Material for binding

[BaileyBea]

I am making chalk cloth placemats for DS birthday party favor.

So far it's going to be vinyl covered cloth on one side, chalk cloth on the other side. But I have no idea what to bind it with. I have to make my own binding due to binding costs vs the quanity of placemats needed. I am making a total of 18 placemats and buying the packaged binding would be extremelly expensive.

What type of cloth would be best to use when making binding and using it with a vinyl/oil cloth and chalk cloth?

Thanks
Nancy

[ellies mom]

A woven cotton would be best. You could use quilting fabric. I think that is about the same weight as the premade binding, although I might be tempted to go for something just a bit heavier. I hope you are getting a bias tape maker. They run about $6 and will save you a huge amount of time and sanity. Here is a link to what I'm talking about.
http://www.clotilde.com/detail.html?prod_id=2398&criteria=bias+tape

Another tip from the world of quilting is to use hair clips to hold the binding in place.

[BaileyBea]

Thanks so much Veronica.... somehow you always help me. I wish we could get together and have a sewing club. ;-)

I have never heard of a Bias Tape Maker. Genious! I put it on my shopping list today. I'll find one. And using hair clips is genious for holding the binding. I need to buy some anyway. I am so excited now to get started.

In Austin they are closing two of our JoAnn's to open a super store JoAnn's. So I am going today to stock up on stuff. I just made this huge list of projects and things I want to do and make. Fun fun!

Thanks again,
Nancy

[ellies mom]

Have you been to a Super Joanns? They are great. We have one near us and it is the only reason I still shop at Joanns. I only live 15 miles from the B&M Fabric Depot. That is my favorite place to shop for fabric, especially during their 40% off sale. There is one coming up this weekend, if you haven't finished ordering everything.

I'd love to be in your sewing club. How fun! Enjoy making your placemats. I might have to get some of that chalk cloth.

[kochh2]

sorry to hijack, but where do you get chalk cloth??? sounds great... post pics of your placemats when you're done!!! :)

[BaileyBea]

I bought it at denverfabrics.com..... free shipping for first purchases.

Nancy

[o_mom]

Did you make these? Any tips?

I just bought some material to try it out (that PayPal was just burning a hole in my computer, LOL).

Did you use anything to stick the two layers together?

I read that you should use spray adhesive between them, but I'm not sure if that is really needed with the binding! The lady at JoAnn didn't think I'd need anything and said not to use the fusible webbing because the iron would melt the vinyl.

Also, did you make a pocket for the chalk or just elastic? I have seen them both ways, but wasn't sure what would be best.

[BaileyBea]

I have not been online much lately.. I've been busy sewing.

Yes I did finish the placemats... I have been up finishing them for 3 nights now.

I made 18 of them. I realized a few days ago we could no longer add attachments. So I can't add a photo, but I will update on Friday with a link to Flicker where I am uploading my placemats tomorrow.

So here's a summary of what I did:

1) Cut one piece of vinyl and one piece of chalk cloth 12 x 18 and sprayed glue adhesive to help the two pieces stick together and not slide. It's Dritz and it has a yellow top. I'll add the name in the morning.

2) I bought binding at a quilt store (because I am making such huge amounts of placemats). I cut them out in strips and layed them on one another instead of using one big binding piece. This was easier for me. So one side was 13 inches and the other 19 inches. I folding all the extra binding inside/underneath the other binding.. tucking it in.

3) My placemats hold 2 pieces of Crayola Chalk and one terry cloth eraser. The eraser is a 3.5 x 4 inch piece of terry cloth that I sewed together and rolled to fit inside of the elastic. Now the elastic I cut was 4.5 inches. I folded it together and sewed it on the inside of the binding. Then I sewed it together so I could have a section for each piece of chalk and the eraser.

4) The placemat rolls together and is tied together by two pieces of 10 inch ribbon sewed on the inside (chalk side) of the placemat. I had to do this w/Needle and thread by hand because my sewing machine was having a hard time getting through all the layers.

I'll post photos as soon as I can on Friday.

Nancy

[o_mom]

Thanks so much! I can't wait to see pictures! :-)

[BaileyBea]

Here's a link to the placemats. I was trying to get to this all day.

