Hand-Sewn Quilting Series II: Binding Techniques

A Virtual Class with Heidi Parkes

Cream quilt with colorful stitching.

Learn two unique ways of binding with Heidi Parkes, a quilter who loves to emphasize her hand with visible stitches. The first technique is a “backing as binding,” or “self-binding,” approach that uses the backing of the quilt to create a binding. The second technique is a binding strip that’s held to the edge of the quilt with a single line of running stitches. Heidi will share her approach to corners and accurate craftsmanship and will highlight the benefits of each technique so that you know when to best apply them. Students are encouraged to arrive with two tiny quilts (6″ square, for example), ready for binding. If you’re looking for advice on the hand quilting phase itself, her On-Demand Improv Hand Quilting class is one of many options. 

Students will receive some pre-recorded demos before class. During class, Heidi will demonstrate the techniques live, troubleshoot questions with students, and share a presentation that highlights her choices in binding around color, width, fabric grain, fiber content, and thread choice. Students will learn a bojagi piecing technique for joining binding strips, thimble use, and three of Heidi’s favorite knots.


Dates
Friday, August 4th, 2023

Time

12pm – 2:30pm ET*

Location
Zoom, a link will be sent to participants the day before class

Cost
$60 for the individual class, $350 for the series

*This session will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to all those who register following the live session. This link is live for one month for you to watch at your convenience.

SUGGESTED CLASS MATERIALS

  • A quilt to bind, or a sample quilt swatch (one quilt should have the batting and backing trimmed to match the quilt top, another quilt should have at least an inch of backing fabric beyond the quilt top, with the batting trimmed to match)
  • Fabric to make a binding strip, a quarter yard is more than enough, but it needn’t be fresh yardage. Heidi will demo variations on width, and cutting tips.
  • Needle and thread (DMC pearl cotton size #8 and Dtriz milliners needles suggested, but most variations will work)
  • Thimbles 
  • About 3 sewing clips, like wonder clips 
  • Scissors 
  • Optional: A rotary cutter, mat, iron, and ruler
  • Learn more specifics about Heidi’s Favorite Supplies here: https://www.heidiparkes.com/my-favorite-supplies

Need materials? Purchase a Tatter-curated materials kit!


This class is part of the Hand-Sewing Quilter Primer Series.

Perfect for the beginner and the seasoned quilter alike (and perfect if you’ve already joined our Hand-Sewn Quilting Primer Series), the Hand-Sewn Quilting Series II takes students on a journey of different forms of hand-sewn quilt construction, from Korean Yeouijumunbo to English Paper Piecing. Rooted in the diverse history of quilting and taught by contemporary textile artists, this series combines enduring quilting techniques with new voices and approaches. 

Beginners will come away with a newfound confidence in their quilting ability and a deeper understanding of the medium. More experienced makers will expand their textile horizons, as well as gaining new skills to use on personal projects. Experiencing the series as a whole is sure to provide a comprehensive foundation and will get you well on your way in a joyful practice of hand-sewn quilting.

The projects from each class can be combined into a sampler commemorating your textile journey or can be displayed individually as pillows or patches applied onto another textile. 

We hope you will join us for all seven of our quilting classes to experience new ways of quilting and broaden your knowledge of textile history. You can sign up for the entire series, or choose your own adventure by selecting the classes you’re most interested in. 


OUR TEACHER
Heidi Parkes

Before Heidi Parkes was born in Chicago, IL in 1982, her grandmother organized a collaborative family quilt to commemorate her birth. Now based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin her quilting and mending celebrate the hand, and her works tug at memories and shared experience. Often using specific textiles, like an heirloom tablecloth, bed sheet, or cloth tea bag, Heidi adds subtle meaning and material memory from the start. Engaging in the worlds of art, quilts, mending, and social media, Heidi is an advocate for the domestic realms, slow stitching, and mindfulness. Find her on Instagram and YouTube. She was a 2020-2021 ARTservancy Artist in Residence, and a 2005 graduate from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.


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