Date Planner/Journal Cover Tutorial

I was looking at various blogs on the net and found a blog called Totally Tutorials. This blog hosts exchanges between suppliers and crafters. I was choosen to receive this fat quarter of fabric from Sasha from Fabric Fusion to create a project from it. This fabric is called Dance with Me by Jennifer Paganelli.

I am pleased to share this tutorial for this Date Planner/Journal Cover

A Finish and A Start

I started this Boxy Stars quilt from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville last spring. I wanted to use up some of my scrap fabric but somehow ended up with more scraps than I started with.

I was looking at various blogs on the net and found the Totally Tutorial blog. (See link in sidebar.) This blog hosts an exchange program for suppliers and crafters. I applied for one of the exchanges and was accepted. I have to create a project and write a tutorial with pictures using the fabric "Dance With Me" by Jennifer Paganelli. The supplier for this wonderful fabric is Sasha of Fabric Fusion. Stay tuned for the finished project.

Binding Tutorial

These instructions are for making binding on the straight of the grain of the fabric.

Cut 2.5 inch strips from the fabric you have chosen for your binding. To determine the number of strips you need measure your project vertically and horizontally through the middle, multiply that number by 2 and add 12. Take this number and divide by 42 (or the width of your fabric). This will tell you how many width of fabric strips you will need.

Sew your strips end to end using a 1/4 " seam allowance.

Press your sewn strips in half horizontally.

Starting half way down one side leave approximately a 6 " tail machine sew the pressed binding around the edges of the front side of your project using 1/4" seam allowance. Miter the corners by stopping 1/4" away from the corner with the needle down, turn project, back stitch off project, fold binding at a 45 degree angle up, then fold binding straight down and continue down next side. Repeat for each corner.

When you are approaching your starting point stop approximately 8" from the beginning tail. Remove project from machine, lay project flat and measure binding so it overlaps the beginning tail 1/4". Sew loose ends together as illustrated. Then continue sewing binding as before until you reach the beginning stitches.

Trim the edges even to the binding.

Pin the binding to the back of the project.

Hand sew in place using a blind hem stitch.