It used to be that I took forever to quilt my tops. I’ve gotten better at that, but now I face the hurdle of finishing the edges. Case in point, my Big Red quilt.
It began as an offshoot of Rayna Gillman’s casual suggestion in her latest book to alternate background fabrics slightly for an accordion fold effect. That appealed to me, so I sorted numerous red fabric strips into lighter and darker piles and sewed them on a diagonal to lighter and darker pieces of gray fabric. I spiced up the red with bits of blue and metallic gray fabric.
Originally each vertical strip was the same width, but I found that too static and cut off different sized bits from the left and right sides.
I’m glad I used a leftover piece of wool batting as it makes the straight line quilting stand out so well. The heavier red line at the top of the red quilting sections was done with a jeans stitch. I had planned to couch cording there, but decided I could get straighter lines with a heavy stitch line.
Two decisions remain. Should I do more quilting in the long diamond shapes and what edge finish should I use? I have two gray fabrics as possible bindings. One is the metallic gray I used in the red sections. I could also face the edges.
Let me know your thoughts. I’ve had it up on the design wall too long to be objective about it.
The Snarky Quilter 
I never said that in my book. You must be thinking of someone else.
See p. 52 of “Create Your Own Improv Quilts” re: making the white fabric a bit darker on the left side.
Beautiful – such an inspiration! Thank you.
Thanks for letting me know you like this one.
I think it needs to be faced.
I just sewed the facing on yesterday.
I’m chiming in late but I agree with the others! This quilt is amazing–it works on all levels for me. Have we never seen it before? I think I would’ve remembered . . .
I guess I never showed it before, and thanks.
I love it! I’d go with no binding and use a facing instead.
Thanks. I won’t do a binding, I promise.
Oh, I really like this piece! Lose the gray. If I was binding it I would make the binding match at the red and at the white BUT that’s just about the same effect you’d get with facing. I don’t think it need more quilting; what you have done looks perfect to me. More could take away from the strip-work.
Thanks, and OK, already, facing it is. I don’t want to fiddle with color changes in a binding if I don’t have to.
Sounds like we all agree with Doris – no binding. This is such a dramatic piece – great composition, colors, and movement. Now you just need to finish it, and then reward yourself for completing this beauty.
One, actually two, final steps – the edge and the hanging sleeve. All of your compliments should spur me to finish it.
We agree with Doris. 🙂 This is really dynamic. The red stitching gives a great sense of depth, and I like the variety of reds and insets of grey and blue. I also would face it rather than binding. The binding would create a line that wouldn’t help the composition, in my opinion.
I’ve patted myself on the back for the red quilting lines. Facing is winning in a landslide.
I love the quilting. The quilt is finished and should be faced so there are no distractions from the quilting. Spectacular quilt!
Another vote for a facing. Thanks for taking a look.
Done! This looks spectacular. I absolutely love everything you have done!
I love the red. This is so beautiful
I need to have you judge my quilts in shows. I, too, am partial to red.
Hi, Love this quilt. My suggestions, no more quilting in the diamonds, it gives a nice break between the red sections. I agree with Doris in facing it and Barbara re: matching the fabric on the edge. Good luck, it is a beautiful piece.
I agree about no more quilting. The more I see the break, the more I like it. Thanks for the compliment.
Ditto what Doris said, except, if you don’t want to face it, bind it but match the binding color to the quilt edge so you basically don’t see it. Love the way you quilted it.
Thanks, though I think I’d face it rather than bind it if I used the same color.
I really like your design. I would consider the quilt finished, no more quilting needed. Face the quilt to finish it. This will give it a nice modern look and not distract the eyes from moving across the piece. I really like the red thread quilting lines!
Many thanks for your compliments, and you’re the first of many to advocate a facing rather than a binding.