I'll update the adhesive name on Sunday. I have a slam packed day on Sat.

http://flickr.com/groups/sewmamagroup/

Thanks
Nancy

[o_mom]

Thanks so much! That's the same fabric I have! :-)

For anyone looking for the pics, I had to poke around a bit, so here's a direct link:

http://flickr.com/photos/49248183@N00/392693098/

[BaileyBea]

Thanks! I used Flickr for the first time and I am still trying to figure it all out.

Fun fun!

Isn't that fabric the cutest? Love it!

Nancy

[o_mom]

I am trying to figure out how I would explain to DH if several yards of each print showed up at our house. I'm not sure he would buy the idea of Christmas presents for the next ten years. :-)

[KrisM]

Okay, I'm going to attempt this for DS's birthday in 2 months. I only need 5, but will probably require the entire 2 months!

Vinyl covered cloth? Did you get this at Denver Fabrics? Is it Oilcloth? They're out of black chalk cloth, but I can do green :).

Does the chalk cloth work well?

Oooh. I found a site that is local to me in MI that has the chalk cloth and directions for making the placemats, too! I'll try to get there soon.

In case anyone wants details on putting a pocket in it: http://www.habermanfabrics.com/proj_dinner_placemats.htm

[o_mom]

I got mine at www.sewmamasew.com I got samples of the Oilcloth at Denver Fabrics and I didn't like it nearly as much as the vinyl coated cotton. They also have Chalk Cloth, too, but get it local if you can as that stuff is heavy for shipping. I found a half yard of the 44 in fabric was enough for three chalkmats (12" x 17"). I made two already and will say that you definately need to use some sort of spray glue between the layers.

If you just do an elastic chalk holder like Nancy showed and double fold bias tape, it is maybe an hour for each one. There is really very little sewing involved.

HTH!

[BaileyBea]

I got my material at Sewmamasew too! I think I posted about the material a while back on Around the house. The spray... I need to note the brand. I am getting ready to crawl into bed. I'll do it tomorrow.

I'll try to post another photo of the ribbon that ties the placemat. You just roll it up and tie it.

I made 18 and made them over the last month. We (DH &I) finished them all last night. Finally.

Nancy

[KrisM]

Thanks to you both. I'm going to see what I can get local for the vinyl, too. Otherwise, I'll order.

I'm sure I'll have other questions once I start this, too. I'm glad to hear that each one won't take too long. No way would I attempt 18 though!!

[o_mom]

One thing I did slightly different from Nancy was to make the corners rounded. I used a roll of masking tape to make the same curve on each corner of the pattern (posterboard). That way I could use one continuous piece of binding. If you don't have a rotary cutter, it would be a good investment. They are not too expensive if you use a coupon at Joann. I used small binder clips to hold the binding on two sides to start and just shifted them along as I sewed. I sewed the elastic and ribbon on before the binding so they would be under it. I'll try and get pictures up soon!

[KrisM]

Pictures would be great.

I do have a rotary cutter, but haven't used it much. I'll practice.

With the continuous piece of binding, do you end up with puckers as it curves around?

[o_mom]

If the curve isn't too sharp and you go slow you can do it without puckers. I would say about half the curves I did had small puckers, but not too obvious (I would probably be OK giving them as gifts to friends).

If you make a template from posterboard or cardboard then it is very quick to cut them with the rotary cutter and they will all be the same.

[o_mom]

Here's the pictures:

This is the chalk side. I'm not sure why I got the wrinkles. I think I needed to let the glue set longer before sewing and rolling it. It was perfectly flat until I rolled it up and then the wrinkles set in. I was too impatient to try them out, I guess. :-) The two I made are going to my nieces as testers before I make a bunch so I'm going to try one more and let the glue set a couple of days before sewing.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p58/o_mom2/ChalkMats001s.jpg

Close ups of the puckers:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p58/o_mom2/ChalkMats002s.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p58/o_mom2/ChalkMats005s.jpg

Placemat side and close up of ribbon:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p58/o_mom2/ChalkMats003s.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p58/o_mom2/ChalkMats004s.jpg

[KrisM]

Looks fantastic!

I bought the chalk cloth today, but they didn't have any fun oilcloth, so I will order some. I can't wait to start!