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Monday Morning Political Mix
Good morning.
Happy Tech-Surge-To-Fix-Healthcare.gov Day in your nation's capital.
In the wake of a disastrous rollout of his legacy legislation, President Obama will speak in the White House Rose Garden later this morning to declare the problems unacceptable.
And to outline how the White House has dispatched an A-Team to fix glitches that have frustrated many of the 19 million Americans that have gone online to research or sign up for insurance coverage through Healthcare.gov.
Which, of course, begs the question, what team did the White House have working on the system from the start?
The president's effort to reassure Americans, and his party, that he can get Obamacare back on track will come after a weekend full court press to outline steps already being taken.
That effort included a statement on the Health and Human Services website that outlined fixes underway - there's a new "apply by phone" option on the site, for example - and used the term "tech surge," now, already, part of the Beltway vernacular.
In a post on its blog, the HHS insists that it is "Listening, and Improving Every Day:"
"We know using HealthCare.gov has been frustrating for many Americans. The initial consumer experience of HealthCare.gov has not lived up to the expectations of the American people. We are committed to doing better."
Here's what they say they've done:
- You can now preview plans and prices available in your area without filling out the online application.
- You can find out, with an improved calculator, whether your income and household size may qualify you for lower costs on your monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
- You can apply for coverage 4 ways: By phone, online, by mail with a paper application, or with the help of an in-person assistant.
- We've been adding educational online content where you tell us you need more information: About estimating your income, accounting for people in your household, eligibility rules, and more."
If you like, check out our NPR insurance rate calculator, and links to lots more information on the exchanges and how they work.
Reuters reports that the president "will directly address the technical problems with HealthCare.gov - troubles that he and his team find unacceptable - and discuss the actions he has pushed for to make it easier for consumers to comparison shop and enroll for insurance while work continues around the clock to improve the website."
Over at CNN, the cable network lets its online readers weigh in on what they say are their top complaints about HealthCare.gov, where citizens seeking insurance go if their state has decided not to create its own health care insurance exchange to help residents find coverage.
Of the nearly half million applications reported by the White House, about half have been from the 36 states where the federal government is taking the lead in running the markets. The rest are from the 14 states and Washington, D.C., that have opted to run their own insurance exchange markets.
Top complaints? Can't log in, personal information not correct, costs too high, employers changing existing coverage.
MedicalDaily.com notes that although official Obamacare sign-up numbers won't be released until mid-November, the administration has said that more than 476,000 Americans have applied.
We'll turn to the Associated Press now to put the issue in context, including the administration's failure to "fully explain what went wrong with the online system consumers were supposed to use to sign up for coverage."
Here's more: "Initially, administration officials blamed a high volume of interest for the frozen screens that many people encountered. Since then, the administration has also acknowledged unspecified problems with software and some elements of the system's design."
That being said, there is little doubt that there is great national interest in the insurance exchanges. The AP reports: "...about 19 million people had visited HealthCare.gov as of Friday night."
While criticism rains down in Washington, the politics of the health care legislation is playing out in states like Louisiana, where GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal is being urged by the New Orleans Time-Picayune to "put people over politics" and accept federal money for Medicaid services
The editorial says: "Gov. Jindal's refusal to accept almost $16 billion in extra Medicaid money was destined to hurt thousands of low-income Louisiana residents who lack health insurance. That has been clear for months, as study after study - including the state's own — showed that tens of thousands of people would benefit if Louisiana accepted the Medicaid expansion that is part of President Obama's health care act."
The newspaper points to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation study that found more than 5 million poor American adults will remain uninsured in states, like Louisiana, where Republican governors have refused federal money made available through Obamacare to expand Medicaid.
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld the health care legislation, also asserted that states cannot be compelled to accept money for expanding Medicaid coverage of their poor.
Kaiser found "over five million poor uninsured adults have incomes above Medicaid eligibility levels but below poverty and may fall into a "coverage gap" of earning too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to qualify for Marketplace premium tax credits."
Writes the Times Picayune of Jindal, who has been looking at a White House run: "What a shame if the governor's ambitions were to trump his own people's needs."
Finally, Dan Diamond, writing at Forbes.com, says he and his research colleagues at the Advisory Board Company have been compiling state-level sign-up data, and here are their latest takeaways:
The 476,000 applications filed disproportionately come from a handful of states; California, Kentucky, New York and Washington may well be responsible for one-third of the applications on their own.
- The number of actual enrollees remains just a fraction of the applicants; while at least 192,042 applications had been filed across the 14 states and Washington D.C., only 54,575 people had picked a plan, pointing to the lag time in processing.
- A significant number of people applying—and signing up for coverage—are ending up in the Medicaid program, not private insurance.


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From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Bob and I have been playing hot potato with some version of the flu for two weeks now. We're both finally on the mend and our appetites are starting to return. Our meals have been light for much of that time. I'm happy to report there's not a can of soup left in the pantry. That's a good thing. One more bowl of chicken soup would have me laying eggs and Bob crowing to wake the sun. We're still not ready for "real" meals but I wanted to make something more substantial than what we've been living on. I must also add that I didn't want to make a trip to the store and that limited me to what was in the pantry or freezer. I had an abundance of beans, plenty of frozen stock and a small amount of pancetta to play with. Fortunately, I also had an adequate supply of vegetables to help get me where I wanted to go. My destination was Tuscany. Bob volunteered to make bruschetta while I made a Tuscan bean soup we both love. This is really simple to do but timing is important. The beans and the soup pasta should be added to the stock about 15 minutes before the soup is to be served. If either sit in the stock too much longer than that, there'll be no liquid in the pot when you go to serve the soup. Once the vegetables are diced, the soup can be on the table with the hour. This soup is a personal favorite of mine. I think you'll like it too. I've scaled the recipe to feed smaller families, but if you have an army at your table you can double or triple the recipe without a problem. Do not, however, increase the measurement for lemon or cider vinegar. Here's how we do it.
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-oz. diced panchetta
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
5 to 6 cups homemade or reduced-sodium chicken, beef or vegetable broth
Juice of 1/2 lemon or 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 cup acini pepe pasta, uncooked
2 (15.5-oz.) cans drained cannellini beans
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
Heat olive oil in a 5 to 6 quart stockpot set over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add pancetta and saute for 3 minutes. Add onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and sage and cook until garlic releases its fragrance. Add stock and bring to a boil. Stir in lemon juice or vinegar. Reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Add pasta and beans and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Stir in cheese and parsley just before serving. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Yield: 5 servings.


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Welcome to another off-day puzzle. For today's edition, you'll find below a short, fictional anecdote involving our favorite 1st baseman, James Loney. Please read it through carefully, use your imagination, and try to pick up on the clues that will help you help him escape harm!
Premise: Dodger 1st baseman James Loney (known as "King" James to beloved reader Karina, among others) lives amongst his family and friends in a safe, comfortable neighborhood on the south side of town. One evening he gets the munchies and ill-advisedly decides to head to the dangerous north side of town (perhaps in search of a White Castle?). Dressed in his freshly-pressed home whites, James sets out on foot. Unfortunately, his travels soon take him through unfamiliar territory, and he eventually finds himself in an open and seemingly deserted field. He anxiously trudges on but does not know in which direction to head. He is lost and alone on the north side of town, and nightfall is quickly approaching.
James then hears footsteps in the distance. He looks around and notices four men each several yards away in different directions. All four are clearly watching him, and seem to be slowly moving closer. James tries to retain his cool. He quickens his pace but refrains from running, and discreetly observes his pursuers, nervously glancing at each.
The first thing James notices about them is that while the four men are following him, each seems to be moving in a distinct and indirect path toward him. James then notices that each is carrying a baseball bat. Not a good sign. Then, as the men inch closer, he realizes something else: each man is wearing the hideous alternate home uniform of the arch-rival Giants. Hmmm...very strange, and definitely bad news. It then dawns on him - each man is a former Giants player! He recognizes the four thugs as:
- Rich Robertson, SF Giants '66-'71;
- Bob Knepper, SF Giants '76-'80,'89-'90;
- Luis Quiñones, SF Giants '86;
- John Patterson, SF Giants '92-'95;
This realization only increases James' fear. He continues his way through the field but before he knows it, the four men have surrounded him and have closed to within arms' length, one at each corner. They are clearly intent on doing him serious harm. James knows he is in mortal danger, particularly when both Patterson and Quiñones raise their bats to strike him down...
Here is a visual representation of James' situation:
Question: Loney must act immediately or likely face an untimely death. His options are:
A) Run north, between Patterson and Quiñones;
B) Run south, between Robertson and Knepper;
C) Run east, between Knepper and Quiñones;
D) Run west, between Robertson and Patterson;
E) Attack Patterson;
F) Attack Knepper;
G) Attack Quiñones;
H) Attack Robertson;
What should James do?
Note: Hints available upon request. And as always, if you think you might have the solution but aren't sure, it means you probably don't have the solution. Enjoy!
Hint #1 (11:43am PT): I chose those four ex-Giants for a specific reason, but not related to their positions played, years played, and/or stats. You won't need www.baseball-reference.com to solve this one.
Hints #2 & 3 (1:08pm PT): Technically, the existence of the compass is not required to pick the right answer, but it should help you verify that your reasoning is correct. And there's a reason I picked King James to be the protagonist rather than another Dodger.
