Pink Chalk Studio » Blog Archive » Hair Clips & Bindings

Hair Clips & Bindings

Jul 18th, 2007 by Kathy

I spotted a quilter at the Spring Kitsap Quilt Guild Show using these clips to hold in place her hand sewn quilt binding. I finally got around to purchasing a set and using them instead of pins. Wow! What a difference. No more pin pricks or snagged thread.

Thanks for all the kitchen curtain love. I smile each time I go in the kitchen now. The good news is the repair guy came yesterday and our refrigerator is back on line. We tested it last night with a quart of Tillamook Vanilla Bean ice cream and it passed with flying colors.

Posted in Quilting | 32 Comments

32 Responses to “Hair Clips & Bindings”

on 18 Jul 2007 at 1:15 pm1nicolette

That quilt ánd the quilting look so beautiful! What a great idea to use hairclips! Does anyone have a tip how to ‘quilt’ a king-size-bed quilt on a sewingmachine? I have never actually quilted before. I think I will have it quilted somewhere else, but I would love to be able to do it myself.
on 18 Jul 2007 at 1:29 pm2adrienne

What a beautiful quilt! Love the hair clip idea! Thanks for sharing!!!
on 18 Jul 2007 at 2:16 pm3Teresa

Aren’t they wonderful. I have used these for years and they really do the trick. Such a wonderful use for a simple thing. The quilt is gorgeous too.
Teresa
on 18 Jul 2007 at 2:25 pm4Mama Urchin

You look so cute under that quilt, and color coordinated too. Those are ideal for binding, if your hair keeps falling in your face you can just clip it back.
on 18 Jul 2007 at 2:38 pm5Ashley

I just saw that they were selling these specifically as binding clips at the Joann’s for waaaaay more than they cost when they’re just plain ole hair clips.

I’ve used binder clips too in a pinch.
on 18 Jul 2007 at 2:49 pm6Daphne

It’s perfect quilting weather. Sigh. Okay, moving on and getting back to work now.
on 18 Jul 2007 at 3:08 pm7Anita

I’ll join the praise of the those clips. I have been using them for years too and they are soooo much better than pins.
on 18 Jul 2007 at 4:20 pm8JudyC

I first bought a pack of the “quilters official clips” and they were so rough and sharp. They had been pressed out in steel and not sanded. I found the smaller size kids hair clips 12 for $0.99 at Target in these great bright colors like orange, teal, lime, & hot pink and they are smooth, sanded, and powder coated in color. Now ditzy me bought like 10 packs every time I went to Target and used to put them ALL around the quilt! It took me 6 months to realize all I really needed was about 12 and I could move them along as I sewed! SO I have plenty now!

Good find!
on 18 Jul 2007 at 4:53 pm9Patti

That is a great tip and I just have to say OH MY GOSH that quilt is gorgeous!
I looked through your archives and I don’t think you have written specifically about this topic- what quilting books do you find indispensable? I know you posted about one you used when you made the table runner, would you mind posting which other books you like? I have Amy Butler’s In Stitches and Denyse Schmidt Quilts. I would still like another 1 or 2 quilting books for reference.

Thanks for considering it!
on 18 Jul 2007 at 5:25 pm10Rachel S.

Okay, you’ve got plenty of quilt love and I ditto that but the Tillamook Vanilla Bean ice cream rocks too!!
on 18 Jul 2007 at 6:11 pm11Laurie

Wow, what a great idea! Lovely quilt, by the way!!!
on 18 Jul 2007 at 6:33 pm12Anina

What a wonderful idea! I punctured myself about a dozen times trying to finish up a project last night but, alas, this would not have worked for that. Sticking the pins in the other way round would have, but I only realized that 4 pins from the end…
on 18 Jul 2007 at 7:36 pm13Georgia

Oh you look so cozy sitting there under that quilt! A freezing cold day here - so it looks very appealing.
on 18 Jul 2007 at 7:37 pm14Lemon Tree Tales

