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Serendipity and the Art of the Quilt

Serendipity and the Art of the Quilt

Creating with Brenda Gael Smith

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Free & Non-binding: Alternative Quilt Finishes

4 February 2008 Filed Under: Technique:Finishing, Tutorials 5 Comments

I have been researching and experimenting with alternative quilt finishes for some time culminating (so far!) in this tutorial for my Favourite Facing Finish that is suitable for rectangular and gently irregular-shaped quilts.

Here is listing of other online tutorials demonstrating a range of quilt-finishing techniques other than binding:

  • Mitred Facing Finish presented by me – great for square and rectangular quilts;
  • Escape Hatch Finish presented by Melody Johnson;
  • Wholecloth Facing presented by me;
  • Strip facing I (single layer) presented by Jeri Riggs;
  • Strip Facing II (double layer) presented by me;
  • Fine Satin Stitch Finish presented by Terry Grant; and
  • Triangle Corners Facing Finish by Donna Hussain.

Four Fantastic Quilt Finishing Techniques DVD – ALL SOLD!
See Issue #37 of Quilters Companion and my instructional DVD which covers the following four quilt finishing techniques:

  • continuous mitred binding;
  • facing finish;
  • pillow case with "escape hatch";and
  • satin stitch/zig zag edging.

You can still download the instruction sheets for these four techniques. Download Instructions: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kristin L says

    4 February 2008 at 5:53 PM

    Terry Grant has a nice narrow satin stitch tutorial here:

    http://andsewitgoes.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html

    Reply
  2. Judy says

    4 February 2008 at 5:55 PM

    Brenda,

    Thanks for these links they make a good reference point for different approaches to facing or binding a quilt.

    Judy.

    Reply
  3. alison schwabe says

    23 February 2008 at 9:38 PM

    I have two favs, one of which is a turned back facing although you do it a little differently than I do, and Meldoy’s interesting apporach is already filed away up top. My other fav though is what Mimi Deitrich calls ‘french binding’ in her book Happy Endings. I always have great success with it – a doubled strip of fabric cut on the straight and sewn to the front, folded in a particular way as you approach each corner and turn it; the result being that as you fold the binding to the back to stitch down it re-folds at the corner to lie flat there, as well. I feel a little tutorial coming on, myself – it should be on my blog by later today. cheers –

    Reply

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Brenda Gael Smith
brenda@serendipitypatchwork.com.au

PO Box 131, Avoca Beach
NSW 2251 Australia

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So happy to be at @themqg QuiltCon 2026 in Raleig
So happy to be at @themqg  QuiltCon 2026 in Raleigh North Carolina with my quilt “pent up”. 😍 

Edit: BTW, I will be sharing my technique for creating polygonal shapes in Logs & Ladders: Building with Improvisation at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival on Thursday 26 February. 

#quiltcon2026 #brendagaelsmithart


Come along to the @quiltfest Mid Atlantic Quilt Fe
Come along to the @quiltfest Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton Virginia from 26 February to 1 March! 

I will be there teaching a 1-day workshop Logs and Ladders Building with Improvisation and two half-day workshops: Geometricks and Bodacious Beads.
 
My artwork will also be on display in the @saqaart global exhibition - Minimalism.

#brendagaelsmithworkshop #saqaart #quiltfest #midatlanticquiltfestival