Hint #4 (2:16pm PT): You don't have to research anything about the players involved, but you do have to think outside the boxes.
Solution: See here.
Additional Note: As mentioned, if you solve the puzzle correctly, you will be certain of it. If so, please don't post the explanation and spoil it for the rest...please instead post that you think you solved it and send us an email with your reasoning. Thanks!


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Professor Kern goes on to quantify the vast sums of money that were spent on the highly advanced cancer research center that he works in and that stands mostly empty on Saturday afternoons as well (so sad.) He also notes that the research staff does not seem to work any more than the required 40 hours a week, and that people seem to arrive sometime after 9:30 am and leave sometime around 5 pm. Professor Kern seems frustrated that students rely on faster techniques and commercial reagent kits for their research, but do not seem to be generating more oncology advances in spite of it. All of this, according to the author, betrays a lack of passion from their students and more of a "9-to-5" attitude.
Far be it from me to offer some questions to such a prolific member of such an august medical institution, but I feel that I must:
1. Professor, could it be that your surveys of the building are not measuring things accurately? What about weeknights? That before writing such an impassioned article and publishing it in a journal of research (albeit one with an impact factor of
2. What percentage, do you think, of your research workforce are 40-hour clockpunchers? I would hazard a guess that they're less than 33%.
3. In the graph above, there are two curves. Which curve do you think reflects reality more? If you choose B, can you suggest a numerical inflection point?
4. Perhaps in your census of the weekend population of the building, you could also perform a CV analysis. Do you think that weekend research hours are correlated with published papers? Would you be willing to wager a small sum (to be donated to the charity of the winner's choice) that 1) the correlation is weak and 2) the research productivity is not much higher for our weekend warriors than the rest of the workforce? (If we're concerned about a Heisenbergian effect, perhaps we could choose another institution.)


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Stroke Collection
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What happened in college football this weekend? Check out my CFB wrap-up post from Sunday, which breaks it all down, including – of course –
Clemson beat
Meanwhile, I know Clemson was playing with huge emotion at home on a Monday night in a season opener (the perfect moment to pull an upset... although it wasn't an upset if you didn't have FSU ranked to begin with). But they're legit. The Tigers have those spectacular RBs, but new QB Cullen Harper did just enough passing to keep FSU honest.
New CFB Rules: More yards, more points, more clock. It stands to reason that changing (back) the clock rules (in addition to the new kickoff rules) would add more time – and, consequently, more plays, yards and points to games. College games were up 56 yards and 3 points, on average, over last year's season openers (h/t:
Appalachian State Upset Hangover: In this week's Blog Poll, I refuse to rank
I did, however, radically change my Top 25 now that we actually have real performance data to use. Virginia Tech is out of the No. 1 spot, pending next week's result at LSU. Instead, I have
More: I didn't have
Here's my full Week 3 ballot (which I'm allowed to revise through late tonight, but don't necessarily plan to).
NFL Kickoff: Thursday. It's coming. In the meantime, get those last-minute tweaks to your fantasy team done and start lining up your predictions for the season. We'll do playoff picks tomorrow and individual awards on Wednesday.
More NFL: Leftwich Watch. Could the ex-Jags QB end up near his DC hometown? Sounds like the Ravens are interested, among others.
Simeon Rice to the Broncos: Can only help, right?
How revamped are the Patriots on offense? Enough that they could release their leading WR from 2006. "Leading" is relative, of course.
MLB Milestones 1: Pedro Martinez gets 3000 Ks. That's not an unexclusive club. Only 14 other pitchers are in it, making it more exclusive than 3000 hits and 500 homers. It is one of those clubs that won't be joined anytime soon. Man, has this been a year for MLB Milestones or what?
It was also Pedro's MLB return from injury. If he can be moderately effective, it's like picking up a quasi-quality SP for the September stretch run, without giving up anything (um, except that big contract they owe him).
MLB Milestones 2: Ichiro reached the 200-hit mark for the 7th straight season, tying an
MLB Studs: The Indians own Johan Santana. Not many – if any – other teams can say that. But wow, they do.
MLB Dud: What happened to the Phillies' charge in the NL East?
Mickelson gets mouthy after win: It takes a tough (or tired) player to win one of these PGA "Playoff" events then threaten to skip the next week's event. But that's what Phil Mickelson did.
US Open: Roddick to quarters. Meh: No one is beating Federer anyway. (Meanwhile, James Blake's ouster is one less reason to watch anyway.)
Sports Media: Didn't see the
Varsity Dad: This is hilarious. (h/t: Fanhouse, Ballhype, Card Chronicle)


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Andy Griffith, who played the wise sheriff of Mayberry, N.C., in one of American television's most beloved situation comedies, has died, according to a family friend and a real-life sheriff in North Carolina.
He was 86.
WITN-TV in Washington, N.C., says an ambulance was called to Griffith's home on Roanoke Island around 7 a.m. ET this morning. Former University of North Carolina President Bill Friday, a friend, was the first person to report the death in an interview with the station. In the past hour, local Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie has released a statement saying that "Griffith passed way at his home on Roanoke Island. The family will be releasing more information, but no more information is available at this time."
( Note at 1:15 p.m. ET: The sheriff's office has released a statement from the family that says, in part, "at approximately 7 a.m. [today] Andy Griffith passed away at his home, peacefully.")
The North Carolina native's career spanned more than half a century. He moved from Broadway to Hollywood in the late '50s, making his movie debut in A Face in the Crowd. But it was as Sheriff Andy Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show, beginning in 1960, that he made his name.
Ron Howard, who played young Opie Taylor on the show, told WHYY's Fresh Air in a 1995 interview that Griffith brought a rare down-home honesty to the show. It was a show that, while poking fun at down-home characters, did so with loving humor. And there was often a morale or a message.
After eight years on the air as Sheriff Taylor, Griffith went on to star as a criminal defense attorney in TV's Matlock from 1986-95, according to IMDB.com — which has extensive background on his career.
The Archive of American Television has videos of several interviews with Griffith in which he talks about his career, including how he came to be on TV and the origin of The Andy Griffith Show. In it, he says the arrival of actor Don Knotts (as Deputy Barney Fife) after the pilot and and then the decision after the first couple shows to make the sheriff a "straight man" for his comic deputy and other characters is what made the show a hit. Knotts died in 2006.
Haven't seen The Andy Griffith Show in a while? TVLand.com has six episodes available here. ExtraTV.com has put together the show's "top 5 moments." And if you just want to hear that famous whistling theme song, it's here.
By the way, the composer (and whistler) of the show's theme was Earl Hagen, who died in 2008.
Other news outlets' Griffith obituaries:
-- "North Carolina legend Andy Griffith dies at 86." ( Raleigh's News & Observer)
-- "Beloved TV star Andy Griffith dies at 86 in Manteo." ( Charlotte Observer)
-- "Andy Griffith: A TV dad for all time." ( The Orlando Sentinel's TV Guy and More)
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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BAFTA nominated Simon Curtis is a producer and director.
His extensive career spans the genres of theatre, film and television, having worked on some of the most successful productions in recent years. He directed Serenading Louie at the Donmar Warehouse, London, which opened on 11 February and continued until 27 March 2010.
Can you tell me about yourself?
I began my career directing at the Royal Court Theatre in London, where I was the Deputy Director to Max Stafford Clark and the director of the Theatre Upstairs. My productions there included the premiere of Jim Cartwright's Road, Lincoln Centre, New York with Kevin Bacon and Joan Cusack, Sam Shepard's A Life of the Mind, and the Rise and Fall of Little Voice, which was staged at Steppenwolf Theatre. I have also worked extensively for BBC Television and Films as a producer/executive producer for programmes such as Cranford, A Short Stay in Switzerland, Five Days and Freezing to name a few.
You're currently directing Serenading Louie at Donmar Warehouse, can you tell me a bit about the play
and what audiences can expect?
Well I think it's a bit of a lost masterpiece of American theatre. Lanford Wilson, who only last month received the Dramatists Guild of America's Lifetime Achievement Award, and who is deserving of the same status of Sam Shepard and David Mamet. He's most famous in the UK for Burn This (1987), the cast included John Malkovich, Lou Liberatore, Juliet Stevenson and Michael Simkins, which opened at the Lyric Theatre in the West End in 1990. Serenading Louie is a brilliant play that captures the uneasy moment in American history that was the early 1970s. It follows Carl and Alex trying to make sense of life in their 30s, exploring the destruction of dreams and the loss of purpose as they grow up. One of the most poignant lines in the play is "I keep feeling my real life will begin any day now." Serenading Louie is in the tradition of the Arthur Miller plays and returns to Gibson and Chekhov in that it is a complex play about grown up people, some of it's very funny and some of it's very tough.
How do you approach a new piece of work?
I read it very often. Then I begin my research by trying to find out as much as I can about the author, and sometimes I even try and get to know the writer. My father was a publisher and I'm very much in the tradition of serving the material and paying great attention to what the writer has to say. A director's job is to serve the text, every play has its own atmosphere and you need to try and find what's right for that play. Next it's about speaking to the actors, making sure everyone knows as much as possible about the period and the history of the characters before we get to the first page of the play. After working in television, where you only have two or three days of rehearsals, sometimes with up to 40 actors, for example, on something like Cranford – with some of the most famous actors in the world – having a month in the rehearsal room with just four people seems rather luxurious. It's not the most important thing but it's definitely an important stage in the progress of developing a play.
