Vikki Pignatelli's article on creating a "faced" backing rather than a traditional quilt binding caught my imagination, and I knew I had to finish the little quiltlet with this technique. Here are the results, with which I am very happy!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtDshOzYKzcZ5JnSFhiLJMhemKji7kPibj7lP-TzLIbswCbFFRjPsOyEohN3TvNxRdFpNsEp_LQ78JG-QM1xIJ8Z7omhtMD3-tU3DXFRpn6eyLNxkIxwKBsKgyuvWCRHp7AtCrA/s400/_Dragon-Dreams,-16x19.jpg)
Front of the 16" x 19" quiltlet ... notice there is no binding, but the edges are finished nice and smooth, and there is no buckling or waving of the fabric.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9LiJzu6cDXEc68cqBbr3_PzkqfOur-HLcktqDQMobKf7Dtj5TVDVT-q3KWovArp32r2MWTYMoulkQjiKgz5p06UsjROetWA49Sso-Pi-CShqbjB0Ukn5AE7md10_PKg4ZTqA4A/s400/_DragonDreams-faced-backing.jpg)
and here's the back ... finished with Vikki's technique of creating a "wholecloth faced" backing. Her article, "Wholecloth Facings" in the February/March 2008 issue of Quilting Arts magazine, was so well-written that even I was able to follow the instructions and do it perfectly the first time!
I hadn't even intended to make the edges wavy until I saw Vikki's article. And I'm notoriously unable to follow written directions very well, so it was a relief to find that I could actually be successful with the help of the article.
One thing that was a revelation to me, and after doing it once, I understood why she emphasizes it so clearly ... the pressing of the facing out towards the opening after you are 2/3 of the way around the stitching. This helped the backing lie perfectly flat, with no bubbles or ripples, and the quilt now lies "flat as a flitter", as my grandma would have said.
I won't say that this is a "fast" finishing technique, but it certainly was easy, and the perfect solution to finishing an irregularly-shaped quilt. I also liked the option to "sculpt" the backing, to add a little interest. (I love interesting quilt-backs!) I'll definitely be using this technique again. Thanks, Vikki!
Here's her website http://www.vikkipignatelli.com/. Vikki is also the author of "Quilting by Improvisation" and "Quilting Curves". (No affiliation, etc.)