Ah the hair clips looks like a great idea. I’ve been poking myself silly while hand sewing my binding on my doll quilt. Ugh, wish I had seen this before I started it.
on 18 Jul 2007 at 11:02 pm15Fiona

Great idea, I will have to put that in the memory bank. I’m sure it would work in lots of sewing.
on 19 Jul 2007 at 12:14 am16Kristin L

Since you have the clips, no doubt you’ve seen this:
http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/2007/06/this_house_is_w.html
on 19 Jul 2007 at 12:38 am17Sarah Jayne

What a great idea. Thanks for the tip
on 19 Jul 2007 at 1:38 am18jacqueline

Does you know where Dacia Ray has gone? I often visit this blog and then used the link over to her site, but it’s been offline for a while…
on 19 Jul 2007 at 1:48 am19katrin

oh, what a happy-lovely-colorful quilt!
one of the kind that brightens up your day just by looking at it.
i’d love to see a detail of the hands you appliqued - are those your childrens hands?
on 19 Jul 2007 at 4:52 am20Susan Barker

I have been quilting many many years and I still can’t see the point to using pins or clips when sewing down the binding on a quilt. I simply turn it as I go, similar to doing needle turn applique, I guess. That way I am not having to store the clips or look for them or pins, and they never fall out of the quilt when I drag it about the house as I work on the binding and other things at the same time…

For those that need the security of something to hold their work in place though, the clips are easier to find if they fall off, and they also don’t hurt as much if you step on it after it (the pin) has fallen out and landed pointy side up in the carpet!
on 19 Jul 2007 at 5:52 am21Rachel

What a great idea! I wish I had thought of that before I finished the binding on my baby quilt. Gorgeous quilt you have there.
on 19 Jul 2007 at 12:24 pm22meg

Excellent! I hate the whole pin/binding combo, mostly the “sticking myself repeatedly” part. Thank you thank you, Mrs Mack!
on 19 Jul 2007 at 2:56 pm23April

That is a gorgeous quilt! Love all the pretty, bright colors:)..and I love the clip idea. By the way, your kitchen is gorgeous!!!!!!!
on 19 Jul 2007 at 7:19 pm24Toni

I am a lurker of your blog and just love it….I also use these clips and think they are great…I use the small binder clips too….The quilt you are binding is so pretty…Thanks for sharing…Toni
on 20 Jul 2007 at 5:20 am25Jan

Great tip, Kathy!
Lately I’ve found it painful to visit your blog. I debated about that charming little print from Superbuzzy, finally taking it out of my cart, and now it keeps popping up in all of your recent projects! Very nice binding choice.
on 20 Jul 2007 at 5:32 am26kate1976

Thanks for sharing that fab hint. I am about to start binding my first largish quilt and this will make it a lot easier.

Your quilt looks lovely, by the way.
on 20 Jul 2007 at 6:15 am27amandajean

great tip! I’ll pass it along to my quilter friends too. thanks for sharing. your quilt is looking GREAT! did you quilt it or did you send it out?
on 20 Jul 2007 at 10:51 am28Lynn in Tucson

Tillamook makes ICE CREAM???
;-)
Great tip with the clips, BTW. If I ever bind a quilt again….
on 20 Jul 2007 at 5:32 pm29Sue

Very good idea with the hair clips, I have more pin holes in me than my quilts!
And you were very brave when testing the fridge, I would have tested with a quart of cheap brand vanilla ice cream & then gone out for some Tillamook Vanilla Bean!
on 21 Jul 2007 at 5:36 pm30Wendy

Fantastic idea, I don’t do a lot of quilting but there’s plenty of applications for binding where I can use the tip. Thanks for sharing.
on 22 Jul 2007 at 6:50 pm31mandy

I use these clips too, they are awesome! Your quilt looks beautiful!
on 23 Jul 2007 at 8:15 am32sue

What a gorgeous quilt!

I can’t think of a better way to test a frig… lol!