What are the main differences between directing for television and for theatre, which would you say you prefer?
In a way, in television you're very rushed. When you're filming, you're making hundreds of final decisions all day and every day. Whereas in theatre you have time to reflect and consider the outcomes, and if it's not quite working you can leave it for the weekend and see how it feels next week in rehearsals. The other major difference is that in theatre when the play opens the director is pretty much finished, whereas in television and films, the director stays around for much longer than the actors do on the project. Honestly, I don't think I prefer one to the other.
Do you think the Arts Council England's Free Tickets for Under 26 scheme is broadening younger audiences?
I am not sure about that, but I do know that it does feel like London theatre has a lot of energy around it at the moment. Certainly a lot of younger people I know, including my teenage daughter, are very passionate about the theatre, so the scheme must be doing something right.
How do you think the role/position of theatre has changed in the last decade?
I think that people watch more and more movies and television on a variety of screens of different shapes and sizes. In some ways, the experience of going to the cinema becomes less and less attractive. I think theatre, the live experience, becomes even more precious and more special and I think more people want to have the shared experience of live theatre.
What would you say is the most exciting thing happening in theatre at the moment?
I think it has to be the energy around new writing and the vibrant new ways of telling stories that are emerging.
What do you have coming up in 2010?
I am working on a film based on Colin Clark's diary called The Prince, The Showgirl and Me. Clark wrote his diary when he was Lawrence Olivier's assistant on the original film in 1956 with Marilyn Monroe. In the theatre, I'm working with Josie Rourke and The National Theatre on a new play to be written by Catherine Johnson.


text:
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Quilt Along Week 7 How to Bind a Quilt
Can you handle all that? Of course you can. Because this is it. This is the final step in making your quilt. The end is so close you can almost taste it, right?
You have your fabric for your binding. You can figure exactly how much you need depending on how big your final quilt is. My final quilt (after trimming . . . which we'll get to here in just a sec) measures 66"x77". I am cutting my binding from selvage to selvage because I want the stripe to run horizontal once complete so that means that the length of each binding strip will be 42"ish. If I add up the total length around the perimeter of my quilt I will need 286 inches of binding to sew onto that. So, I divide 286 by 42 and get 6.8. Therefore I need 6.8 strips for my binding . . . so 7 strips.
With me?
If not, don't feel bad. When I first started quilting I always had to have the kind woman at the quilt store help me figure it out.
To make the binding, you are going to cut 2.5" strips. You are a pro at this by now cause our entire quilt top is comprised of 2.5" strips. So, fold your fabric just like we did in Week 2 and then straighten up your edge just like we did then too.
Then cut however many 2.5" strips you need for your binding. Still wiggin' out? Get to the Flickr group and we'll help you do the math there. There are some real math geniuses over there. Real smart cookies I tell ya. Rumor has it that some of them were math writers for the movie Good Will Hunting.
Not really but it sounded impressive, right?
There are my 7 binding strips that I need for my quilt. You may need more or less depending on the size of your final quilt. I went ahead and cut extra strips for my littler quilt that I made with the leftovers. If I'm making binding for one I might as well make it for the other to, eh?
Let's take a minute and get your quilt trimmed up. The quilting is done so the extra batting and backing needs to be trimmed off. And you want the final quilt to be nice and square.
I always use my cutting mat, straight edge and rotary cutter to trim it up. It has all the nice lines and it goes quickly this way.
Even if your quilt top was square as square can be after you made the top, the quilting process can sometimes pull or stretch it a little bit and make it a little off. Trim right down to the original quilt top size. Then I like to fold it corner to corner and just make sure that everything matches up nicely . . . and if not then adjust the trimming accordingly.
Yes, I'm sure there is a more mathematically and technically sound way to achieve the perfect squared-up quilt but this method works great for me. Besides, haven't you learned by now that there is really no right or wrong way in quilting? Your way is just as good as any other way. I promise.
Ok. So back to the binding strips. You'll see I've got one laying horizontal and one vertical. Right sides of fabric together.
You will sew right along where the pen is laying. From one corner to the next.
Then when you open up the seam you'll have one long continuous 2.5" strip. This makes for a good strong seam that will last and last through all of the tugging and general abuse your binding will take over it's life.
Press open this seam nice and flat. Open this time. Not to one side. Open.
Repeat this process for all of your binding strips. You'll have one super long 2.5" wide strip.
Once you've got them all sewn together then on each of the two ends, iron down a flap about 1/2 inch. Technically you only need one end folded and ironed this way, but I like to do both so that it doesn't matter which end I start with when sewing it on my quilt. It only takes a second and it will make it impossible to accidentally do something wrong in the sewing on phase so I highly recommend it.
Can you tell I've made this mistake before? And maybe more than once? Shhhh. Please don't blow my cover.
Now, fold your strip in half and press. The whole dang thing people!
So in my case all 286 inches of the binding. Once you've completed that your binding is made and your ready to machine sew it onto the front of the quilt.
The raw edge of your binding lines up with the raw edge of your quilt top. DO NOT start at a corner of your quilt. And, DO NOT start at the end of your binding. Look closely at the photo.
Leave a few inches of the binding free and unsewn. This is because when the binding comes back around to meet up with this the end will tuck inside of the channel and all the binding will be sewn down together to make a complete and continuous binding. Stay with me. You'll see.
Just start down from a corner of your quilt top by at least 8-10 inches.
Again, with the raw edge of your binding lined up with the raw edge of your quilt, sew the binding on using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Ok. You are approaching a corner of your quilt. The most important thing to remember is . . .
Stop sewing approximately a 1/4 inch from the corner. Lock in your stitch (forward and back one or two stitches does this well).
Then take it out of the machine.
Turn your quilt so that you'll be in position to start sewing the binding onto the next side of your quilt.
You are going to make a nice clean corner by folding your binding first up like this.
And then down like this.
Your needle should go down 1/4 inch from the back edge of the quilt and 1/4 inch from the side edge of the quilt. And your stitching will pick up right where you stopped it a second ago before you removed the quilt from the machine and turned it. It will make a perfect corner and you will be tickled pink. Guaranteed!
Keep sewing your binding on all the way around.
As you approach where you began stop. Keep your needle down into the fabric. Look what you've got.
The end of your binding strip (you'll probably have to trim it a little cause it is probably longer than it needs to be. Trim it so that it overlaps with the beginning by at least 1 inch) needs to tuck right inside the channel of the already sewn down binding strip. This is why you didn't start right at the end of your binding in the beginning. You needed this extra bit flapping in the breeze to allow you do join the beginning and end now.
Study the photos. I think they make it clear.
Now you're ready to flip the whole quilt over and begin hand sewing the binding to the back.
Don't start at a corner. Just start at some point along one of the straight sides.
Get your needle started by getting it into the actual quilt.
Right where your thread is located is exactly where the needle needs to come up through the binding. And right as close to the edge of the binding as you possibly can.
This series of photos show you the stitch. It's called a blind stitch. My stitches here in the photos are a bit exaggerated so that I'm sure you can see them. If you just catch the very edge of the binding then you will barely be able to see the stitches at all once complete. Hence the name "blind stitch". Catchy eh?
Ok. Corner ahead. Don't panic.
Continue sewing all the way up the edge of the quilt.
Then fold the corner down. OH!! Look at that perfect corner ladies and gentlemen!!
Use the same blind stitch technique to sew the corner down. Again, I'm using exaggerated stitches so that you are sure to see them. And since this is a corner that will get lots of use and abuse during it's life I'm sure to do short stitches and sew it well.
Now keep blind stitchin' all the way around. And before you know it you'll be done!!
Ye-haw little cowboy!! You've done made yourself a quilt!!!
Now check back later today for the mac daddy giveaway post.
How do cowboys sign off?
Adios pardner?
Giddy up?
Get along little doggies?
123 comments:
- Kim said...
Ooooh! I still need to get my quilt to, and back from the quilter, but I can't wait to bind it! This will be the first quilt I finish by hand. In the name of time I've finished my others on the machine and this will be so much better!
- June 29, 2009 at 9:30 AM
- Knitlee said...
WOW! That is an all inclusive tutorial! What a great job you did on all those photos! Thanks so much for all the time and effort and humor you have done such a great job.
- June 29, 2009 at 9:32 AM
- Karin Schueller said...
You are amazing!!! Thank you so much for all of this. I do a market on Sundays, and actually had someone recognize my name from my business card... we are both doing the guilt along!!! Who knew? You are creating quite a few first time quilters! THANKS FOR ALL OF IT!!!!
- June 29, 2009 at 9:38 AM
- amylouwhosews said...
This is great! I like the way you make the binding meet up when you are sewing it on with the machine. My mom showed me another way, but it always confuses me!
I'm really excited to get my quilt finished! Thanks for all the help and motivation! - June 29, 2009 at 9:39 AM
- free indeed said...
I didn't know to press the seams open on the binding..thanks for enlightening me. You have been a fun teacher and I have enjoyed the quilt along. I haven't quilted my top yet...I had the grandkidlettes visiting for the two weeks we were suppose to quilt, so I am behind. I think I'm going to set my top on point anyway to enlarge it....I hope we didn't have to have a finished quilt to be in the giveaway....
- June 29, 2009 at 9:42 AM
- Terri said...
