Binding

Binding can make or break your quilt. The simplest way to bind is the French Fold or Double Binding method. For this you will need to understand the following:

Measuring your binding

You will need a continuous strip of fabric to go around your quilt plus some excess length that will be taken up in joins and corners. This strip width needs to be (4x the finished width of your binding) + ½”. This will then be folded in half along its length as it is attached to the quilt e.g. a 2½” cut binding strip, folded in half will give you a ½” finished binding i.e. 2½” = (4 x ½”) + ½”

Joining binding strips

To join the short strips of fabric together to make a continuous strip use diagonal joins to avoid bulk at the joins. Trim away the excess at the back before you attach it to the quilt.

 

You can choose to attach the binding to the front or back of the quilt depending on the finish you require.

 

Start sewing your binding around the centre of one side leaving about 10” of the binding loose at the beginning. Position your start so that you avoid having joins at the corners.

Turning corners perfectly

Before you continue attaching your binding to your quilt consider this – how can you avoid rounded binding corners like the green binding shown, and consistently create beautifully square and mitred corners like the maroon binding below it. This problem often occurs even if you think you have followed the same process for each corner. 

Instructions are given in every book and website about binding but are often misleading. They do not usually discuss the finished width of the binding but assume it is ½”. See About.com at http://quilting.about.com/od/bindingaquilt/ss/mitered_binding_2.htm . With a narrow binding the problem is not usually as obvious as it is with a wide binding. The following instructions will help. 

1. Use ¼” seam with the raw edges of the folded binding aligned at least ¼” from the trimmed edge of the quilt top.

2. As you sew towards the corner, on the binding, mark ¼” from the end of the quilt top corner with a pin. This is the pivot point.

3. 

   Sew to the pivot point then reverse stitch a short distance back along the sewing line.

4. Lift the presser foot then pull the fabric out from under the presser foot about 3”, more if you need it. There is no need to cut the threads.

5. Fold back the binding at 45˚ to the stitching line you have just completed.

6. Mark the finished width of the binding on this fold-back with a pin or taylor’s chalk (measured from the pivot point).

7. Hold this fold in place while you fold back the binding at the measured mark, in line with the next edge of the quilt. Remove any pins before sewing.

8. Stitch the next section of the binding along the next side of the quilt top using ¼” seam, starting ¼” in from the edge of the fold-back (to allow for trimming for a softer corner).

 Joining the ends

Once you have attached your binding with perfectly mitred corners you should continue sewing to about 10” from the start of your sewing line making sure not to catch the loose flap at the beginning of your binding. Back stitch a little to strengthen this end then remove the quilt from your machine and cut about 8” from the end of the sewing.

• Fold the loose beginning end in on itself to make a diagonal fold.

• Refold this end of the binding and align it where it is to be sewn. This creates a ‘tunnel’ for the next step.
• Insert the folded end piece of binding into the ‘tunnel’ until it sits smoothly and aligns to where it is to be sewn (you may need to trim some of the length from this piece).

• Pin both pieces of binding to the quilt and continue attaching it along the previous sewing line.

Trim the batting and backing to the required finished binding width (measured from the stitching line).

Hemming the binding

Fold the binding to the back of the quilt for blind hand hemming. Make sure the binding covers the machine stitching line. At the corners fold the bulk of one side the opposite way to the bulk on the other side, keeping the corners as flat as possible.

 

For a more decorative finish, sew the binding to the back of the quilt then fold it to the front of the quilt. Sew with a decorative machine stitch to ‘hem’ the binding.