you could be there too. This goes for anybody who's on here who is going to be in Houston at the quilt show. Mary in KS

From Jane in NC

BINDING

The last charity quilt I did needed binding to be done quickly so I just improvised. I prepared the usual double fold binding and sewed its raw edge to the back as I was in the habit of doing in the front. I turned it, mitering corners and used a decorative stitch on the front. I'd found a variegated thread in the pathetic "sewing supplies" section at Wal Mart and had used that to machine quilt the thing. The colors were ghastly in my opinion but that's what was in the bag of donated fabric I worked with. I'd just returned from the Ricky Tims seminar at which I had the first but I hope not last exposure to Libby Lehmann. She touted the poly thread she uses on the bobbin for all purposes and I am now a convert. It has minimal color which was a good thing because I'd overestimated the thickness of the quilt top and the folded edge came over to the top extending beyond the quarter inch edge in the back. Thus the bobbin thread in the decorative stitch reached beyond the bottom stitching. It hardly showed but I wouldn't want that result on a fussier quilt. Some four year old at Head Start will never know the difference and it sure will be sturdy.

Jane

Binding by Machine?

I have been working on one of my long-standing UFOs, a Turning 20 quilt made with Halloween fabrics. Yes, I know there is no way it will be used this Halloween, but if I don't work on it while it is seasonal, it will disappear into some black hole for another 2 years!! I have been practicing my MQing on it and it's far from a professional job. I envision this as a "throw on the floor and crawl on it" sort of quilt. Now I would like to try doing the binding entirely by machine. I don't remember if it is preferable to sew the binding on the top, turn it and topstitch from the top, catching the back side? Or do you stitch it on the back, turn it and just topstitch the top?

Neither sounds easy to me. What is the best/easiest way? I know my first one won't have very professional results, but would like to try it. (Two of my other UFOs are at the hand stitching the binding stage!!)

Thanks for any/all suggestions and advice!
Laurel in Iowa

Pat's quilts

Pat - I love the lavender quilt you posted, and then I scrolled down and saw the others you did with the same 9-patch & snowball pattern. Wow - same quilt, two totally different looks. I love it when that happens! Great inspiration. NancyH

Return to the Disappearing Nine-Patch

I was intrigued when someone first mentioned the disappearing nine-patch pattern and thought this woud be a perfect pattern for a Project Linus crib quilt. This was put together using scraps from a quilt I made years ago for my DGS. The blue buggy fabric was perfect then for a little boy's quilt and it's still perfect today.

This is a top only, A binding of blue or red will do a nice job of framing the quilt.

JudyPete