Awesome! :) I've finished quilting, so I'll do the binding this coming weekend and have my own quilt finished! Thanks so much for hosting this!
- June 29, 2009 at 9:44 AM
- Dayna said...
Nice binding tutorial. Haven't finished quilting yet but I will get there.
- June 29, 2009 at 9:55 AM
- pigbook1 said...
Ok where was this tutorial when I made my first quilt? You have no idea how bad my corners look omg! Can't wait to get myself to this step (hopefully this week)
- June 29, 2009 at 9:57 AM
- Alice Regan said...
Really excited! The quilt is finished and off to Russ "The Quilter"! Can't wait to get it back! I'm having Russ sew on my binding. Why make life difficult! His fee is reasonable and it saves me a whole lot of time to get started on another quilt!
- June 29, 2009 at 10:00 AM
- Unknown said...
Yea! Can't wait to start - even if it takes longer than a week. Thanks SO so much Dana for giving me something fun to do OUT of the HOT HOT SUN
- June 29, 2009 at 10:01 AM
- angela said...
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!! You are so awesome for sharing all this valuable information-- in a logical and clear way!!! I like all the pictures.
- June 29, 2009 at 10:05 AM
- Feather Webb said...
Oh amazing..blinding always seemed like the hardest part...SOOOOO Excited!
Did I mention that I needed a new sewing machine ;) - June 29, 2009 at 10:07 AM
It's thrilling to see the whole process written out like you have! And although I've been quilting since I was 12, I ALWAYS have to call my mom to remind me how to do the binding and now I have a wonderfully written post to refer to in case she's out of town. Thank you! Now if only I was caught up on my quilt...oh well. It will happen!
- June 29, 2009 at 10:12 AM
- Katie B said...
Extremely helpful. Thanks!
- June 29, 2009 at 10:13 AM
- Trisha said...
Wow, Dana! You did a wonderful tutorial for beginners. I wish I had someone like you when I was beginning.
- June 29, 2009 at 10:20 AM
- Dorrie said...
Well, partner, that was a most helpful post. Thank ya' kindly.
- June 29, 2009 at 10:20 AM
- TaDa! Creations said...
Fabulous tutorial! I can't wait to get to that part on mine. I've fallen pretty far behind.
- June 29, 2009 at 10:21 AM
- tmac said...
Dana, Where did you find the straight edge/ruler with the purple handle? I need one!!
- June 29, 2009 at 10:25 AM
- Kelly O. said...
Dana--that was incredibly well put together!
So many have enjoyed this and will continue to call on the fruits of your labour for months to come!
SEE? You are a CELEBRITY! :)
Thankyou for getting me started on the right track in quilting.
You've made an addict out of me :)
Now if you could just pick me for the sewing machine giveaway of a lifetime, well I'd be pleased as punch!
Kel - June 29, 2009 at 10:27 AM
- Sara said...
This has been the most helpful thing I have read on binding. THANK YOU so much for your detailed description and photos! I am bookmarking this post and will refer to it often I am sure!
- June 29, 2009 at 10:29 AM
- Chris said...
I have never made a quilt before, and wasn't able to join your quilt-along this time; but I've been reading each post and will definitely use your great step by step tutorials when I'm ready for my first quilt.
I can't even imagine how long it took you to take all those pictures, download them, and get them all in their right spots in each post! wow! Thanks! - June 29, 2009 at 10:39 AM
- WendyLou said...
Ugh!! You make that look so easy. I'm hoping to start the quilting today. I just have two little projects to get out of the way for a customer before the quilting consumes my every-waking thought ;-)
- June 29, 2009 at 11:04 AM
- Rafael's Mum said...
Dana, what an AWESOME tutorial! Soooo many pictures and SO clear! even us beginners can understand! You are great. Thank you for having the patience to do all the photos and the writing up! I know from doing "a tour around..." posts how much work this is and you are a star for doing it all! THANKS a million!
- June 29, 2009 at 11:10 AM
- BitnByAQuiltingBug said...
Wow! You sure did do a great job on all that information! That's a lot to get into one post! So...I'll just "get along little doggie" cause I gotta get caught up with ya!
Regina - June 29, 2009 at 11:13 AM
- Unknown said...
you have made all of this seem so easy! i feel that i could sew a million quilts even though this is my first. i can't wait for the giveaway, that was what attracted me to your blog. but that's not why i have stayed. i can't wait to see and learn more from you!
and what IS that purple, suction-cup, weighty looking thing? - June 29, 2009 at 11:14 AM
I figured the binding out on my own a year or two ago (I am rather new at this...) and your way is SO MUCH BETTER. :) hahaha
It is so much better learning to do it from an expert, wish I had learned it sooner.
Thank you for teaching me. - June 29, 2009 at 11:21 AM
- Karen said...
Great binding tutorial! It's good to have so many pictures! I haven't quilted my "little" project yet, so I am a bit behind. I will catch up though!
Thanks for the lesson pardner! - June 29, 2009 at 11:32 AM
- tracy_a said...
Thanks for the great tutorial! your pups are so sweet!
- June 29, 2009 at 11:41 AM
- Unknown said...
Looks good Dana! I love that stripe for your binding :)
- June 29, 2009 at 11:51 AM
- annette said...
FABULOUS tutorial. Totally worth all those pics!! Cannot thank you enough for this quilt-along. I'm already in the process of making another one as a wedding gift (wedding's in 3 weeks - yikes).
- June 29, 2009 at 11:52 AM
- Jilliene Designs said...
This was super helpful - I can't wait to get my quilt back from Back porch quilters!! Yippee! This is a HUGE accomplishment in my world and you helped make it happen! thank you!
- June 29, 2009 at 11:56 AM
- Leigh said...
I am so excited I could weep! This tutorial makes this actually seem doable!!! Wheeeeee!!!!
- June 29, 2009 at 12:06 PM
- Mushyhed said...
I don't know how you do it all.... I get frustrated if I have to load more than 3 pictures on blogger! Thanks for the great tutorial!
- June 29, 2009 at 12:20 PM
- Susan said...
I'm pretty sure REAL cowboys say "See ya later, alligator!" Yep, I'm practically positive!
Thanks for all the great instructions and photos, I know just how long that took for you to do, so thanks a million, Dana.
I can't wait until I'm at the hand-sewing stage of my quilt, because that'll mean my quilting is behind me! - June 29, 2009 at 12:26 PM
- Michele H said...
I have a long way to go before getting to the binding, but I'm having fun! Thanks!
- June 29, 2009 at 12:26 PM
- EB said...
Thank you Dana! Well done. I can't wait to finish quilting so I can do the binding. =)
- June 29, 2009 at 12:27 PM
- Emily said...
I can't believe we are done!! Kinda sad for this to be done!
- June 29, 2009 at 12:28 PM
- Kim said...
Thanks for all the pictures!!! I will definately be needing them to finish off my quilt!!!
I wanted to tell you too...the sheet you are useing as your backing...I totally had those sheets growing up!!! I should see if my mom still has them floating around, cause they are great!!! - June 29, 2009 at 12:30 PM
- HMaas said...
Thanks Dana - you have been so great throughout this whole process I am sure people will be coming back to these tutorials for years to come!!! Your the best!
- June 29, 2009 at 12:37 PM
- Treasuresofjoy said...
Yeh for the finished project! Now run to the washing machine and get 'er done! Krinkle!
- June 29, 2009 at 12:48 PM
- Casey said...
thanks so much for these tutorials! While I'm not participating in this quilt along, I am making my own smaller quilt and was very fearful of the binding... Thanks or the confidence I needed to get it done!!
- June 29, 2009 at 1:00 PM
I wish I had this info a couple of months back when I was attaching the binding to my nieces blanket!! Wonderful tute!!
- June 29, 2009 at 1:05 PM
- Taya said...
Your tutorials are fabulous! You made the process of making my first quilt so easy. Thank you for giving me a new obsession. I already have 2 new quilts planned. This has been so fun.I have been bitten by the quilting bug.
- June 29, 2009 at 1:11 PM
- Rhonda said...
Great job! I usually rather donate blood than put on binding but now I don't think it is going to be so painful! Almost done!
- June 29, 2009 at 1:31 PM
- peaknits said...
I just wrapped mine up last night - it is ready for the wash - which scares me...anyways, Dana, I could not have done it without you - this has been so much fun - please sign me up for the next one:) hee. I mean, take a break - you deserve it!
- June 29, 2009 at 1:41 PM
- Paula said...
I can't wait to get back from vacation and finish my quilt! I've had such fun making my first quilt and enjoyed your detailed instructions. I believe I am now officially hooked on quilting...and fabric collecting!
- June 29, 2009 at 1:44 PM
- Infanta said...
Thank you for the wonderful tutorial on the binding. It cleared up all the questions I had.
- June 29, 2009 at 1:47 PM
- Annieofbluegables said...
very nice tutorial. I am bookmarking this so my daughter can read it. She always asks questions. I couldn't say it or write it better.
ps can't wait for the drawing. fingers and everything else crossed
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - June 29, 2009 at 1:54 PM
- brown robin said...
Holy cow! That's the best binding tutorial I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure your karma points have soared off the charts at this point. The amount of time you have spent patiently teaching folks how to quilt (for free/via the internet) is seriously kind and extraordinary!
- June 29, 2009 at 1:56 PM
- Rebecca said...
So excited that I've caught up to you! Thanks!
