25 August, 2009

The Great Napkin Debacle

In the spirit of public confession and baring it all so popular these days, I have to admit I just sewed two of the worst napkins the world has ever seen. Never has bias binding been so screwed up in application. Never have mitred corners looked less mitred. The sewing was wonky, the stitches uneven and I don't know if I'll be able to face using them! LOL. I'll try and post a couple photos tomorrow before I attempt to fix them. I seriously have no idea what went wrong, or why it kept going wrong - perhaps the linen is just too wrong for these napkins (I had trouble with it last time too), perhaps the bias binding I bought was too narrow, perhaps I should have been concentrating less on Facebook where I was engaged in a debate on the literary merits (or lack thereof) of The Da Vinci Code and whether it was Foucalt's Pendulum for dummies. Considering I enjoyed the former much more than the latter (pretentious twaddle) I was somewhat distracted perhaps. BUT. The napkins really do suck.

ETA: here's proof (clicky for larger)

Actually they didn't look quite so heinous in the gentle light of day, but damn they're still not great! :))

5 comments:

  1. hallelujah! someone with the same opinion of the da vinci code. the whole 'following' this work of fiction has generated gags me to the point where i have yet to be able to finish it!

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  2. I think we are our own worst critics. I bet the napkins really are not as bad as you say they are. But if it makes you feel better, I can't sew or stitch straight to save my life.

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  3. Aww Jacqui, you're too funny. Remember a few things:
    1. They're napkins, so at the end of the day they'll only be used to wipe grub off your face.
    2. Linen makes a lot of things go wonk. I have yet to figure out why.
    3. You've at least nailed a lovely color combo.

    I think all you really need to do is finish the ends a little cleaner (easier said than done with narrow bias binding... maybe finish by hand for a little more control?). I happen to like your corners like that, I don't think they're bad at all. Rock on sister.

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  4. I have never used bias binding or anything that thin before or worked with linen - looks hard. I had a thought that maybe a tutorial on quilt binding may help with those corners and matching up the ends? I have a couple of good links to tutorials if you're interested? Eliz.

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  5. I know, I'm a perfectionist, I just can't help it! The problem with napkins is that in order to wipe my grubby face I need to bring them up very close to my eyes, the better to see the flaws. ;)

    Elizabeth, I think you're right - the binding is very thin (a mistake on my part) and so is the linen, it's probably a recipe for disaster. I suspect I'm going to have to hand-sew them. I have a couple of things on doing quilt bindings and I thought I was doing this right (for machine binding anyways) but it had a mind of its own. I think I'll be doing a different finishing method on the rest of them!

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