Facing for art quilts - wavy edges

I wrote a previous blog about adding facings to art quilts with straight edges.  This blog is how to do it on a quilt that has wavy edges.  The quilt that I'm showing you is the (almost) completed brown bag challenge quilt.  It called out to be cut curvy and wavy on the edges enhance the curvy piecing and artsy-fartsy nature.

Most of the time, you can follow the same steps on the previous blog, cutting the facings 2-1/2" wide.   In this example, I cut the facings 3" because there was a lot of wave on the edges.  You do NOT have to cut the facing on the bias.

Press over 1/4" on the long edge.

Pin the facings right sides together with the quilt, and let the facing hang over the wavy edges.  Here is a picture showing the top of the quilt, and another one showing the back of the quilt.

Sew the seam, then trim the facing that sticks out beyond the wavy edge.

You can follow the rest of the steps as in the previous blog.  It's a bit harder to press the curvy edges to the back, but use patience and pins and you'll be rewarded by a nice finish.  Here is the facing turned to the back and pinned in place.  Believe it or not, you'll get almost a straight edge to sew onto the back side of the quilt.

Here is the finished quilt top with the facing all sewn in place.  I hope you can use these hints for your next art quilt with wavy edges.

I hope you like it!

Wavy edges in Art Quilts

I made lots of quilts in the good old days of hand piecing, hand quilting, and squaring up quilts to get nice straight edges.  I still enter competitions where wavy and curvy edges are a reason to get a ding from the judges.  They write "Edges should be straight"!  

Ah, but on art quilts, you have the freedom to do anything you want.  So, now after I square up my art quilts, I take the rotary cutter and purposely make wavy and curvy edges.  This is so freeing!

Some of the arts quilts in my nest series have traditional binding; some have facings; and some have couched fibers on the edges.  All of these edge finishing techniques work on curvy and wavy edges.   Jean Wells wrote excellent directions in her book, "Journey to Inspired Art Quilting", about how to add 1/8" grosgrain ribbon to the edges of an art quilt before you add the facing.   This is great advice, and I encourage all of you to do this to stabilize the edges on wavy and curvy art quilts. 

Just one thing that I have discovered - for me anyway - is to keep the corners pretty close to 90 degrees.  It's so much easier to turn the facings and make them look nice. 

Nest #10 "Sheer Bird" by Joanne Adams Roth

The bird and nest were drawn by Esterita Austin during a workshop on using sheer fabric.