- June 29, 2009 at 2:09 PM
- Margaret said...
Thanks for the whole quilt along. I used Heather Ross Mendocino and it's just beautiful. How about another one. Don't faint!
- June 29, 2009 at 2:13 PM
- Bonus Mom said...
I LOVE the sheet you chose for the backing :) I have not ever found it in blue! Beautiful. I used bits of my pink version (it was a fitted sheet) on the front of my quiltalong quilt. I love all of your generous help in getting my first full size quilt made. Thank you so much :)
- June 29, 2009 at 2:15 PM
- Cynthia said...
Thank you for the corner instructions when hand sewing on the binding. That helped a lot and I'm sure the use that on the next quilt.
- June 29, 2009 at 2:15 PM
- karen said...
Im stuck a bit on the quilting stage but am persevering. I love doing the binding - its like with every stitch you can feel that you are so close and closer to finishing. I learned a lot from your tutorial. Thanks so much for all your help, time, and humour putting all the posts together for the quilt along.
- June 29, 2009 at 2:20 PM
- CJ said...
Great tutorial for the binding and I LOVE all the photos! Thanks!! :D
- June 29, 2009 at 2:20 PM
- ladmquilter said...
Great tutorial, what a great reference for everyone to use. This has been a great project and fun to do. I love watching everyones progress. I have bound my quilt already just need to make a quilt label and take pictures for posting. Thanks again for your great instructions and I will be looking forward to another quilt along in the future (hint, hint!)
- June 29, 2009 at 2:22 PM
- Sandra said...
Fantastic tutorial and soo fun to read too :))
You are trouly an inspiration! Thank you. - June 29, 2009 at 2:32 PM
- Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...
Terrific tutorial! I love it with all the pictures. It helps to see just what you need to do. I do get lost sometimes :)
- June 29, 2009 at 2:44 PM
- MelissaS said...
Great tutorial...watching and waiting for the MACDADDY!
- June 29, 2009 at 3:02 PM
- happyhanigan said...
Thank you so much. I am still working on quilt broke leg/ankle and all. Hoped I would be further but Ce la vie! You are awesome. I have been putting of learning how to quilt for years and you have inspired me so much.
Great job. Please show your completed quilt when your done. - June 29, 2009 at 3:20 PM
- bethany said...
Yeah the final step....I'm so excited to see the final result. Thanks for the quilt along...I've learned a ton!!!
- June 29, 2009 at 3:27 PM
- sallgood said...
Great job Dana! Another big THANK YOU for all the fun!
- June 29, 2009 at 3:44 PM
- Laura said...
I'm impressed by your photos and description. Very nicely done. It makes "sew" much sense. lol. I don't think I've ever seen corners done that way before. I can't wait to try it!
- June 29, 2009 at 4:30 PM
- Catherine said...
Your tutorials are incredible, so a great big THANK YOU to you! I have such a tough time making an unfamiliar project without someone to help in person and so far, so good.
I have the quilting to finish up this week (a surgery last week threw me way off course!) but I'm looking forward to my final project. :)
Thanks again. - June 29, 2009 at 4:39 PM
- moosecraft said...
Thanks Dana! You have given an enormous amount of valuable information to people who might want to try quilting! I would be one of them!!!! The binding was always the biggest piece of the puzzle... and thanks to you, I can now give it a try! Your photos and explanations of this whole project are awesome! Better than any book that I have purchased (and I have quite a few)! Love your sense of humor too! Big hugs to you!!!!
- June 29, 2009 at 4:58 PM
- Charlene said...
Groovy! Good tutorial. I had to teach my mom how to do the stop, flip, fold corners when she did her last quilt - she didn't know how to do that!
I was hoping you were going to do your binding on the bias, so those stripes would wind around your quilt. But, straight grain is nice and strong, too! - June 29, 2009 at 5:16 PM
- King Family said...
WOW, once again your amazing Dana. What a reference we all have now. You have put so much effort into the quilt a long and helped so many folks.
Thank you, thank you. I truly hope you get a Janome 6600. You sure do deserve it. - June 29, 2009 at 5:28 PM
I was keepin up with the whole quiltin process til this binding thing. Not the teacher, the student is a little slow. If I was actually making a quilt I would probably have figured it out. You sure make beautiful quilts. I love ya!
Papa- - June 29, 2009 at 5:34 PM
- Vickie said...
Thanks so much! BTW-love the quilt.
- June 29, 2009 at 5:50 PM
- Francy said...
thank you so very much for showing us step by step how to do this. I have made a top before but did not do the backing and binding since I had no idea how.
I am excited to bind my quilt now that you have solved the mystery of corners :o)
Pictures to follow on flicker. - June 29, 2009 at 6:40 PM
- Rose said...
I will avoid hand stitching in any way possible. I HATE it. Yes, HATE! I went to a quilting class and the teacher did everything you did, but instead of handstitching the back, we folded it over, pinned it making sure to cover the seam line from sewing the binding on. Then we stitched in the ditch on the front, catching the binding on the back. I know it's lazy and your way is probably better, but I'm lazy!!! haha
- June 29, 2009 at 6:45 PM
- andrea said...
This has been great! I need to baste my quilt together, and possibly start hand quilting it because I don't want to pay someone else to do it and don't think I will be buying the appropriate foot any time soon. I've never done the binding, before. This was a great tutorial. I have a few baby quilts that are waiting for binding, and now I can do it beautifully!
This has been great! - June 29, 2009 at 7:19 PM
- Sue said...
Your quilt looks awesome, I love the stripy binding. You do great instructions, I hope you consider doing this again I have had so much fun. Thanks Sue
- June 29, 2009 at 7:20 PM
- Lene said...
- June 29, 2009 at 7:24 PM
- pescbrico said...
Thank you so much for taking the time to write and take pictures and all of it!!! I really enjoyed the whole process!!
- June 29, 2009 at 9:12 PM
- Mandalin said...
YAY!! Thank you. I've never been completely happy with my binding corners. Now I know why! Thank you, thank you. Your tutorial is fantastic Dana, and I'm gonna love every corner from now on.
- June 29, 2009 at 9:35 PM
- zees5 said...
This is great and I love the fabric you used to bind with. Lovely! izazbz at yahoo dot com
- June 29, 2009 at 9:52 PM
- Denise said...
My corners will be fabu now!! This makes it so easy.
- June 29, 2009 at 10:10 PM
- Kelly O. said...
p.s. I love your backing fabric...is it a sheet?
It is fabulous! - June 29, 2009 at 11:27 PM
- Rev. Sarah C. Evans said...
I use hair clippies to hold the binding down as I'm hand sewing the final stage.
- June 29, 2009 at 11:46 PM
- Busy Little Quilter said...
I, too, wish I had someone teach me this when I first started quilting. This is a great tutorial!
- June 30, 2009 at 12:06 AM
- Little Bluebell (Adrianne) said...
Dana, I just finished sewing the binding onto the top of the quilt. Easy as Pie thanks to you!! I had my laptop next to my sewing machine so I could follow along. When I got to the corners... I didn't panic. Handstitching begins tomorrow. Thank you! Thank you! I really am having so much fun. :) -Little Bluebell
- June 30, 2009 at 4:10 AM
- Raheli said...
Thank you so much for this amazingly detailed guide. I haven't been quilting-along, exactly, because at first I said "Quilt? That's crazy, I can't do that." But a few weeks ago I started my very first quilt! It's square blocks, but I am applying everything that I've learned here. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge & taking the time to document it so thoroughly.
- June 30, 2009 at 7:35 AM
- Heather said...
Dana, thank you, thank you, thank you! I just finished sewing the binding on my smaller crib sized practice quilt made from leftovers pieces, and I feel so ready to move on to my larger Quilt Along quilt now. I am actually making it by myself, how satisfactory is that! This whole Quilt Along has been the best teaching tool for me, and so fun! I am so excited at the vast quilt and sewing opportunities this has opened up for me. As fun as it would be to win the sewing machine, I am still coming away with WAY more quilting knowledge than I though possible, so I am all the richer for it with just this experience. You will never know the depths of my appreciation. Again, thank you.
- June 30, 2009 at 6:19 PM
- QuiltChick said...
Beautiful quilt, love the binding, thanks for the tutorial!
- June 30, 2009 at 10:35 PM
- Laine said...
Thanks for this great tutorial! Can't wait till I get this far.
- June 30, 2009 at 11:20 PM
- Kim said...
Can there ever be too many pictures?
I don't think so because I am visual learner and these are great! so helpful.
Happy Sewing - July 1, 2009 at 2:53 PM
- Cheryl Arkison said...
That is a very detailed post - good job!
- July 1, 2009 at 6:39 PM
I really enjoyed this quilt-along. Your instructions with photos made it so easy to follow. I plan to finish my quilt to give to a women's shelter. Thank you.
Marj (Canada) - July 2, 2009 at 8:27 AM
- eriven said...
Wow, that's the most helpful binding tutorial I've seen so far. Thank you very much for making it so clear. I'm feeling more confident that I can do it when the times comes now :)
- July 3, 2009 at 9:54 PM
- Sarah Pead said...
This tutorial on binding was probably the easiest and least stressful way I've ever done binding. FINALLY I've found a way to do it that doesn't make me want to yell at my sewing machine and throw it out the window! Thank you oh thank you!
- July 5, 2009 at 11:03 PM
- Katherine said...
