Raw Edges vs. Finished Edges Part 1

Thinking about edges and whether or not to finish them brought back cherished memories of my Grandmother.  My Grandmother was born and raised in Prague, Czechoslovakia.  She was a very special and talented lady.  She could sew, draw, paint, carve wood, sing opera,  play the piano and speak several languages.  She made bibs as gifts for new babies from hand towels.  The edges of the towel were turned under and stitched by hand.  The bias tape was attached to the terry cloth by machine.  The applique was basted on by hand and the edges were stitched by hand using the blanket stitch.  She taught me how to make the bibs.  My first experience with applique was making those terry cloth baby bibs.  Today,  I went into that famous backroom and took down the precious box containing her hand drawn patterns, material, pieces cut out ready to be appliqued,  and one of the bibs she had made.  It bought back many memories.  I even found a bib I had begun many years ago and never finished.  It may be time to scan those imagines and digitize them to embroider on bibs for future babies. Better yet maybe I will make a couple of bibs by hand to honor my Grandmother for future grandbabies

This is the bib my Grandmother made.   I am not sure which brother or sister used this bib, but after all these years, it looks to be in pretty good condition.

Here is a close up of the stitching she did on the edges of the bib. 

Over the years I have made several projects with applique designs, clothing and crafts, with finished  edges.  It never even entered my mind to leave an edge unfinished.  It just wasn't done in my world.  After I bought my first Viking sewing machine 28 years ago, a whole new world opened up.  I could do the blanket stitch or the satin stitch around the edges of my applique in a matter of  minutes vs. the hours it used to take me.  Next week, I 'll finish my conversation on raw edges vs finished edges.