I love your playlist. I linked to you from my friend sara and I love your blog, too!
- July 6, 2009 at 8:08 AM
- Beki - TheRustedChain said...
Dude. That's a lot of photos.
And I like you because you say "dude". And there's a thousand or so other reasons I like you too. - July 6, 2009 at 11:19 AM
I wish I had seen this tutorial before today. I just found your site. I was doing a Christmas table runner to give a wedding gift last night and could have use it. Thanks, it will be easier next time.
Gail in Evans, GA - July 6, 2009 at 1:07 PM
- Hena Tayeb said...
oh i love your fabric/pattern choices.
- July 6, 2009 at 7:17 PM
- Metanoia said...
Fantastic description and close up photos. Re-affirming what I saw on youtube, but without the fuzziness. I feel a lot more confident now, especially since now I know that quilter's hand sew the other side. That is one thing I was wondering!
- July 6, 2009 at 9:14 PM
- Pearl Maple said...
Fabulous tutorial.
Your explanation combined with the photos sure do make it look easy and the colour combinations you choose are always so inspired. - July 8, 2009 at 5:18 PM
- Jennifer said...
I only just found the quilt-along today but that binding tutorial was FABULOSO!!! I think I might just have to start a quilt so I can practice sewing binding! I'm going to go hunt and see if you posted a pic of the finished quilt top. I really love the colors I've seen in the pics so far!
- July 10, 2009 at 11:53 PM
- Alicia said...
I just finished my first quilt using this!!! Thanks so much!!
(I'll be posting it on my blog this weekend, if you want to keep an eye out for it. http://suburbancomposition.blogspot.com ) - July 17, 2009 at 7:19 PM
- Metanoia said...
OMG your music just scared the cr*p out of me... Clicked through to read the tutorial again and completely lost my place while I frantically searched for how to turn off the tunes. Eek!
- August 10, 2009 at 9:42 AM
- Jan said...
I am SO going to use this on my next quilt! I have searched YouTube over and not found anything near this explanatory. My Nonni quilt sure needed this technique! I started my 3rd quilt this weekend and will be binding it soon.
- October 25, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Thanks so much for the wonderful tutorial. I've been struggling so much with the blind stitch!
- November 5, 2009 at 1:08 PM
- Ann said...
UGH!!! thanks for the great directions I read this last night to prepare for doing the binding on my wonky log cabin quilt today and of course I didn't look back at it and did my corners wrong! Oh well I will just fudge these and I don't think the baby who is getting the quilt will really know the difference.
Ann(aka six on seventh) - November 12, 2009 at 9:15 PM
- Jamzmom said...
This is the best binding tutorial I have ever seen! I have been quilting for 20 years and have never been able to make my corners look right. Thank you so much for all of the pictures!
- April 12, 2010 at 3:02 PM
- Casey said...
Ok, I just have to tell you that I've made 4 quilts since I found your blog (this quilt along inspired my first...) and I STILL have to come back to this entry before I make my binding everytime. Thanks for a GREAT tutorial.
- June 26, 2010 at 11:09 PM
- jess @ fushmush said...
thanks for this great tutorial! I found it on Pinterest.
I just used the tutorial to bind a couple of quilted placemats which I made for my nephews for Christmas. It's very easy to follow. - December 18, 2011 at 7:24 PM
- Amanda said...
Thank you for such an excellent tutorial and all of the great photos! I'm a visual learner and the photos are beyond helpful!
- June 1, 2012 at 9:03 PM
- Unknown said...
Thank you for doing this for everyone to see. I finally understand how to do the binding. I know I can now do it. I want to make a sample piece small square just to do the binding. Before I move on to the bigger stuff. They say practice is better. I've done 2-3 quilts before with out the binding. I am now ready for the binding. I have your Tutorial page Pin. Thank-You again for the Tutorial page.
Terry Devine aka sunnywolfgar - August 2, 2012 at 12:28 AM
- Truffles said...
My, this is wonderful. I am new to quilting and struggle with bindings. I didn't get it, fully, at first, but as i scrolled down, I got an "AH HA" moment. This is wonderful and makes total sense! Why didn't someone show this to me before!!! Thank you so very much!
- September 15, 2012 at 12:53 PM
This is by FAR the very best Binding Tutorial I have eve seen!!! I found several mistakes I was making and your pictures "showed" me how to do it correctly!! THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!
Kay - January 9, 2013 at 2:08 PM
- lmartinez4171 said...
Thank you so much for this tutorial. It is very helpful.
- January 20, 2013 at 7:23 PM
- C said...
I have to be honest, I found this post on pinterest and clicked it because I own one of the fabrics in your quilt, and I've never seen it anywhere else before. The blue floral print that's shown when you're sewing the binding? Yeah, I bought a sheet set like that from a vintage store years ago! I ended up making a kimono top and a sewing machine cover from my fabric.
Loved the tutorial--cheers! - February 1, 2013 at 7:56 AM
- Samantha T. said...
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this! I'm trying too finish a baby quilt for my nephew and I've screwed up the binding twice already! This looks so much easier!
- March 5, 2013 at 4:44 PM
- Mrs Quilty said...
Everyone has already it, but this tutorial is amazing! Best one I've ever found! Thank you so much!
- March 17, 2013 at 7:51 PM
- Heirloom treasures said...
This is great but I need to find out how to finish my hexagon quilt?
- March 27, 2013 at 3:22 AM
- OzcraftyRose said...
This is just what I need right now... couldn't remember! It's been a number of years since I last made a quilt. Thank you so much for the clear directions and pictures.
- July 20, 2013 at 2:22 AM
- Cindy said...
I stayed glued to your photo tutorial on quilt binding--success. I am so proud of myself, thanks to you. I blogged about it here--giving you credit!
Thanks again. - December 17, 2013 at 10:14 AM
- Unknown said...
Thank you!! I love how you tackle binding corners! I've been quilting for years and have always been ashamed of my bound corners for not being sharp 90 deg angles. I tried your method and - POOF!! Perfect corners! Thanks!!!
- September 3, 2014 at 1:44 PM
- Kelly O. said...
Just revisiting this post to send it in an email to my sis in law who is completing her second quilt. I have taught her how to quilt. You taught me to quilt. And the circle goes round. Thank you Dana. I am sure that this quilt along way back when impacted your family and took up a lot of your time and energy and I thank you for it. Now your sharing of your art has impacted my family :) in a very positive way.
- April 8, 2015 at 10:30 PM
- Virginia Lynn said...
As a new quilter, this tutorial really helped me. Thanks so much for all of the pictures as they definitely made things clearer for me.
- April 7, 2016 at 2:27 AM
- Unknown said...
Thank you!! This is so awesome! I have been trying to figure out my binding for months and this really helped so much!! Thanks again!!
- May 1, 2016 at 10:37 PM
- NewQuilter said...
Best binding tutorial EVER! Love your presentation. I
had a great teacher but it's been awhile since I have
used her method and can't run to her store at midnight ;).
Hope you are still providing great tutorials-the posts started
it 2009 and it is 2016! - July 2, 2016 at 3:16 PM
- Unknown said...
I come back to your quilt-along posts (especially the binding post) time and time again. I made my first ever quilt back in 2009 following all of your instructions, and now I'm just finishing up another one (probably at least my 12th but maybe more)! Thank you!
Katie - July 29, 2017 at 10:56 PM


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Republicans getting to 'yes'
Published 12:00 am Thursday, February 20, 2014
Republicans have excelled at concealing their brilliance in recent years and Democrats have exalted in their own good fortune.
Whether discussing women's reproductive systems or offering up unelectable candidates — "I am not a witch" might have been a tipoff — Republicans couldn't stop handing gifts to their opponents. As for tactics, a GOP Trojan horse is … a horse. And an Orca project is a whale-fishing expedition.
Meanwhile, Democrats successfully labeled the GOP as the "party of no," assisted by Republicans' consistent opposition to everything, and always flogging their own in an endless war between the party's wacko birds (Sen. John McCain's term) and establishment players who were variously referred to as RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) or Republicrats.
Democrats weren't wrong.
But then one day, President Obama apparently lost his magic ring. The sun broke through the pall of Republican despair, the fires of Mordor ceased and the spell of buffoonery and pettifoggery that had plagued the elephant herd was miraculously lifted.
Congress raised the debt limit without drama; Republican leaders shelved divisive issues such as comprehensive immigration and tax reform, and shifted the focus to unifying messages about which RINOs and tea partyers can agree and lock pinkies: Obamacare is a failure and Barack Obama is an imperial president.
In essence, Republicans destroyed the Democrats' sharpest weapon and absconded with their slogan. No more the party of no, the GOP suddenly is the party of "Yes we can!"
Quite a transformation, that. And all along the message of House Speaker John Boehner, even though his tea party colleagues, gladiators armed with certitude, couldn't hear him. Rather than listen to reason, they heard only the whispers of their beloved Wormtongue, whose identity I leave to you, dear reader, in hopes you have read J.R.R. Tolkien.
While some may view this strategy as another Boehner capitulation to the crazy caucus, others recognize its brilliance. Boehner is quieting down the elephant herd. This doesn't mean Republicans are making a run on canvas to build a bigger tent. At least not this congressional crowd. But party leadership doesn't hold all the cards anymore. Outsiders — widely known as billionaires — have their own agendas, which are not uniformly consistent with the GOP base's. Nor are they necessarily sinister, though this most likely will be the spin from Democrats.
Wherever billionaires gather, something must be up. Politico suggested as much with its exclusive story earlier this week about mega-donors planning a GOP war council that will be meeting soon at "a swanky Colorado resort." Do wealthy Democrats meet in abandoned warehouses?
This gathering of Republican swanks is being hosted by New York billionaire Paul Singer, who wants to help shape the party's direction leading up to the midterms. Dum-de-dum-dum. Singer, who gives generously to humanitarian groups, including wounded warriors, also supports same-sex marriage, immigration reform and pro-Israel policies. He is, in other words, a New/Old Republican — moderate on social issues, passionate about human rights, practical about demographic change and election realities, hawkish about defense and loyalty to allies.
These positions are largely consistent with a sizable chunk of the American people, if not so much with the GOP's libertarians, who increasingly lean toward isolationist, boot-strap policies. Hence the emerging narrative of yet another internal war within the GOP. Cue Darth Vader breathing sound, if I may mix my movies, and enter the Koch brothers — those heartless, free-market avatars with libertarian tendencies.
The same Politico story described the Koch brothers as bringing together "hand-picked operatives and politicians twice a year at tony resorts." Hand-picked implies "special" while "tony" is a word only used by 1 percenters. (I don't think I've ever heard — not even in movies — a diamond-laden debutante belaboring restaurant choices say: "Oh, Capers, let's do pick some place tony.")
And they say Republicans use dog whistles.
Democrats love to demonize these groups even though they have a couple of their own billionaire bundling operations. But the emerging narrative of the billionaire war within the party is both incorrect and an obvious attempt to revive the idea that Republicans can't lead because they can't even get along with each other.
It worked for a while, but no more. Within the party, the Koch brothers and Singer might best be described as co-belligerents. Picture them as set A and B in a Venn diagram. The overlap is the story — and the war isn't internal.
Kathleen Parker's email address is firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Brief counseling from primary care doctors reduces "risky" drinking, defined as having more than four drinks a day for men, three for women, a federal task force says.
About one in three Americans misuse alcohol, the panel says, with the vast majority falling in the "risky" category.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says the available evidence shows that patients who had multiple counseling sessions lasting 10 to 15 minutes were 12 percent more likely to quit binge drinking a year later and 11 percent more likely to stay within recommended alcohol limits.
Alcohol consumption went down from 23 drinks to 19 drinks a week after the counseling, according to the panel's analysis of 10 well-done studies.
The task force calls those "moderate" benefits – but enough to justify primary care doctors screening all adult patients for signs of problem drinking and providing counseling.
It doesn't specify how many counseling sessions are needed, but says it takes more than one.
Likewise, the task force doesn't endorse a specific kind of alcohol counseling but says a number of methods are effective, including computer-based and telephone sessions, as well as face-to-face encounters.
The panel – independent experts appointed and funded by the federal government – endorses three quick screening tests to identify patients who are drinking too much. More about those in a bit.
The task force recommendations are in draft form, pending a public comment period until Oct. 22. The draft recommendations are in the current issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The recommendations apply only to adults who engage in risky drinking, not the 4 percent of the population who are alcohol-dependent or others considered alcohol abusers. Abusers, the task force says, are people who fail their home, work or school responsibilities; drive while drunk or engage in other dangerous situations; and have legal or social problems because of their drinking.
Available evidence for the benefits of counseling for these heavier drinkers is sparse but it generally suggests they won't benefit.
Likewise, there's not enough solid evidence to show counseling helps adolescents who engage in risky drinking. That's a big problem. Nearly one in four high school seniors reports having five or more drinks on a single occasion within the previous two weeks, the task force notes.
The task force says three quick screening tests are good at helping doctors identify who's a risky drinker:
- A single-question approach recommended by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, which asks: "How many times in the past year have you had five (for men) or four (for women and everybody over age 65) or more drinks in a day"?
- A 10-question screen called AUDIT, which asks about how many drinks a patient has on a typical day, how often he has more than six drinks on one occasion, how often he feels guilty after drinking, and other items.
- A briefer three-question version called AUDIT-C.
Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.


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Montgomery Ward, first established in Chicago in the 1870s, was a mail order business that allowed customers, even those outside of urban areas, to purchase dry goods through a catalog. After more than 40 years as a mail-order-only business, Montgomery Ward began operating retail outlets in the mid and late 1920s. Among the hundreds of new stores it opened was one along King Street.
In late 1928, Montgomery Ward chose a site on the south side of the 900 block of King, and excavation and foundation work began in February 1929. That spring, as the new three-story building was under construction, other department stores had similar plans for retail on King Street. S.S. Kresge Company had leased store space and J.C. Penney was building a new store, both in the 600 block.
Montgomery Ward's building featured a cut stone facade, urn finials and bas-relief carvings. Above the top windows, in the center, is a depiction of a woman balancing on a globe and holding a torch. Based on an earlier sculpture and known as the "Spirit of Progress," it also appeared as a bronze statue at Montgomery Ward's Chicago offices.
In the 1960s, Montgomery Ward opened new stores in larger shopping centers and malls around the area and by the end of the decade, the store at 906-908 King Street had closed. A furniture repair business and an antiques shop operated there at different times in the 1970s, but by the late 1970s, when this photo was taken, the store was vacant. In 1984, this building and those adjacent to it were remodeled into a new complex today known as Firehouse Square.


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I want to introduce you to a beautiful cookbook called Home Made by Yvette Von Boven. Yvette runs a restaurant and catering business in Amsterdam, along with being a food stylist and recipe developer.
How glamorous is this....she splits her time between Amsterdam and Paris.
{I split my time between the suburbs of Houston and the other suburbs of Houston.}
Home Made is a substantial book, weighing 4 & 1/2 pounds...that's heavier than kiddo when he was born. The book has everything...cocktails, main courses, desserts, pasta, soups...you name it. Yvette walks you through making bread, making ice cream (without an ice cream maker), building a simple outdoor grill, making cheese, making chocolates, and more!
And, the book is beautiful.
I tried a recipe called "Chocolate Fondant Cake" which I renamed pie. To me, fondant means the roll out icing that goes over a cake. Whatever you call it, the cake/pie is sinfully creamy and delicious!
It starts with a cookie crust. Crust supposed to be made with Amaretti cookies. I love these little Italian cookies. In my grocery store, they're not found with the cookies, but over in the "Italian section." I knew I had a bag in my pantry.
I opened the bag and ate one, you know, for quality control. Good thing I did, because, oh, they were NOT good. Turns out, they expired over a year ago. I.Let.Cookies.Expire. (hangs head in shame)
Gingersnaps to the rescue!
Melt some chocolate,
whip up some cream, add amaretto...chill (you and the pie)...and you have yourself a glorious dessert.
{...aka Chocolate Fondant Cake, adapted from Home Made, serves 12}
1 & 1/4 sticks butter
8 oz amaretti cookies (or gingersnaps)
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 & 1/2 c. heavy cream
2 TBSP sugar
1/3 c. Amaretto (or Frangelico)
cocoa powder
Line an 8 or 9" cake pan with plastic wrap, allowing excess to hang over the sides.
Melt the butter. Process cookies in a food processor until evenly ground. Stir the butter and crumbs together; press into the bottom of the pan.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Let cool slightly.
Beat the cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently stir in the melted chocolate. Add the Amaretto and stir.
Fill the pan with the mixture and smooth with an offset spatula. Cover with the excess plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. (I put mine in the freezer for 30 mins - one hour before serving to set it up a bit more.)
Before serving, lift the pie out of the pan , remove the plastic wrap and sift cocoa powder over the top. Serve small wedges...it's rich!
Want a copy of Home Made for your very own?
Giveaway closed...Jane is the lucky winner! Yay, Jane!
Random winner will be chosen on September 19th at 9pm CST. Good luck! :)
{Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book at no charge...my opinions and weight I have gained from this recipe are my own.}


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Measuring Guide
Doggie Clothes & Accessories Sizing Guide
We highly recommend our customers to review our Sizing Guide prior to making any purchases of dog clothing and accessories. Reviewing this guide and our illustration below will help you determine how to measure your pet, especially if you are new pet parent or have never dressed your pampered doggy up before.
As we offer a large variety of brand names and products, our products have an individual size chart or other reference guide in the product description when more than one size option is available.
The diagram below will show you how to accurately measure for a length, neck and chest measurement.
We recommend use of a fabric or cloth measuring tape when determining your pet's measurements.
If various types of measurements are provided in the product description, please take into account the length measurement first. This is especially important to certain breeds that have longer bodies like Dachshunds.
The length for products like jackets and coats is designed to be close to the base of your pet's tail. While other products like t-shirts, tanks, and dresses should be within 2 to 4 inches from the base of the tail.
If your pet's measurements fall in between two sizes, we suggest ordering the next larger size just to be safe.
If the clothing is too tight, your dog may get hot and uncomfortable.
Each and every designer uses different cuts and sizing patterns.
Therefore please refer to the individual size chart that is shown in each product's description before making your size selection.
Please note that it is not recommended to determine size based on your pet's breed, weight, brand, or previous purchases you may have made from us or anywhere else.
If you should need additional assistance with sizing, or
If the size you require is not listed, please Contact Us
The size may be available and we will try to get it for you.


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DETROIT — This city is the broken tooth in Michigan's smile. Nevertheless, the preternaturally optimistic governor, from whom never is heard a discouraging word, cheerfully describes his recent foray with a crew cleaning up a park in a particularly, well, challenging neighborhood:
The weeds, says Gov. Rick Snyder, were so tall you could not see the sidewalks, or even the playground equipment. Concealed in the underbrush were some old tires. And a boat. And, he notes with an accountant's punctiliousness about presenting a complete record, they also found "a body."
Never mind. Now another block of an almost cadaverous city has been reclaimed.
Snyder, who has called himself "one tough nerd," began life after the University of Michigan as an accountant and is tough enough to have strengthened the relevant law and then wielded it to put Detroit under the governance of an emergency manager, an appointed autocrat. Detroit is the sixth Michigan city, together with three school districts, to have earned its loss of autonomy.
Snyder is neither surprised nor dismayed by the Obama administration's prompt refusal to consider bailing out the city: "I had made it clear I wasn't going to ask them" for a bailout. One example of Washington's previous costly caring is Detroit's "People Mover," the ghost train that circulates mostly empty. Snyder dismisses this slab of someone else's pork as "part of the 60 years of failure." He has largely forsworn attracting businesses to the city by offering tax credits, which he calls "the heroin drip of government." He speaks not of "fixing" but of "reinventing" Detroit, by which he means a new "culture of how to behave and act."
He correctly stresses the cultural prerequisites for prosperity. And for popular sovereignty. Detroit under the emergency manager is enduring a democracy deficit because self-government requires collective self-control — the restraint of appetites by realism about their costs. But fixing an urban culture is more complex than filling potholes.
The 1994 bankruptcy of California's Orange County, which includes fabulously wealthy beach communities, and the 2011 bankruptcy of Alabama's Jefferson County, which includes Birmingham, resulted from bad investment decisions. Detroit, however, has suffered not just economic setbacks but a cultural collapse that precludes a rapid recovery.
Despite some people's facile talk about "rebooting" Detroit, as though it is a balky gadget, this is a place where dangerous packs of feral dogs roam. No city can succeed without a large middle class, and in spite of cheery talk about a downtown sprinkling of "hipsters and artisans," a significant minority of Detroit's residents are functionally illiterate and only 12 percent have college degrees (in Seattle, 56 percent do). Families are the primary transmitters of social capital, and 79 percent of children here are born to unmarried women. What middle-class family will send children into a school system where 3 percent of fourth-graders meet national math standards? Detroit has Michigan's highest income tax, and highest property tax among its large cities, but with an average income of $15,000, high rates raise little. There are 78,000 abandoned structures, not counting Mitt Romney's boyhood home, which has already been demolished in a once upscale neighborhood. The business tax doubled last year and white flight long ago was followed by black flight — the entrepreneurial act of self-preservation and self-improvement by the motivated and talented.
Against this litany of woes, Snyder happily illustrates the city's revival by brandishing his shiny new wristwatch. It is a Shinola, manufactured here from Swiss parts, by a startup that also makes bicycles and other things. About the vacant land opened up as the population has contracted Snyder says: "Hops." This grain is used to make beer, and microbreweries make, or at least often accompany, urban gentrification. And those hundreds of millions of public funds for a new hockey arena? He gamely explains it as a "quality of life" magnet for the gentrifiers.
With that, Snyder shifts, as a governor should, into Michigan chauvinism: With its lakes and "micro-climates," Michigan has, he says, the nation's second-most diverse climate, so just about anything can be grown, even Detroit. Here — he bounces back to urban reinvention mode — "the middle class was created," beginning with Henry Ford's 1914 decision to pay workers an astonishing $5 a day.
Snyder, who is up for re-election in 2014, is not worried about Detroit voters punishing him because of astringent life under an unelected emergency manager. Snyder notes, smiling, that in 2010 he got more than twice the percentage of Detroit's vote that Romney received in 2012. Romney won 2.08 percent.
George Will's email address is firstname.lastname@example.com.


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The Loving Kindness Tour
The Loving Kindness Tour is a collection of Buddha relics that has been displayed in more than 66 countries in the past 11 years. The tour encourages kindness and tolerance, and is supported by the Dalai Lama.
For more information and a video introduction, click here.
Schedule of Events
Friday, September 6
Opening Ceremony at 6 pm
Doors open at 5:15 pm for seating
Sister Marilyn Ring, St. Mary's Monastery of the Sisters of Benedictine
Bill Gluba, Mayor of Davenport
Dr. Steve Lamer, Emergency medicine physician at Genesis Hospital
Desmond Green, Founder of Reverence for Life University, Jamaica
Susan Liddell and Jan Griffith, Licensed Unity Leaders, Unity Church
Procession of the Relics
Amanda Russell and The Venerable Thubten Norbu
Relics on view at 7:30 pm
Saturday, September 7
Relics on view 10 am-7 pm
Pet blessings at 10:30-11:30 am
Sunday, September 8
Relics on view 10 am-5 pm
Children's blessing 11 am-noon
Entrance to the museum and the Loving Kindness Tour is free September 6-8.
Download a postcard with a schedule of events


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Bridget Weston is the CEO of the SCORE Association, where she provides executive leadership and works directly and collaboratively with the Board of Directors to establish the vision and direction of SCORE. In her 10 years with the organization, she has developed an in-depth understanding of the needs and challenges of our volunteers and has established significant relationships on the Hill. Through her unwavering commitment and passion for SCORE's success, Ms. Weston motivates, directs and provides guidance to SCORE's staff, its 300+ chapters and over 10,000 volunteers.
During her 10 years at SCORE, Ms. Weston has been involved in every aspect of the organization. Not only has she led the Marketing & Communications team, but she has been the change management leader for both Centralized Accounting and Engage, has overseen the Help Desk after the former VP of Technology departed and has been integrally involved in nearly every major Foundation partner project. Additionally, she has served as a member of the Futures task force that created SCORE's Vision for 2025 and has been a leader on the FY2020 tactical plan for SCORE.
She has publicly represented SCORE on numerous occasions including testifying in front of the House Small Business Committee and appearing on MSNBC's "Your Business." Ms. Weston earned her Master of Business Administration from Temple University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Current role


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Not too long ago I came across this truly inspired recipe for a savoury asparagus baklava on innBrooklyn that sounded so amazingly good that I just had to try it! This asparagus phyllo pie is constructed like baklava with layers of light, flaky golden brown phyllo alternating with the layers of a walnut and asparagus filling and a cheese filling. Given the layers of cheese in this pie, it also reminds me of a lasagna, only made with phyllo instead of noodles. The combination of the cheese and the asparagus also made me think of spanakopita , a Greek spinach and feta pie that is another savoury pie made with phyllo and I could not resist swapping some feta into the recipe replacing some of the mozzarella. Continuing to be influenced by spanakopita I wanted to use some fresh herbs and dill seemed like the perfect choice.
Baklava is normally drenched in syrup and this savoury version does not forget about it but in this case the 'syrup' is an avgolemono sauce . An avgolemono sauce is a Greek sauce made with eggs and lemon. Although avgolemono sauces normally use a whole egg, I decided to stick with just the egg yolks to give the sauce a richer yellow colour.
Although this recipe is pretty easy, assembling all of the layers is a bit time consuming but it is definitely worth it! The asparagus phyllo pie was everything that I had been hoping for and more! You really cannot go wrong with light flaky pastry filled with asparagus, cheese and nuts! I had been a little worried about how all of the walnuts in the recipe would work out but they were quite nice and the contrasting textures added a lot to the dish. I really enjoyed the dill and lemon flavours and the lemony avgolemono sauce finished off the dish perfectly! What a great way to enjoy some of the in season local asparagus!
Asparagus and Walnut Phyllo Pie (aka Asparagus Baklava) with Avgolemono Sauce
- 2 pounds asparagus (trimmed and cleaned)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 lemon (zest)
- 2 ttablespoons dill (chopped)
- 1 cup walnuts (toasted and chopped)
- 1 1/2 cup mozzarella (grated)
- 1/2 cup feta (crumbled)
- 1 cup ricotta
- * olive oil
- 8 ounces phyllo pastry (thawed as directed on package)
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 lemon (juice)
- Cook the asparagus in boiling water until it just turns dark green, about 2 minutes.
- Drain the water, reserving 1/2 cup of it.
- Rinse the asparagus under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Cut the asparagus into pieces roughly the size of the walnuts.
- Mix the asparagus, garlic, lemon zest, dill and walnuts in a bowl and set aside.
- Mix the cheeses.
- Brush the top of a sheet of phyllo pastry with olive oil and place it in a greased 8 inch square baking pan. Repeat 5 more times.
- Spread half of the asparagus mixture over the phyllo followed by half of the cheese.
- Repeat another layer of phyllo, asparagus and cheese and top with a final layer of phyllo.
- Cut the pie into pieces shaped as you like.
- Bake the pie in a preheated 350F/180C oven until golden brown on top and bubbling on the sides, about 30-45 minutes.
- Pull the pie out of the oven and let it cool.
- Whisk the egg in small sauce pan until frothy.
- Slowly whisk in the lemon juice followed by the reserved asparagus water.
- Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it thickens, about 5-10 minutes.
- Plate the phyllo pie and drizzle with the avgolemono sauce when ready to serve.
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