Tutorials

Hi,
I try to write the tutorials with lots of detail so that beginning quilters will find the guidance they need. Hopefully my experienced readers will find them useful also. TIP indicates a topic covered under the Tips tab. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please do email me.
Shilo

Binding ~ The Finishing Touch ~ ~ 

Binding ~ part one ~ Yardage ~ ~ ~
This is an intro into the mystery of binding. Binding is the skinny little outside edge on a quilt. It is an extra piece of fabric sewn on after your project is quilted that wraps around the outside of the quilt. It takes a great deal of abuse and is usually the first part of the quilt to show wear. Therefore it is important to use an additional piece of fabric for binding. Think of it as the finishing touch that works hard for you.

Two Popular Methods of Cutting ~ ~ ~
The Mystery is "How much fabric do I need to buy for my binding???" and "How can I make the corners look good?" If you read my "About Me" then you know I'm a quilt department manager. I am asked these questions numerous times every week by both novice and experienced quilters.

Binding is usually cut 2-1/2” wide from quilting cotton. If you are using a high loft batting, or if you are using flannel for your binding, you may prefer to cut 3” strips. I’ve met a few people who like super skinny binding and cut theirs 2”.

~ Straight Cut: strips are usually cut across the width of the fabric, the cross grain. However they can be cut the length of the fabric, the straight grain.

~ Diagonal Cut: strips are cut at a 45 degree angle from the salvage, on the bias.

Straight grain doesn't stretch, cross grain has a little stretch, and diagonal stretches nicely. A Diagonal Cut goes around curves nicely and withstands wear better. 

Straight Cut ~ ~ ~ 2-1/2” Strips

3/8yd for 0 to 84”

1/2yd for 85 to 168”

5/8yd for 169 to 252”

3/4yd for 253 to 336”

7/8yd for 336 to 378”

1yd for 379 to 462”

1-1/8yd for 463 to 546”

How to Calculate ~ Measure your quilt top. Divide the total of all four sides by 42” (minimum width of fabric), add one. Multiply that total by width you cut the strips, the answer is the number of inches needed for your binding. I add 1/8yd (4-1/2”) for straightening, cutting errors, shrinkage during pre-washing and to just make you more comfortable. Use your own judgment. If 1/8yd isn’t enough to give you peace of mind, add 1/4yd. The “add one” strip is for corners, the overlap where the beginning and end meet, and piecing the strips together.

Example: your quilt top is 94” x 106”.    94 + 94 + 106 + 106 = 400/42 = 9.52 + 1 = 10.52 round up = 11 strips.    11 x 2-1/2” = 27-1/2” needed.    27” is 3/4 yd + 1/8 yd = 7/8 yd.

Diagonal Cut ~ ~ ~ 2-1/2” Strips

3/8 yd for 0 to 150”

1/2 yd for 150 to 250”

5/8 yd for 200 to 350”

7/8 yd for 350 to 450”

1yd for 450 to 500”

Measure your quilt top. The total of the four sides plus an extra 8 to 12” for corners and finishing is approximately the length of binding needed. There is a little extra fabric built into the chart.

Here is a link to a handy binding calculator on Quilter's Paradise website. Put in the fabric width, the width and length of the quilt, and the width you want to cut your binding strips. Click on "calculate". Lower on the page it will show the amount of fabric needed for both Straight Cut cross grain and Diagonal Cut bias strips.

Binding ~ part two ~ Cutting Methods ~ ~ ~

~ Straight Cut: strips are cut across the width of the fabric, which is the cross grain, or along the length of the fabric, which is the straight of grain.

~ Diagonal Cut: strips are cut at a 45 degree angle from the salvage, on the bias.

They are both popular. Straight Cut has the advantage of using less fabric. Diagonal Cut goes around curves nicely and withstands wear better.

Cutting Binding ~ ~ ~

~  Diagonal Cut on the Bias ~ DO NOT fold the fabric nicely, place your ruler at a 45 degree angle and cut. Trust me, it doesn’t work.

Unfold the fabric and lay it on the table. Keep your ruler at a 45 degree angle to the salvage while you cut the strips. Cut the first strip. Position the edge of the ruler 2-1/2” in from the edge of the new cut to for the next strip. Repeat.

click on photo for a larger image

~ Straight Cut on the Cross Grain ~  Strips are cut at a 90 degree angle to the selvage. Leave the fabric folded selvage to selvage. Straighten the cut edge of your fabric. There’s a TIP for it.  Next turn the fabric so that the new straight edge is your starting point for cutting your binding strips. Lay your ruler 2-1/2” over the straight edge for each cut.

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~ Straight Cut on the Straight of Grain ~ First cut off the salvage. Fold the fabric for cutting. Be very careful to neatly line up the edges. Use as few folds as possible to avoid distorting the binding. TIP (distortion) Lay your ruler 2-1/2” over the straight edge for each cut.

Joining Strips Together ~ ~ ~
~ Sew the strips end to end to create one continuous looong length of binding. 

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~ Straight Cut ~ Lay one strip down right side up. At the right end lay one strip face down on top of it to form a 90 degree angle taking care not to include the selvage in the seam allowance. Draw a line from the top left to the bottom right. Sew following the line. Trim seam allowance to 1/4" and press it to one side.

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~ Diagonal Cut ~ Left - One choice for piecing strips that wastes fabric.
       Middle - This is an efficient use of fabric. Take care not to include the selvage in the seam allowance. Lay the first strip down right side up. Lay a strip face down on top of it at a 90 degree angle. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew and press allowance to one side (see the set of pictures above for an example)

~ After all strips are joined together; fold the binding in half wrong sides together. Press.


Binding ~ part three ~ Attach It! ~ ~ ~

This tutorial assumes your quilt sandwich is squared up TIP and ready for the binding. If not, the following tutorials are available ~

Binding ~ How much Fabric?

Binding ~ Cutting Methods

Cut the beginning of the binding at a 90 degree angle to the long edges.

~ You may choose to stitch the edge of the quilt sandwich with a basting stitch to secure it. This will prevent possible shifting of the backing while attaching the binding.

~ Fold the binding in half side to side. Press.

~ Particularly if you are new to binding, it is a good idea to pin it on before you begin sewing. Lay the start of the binding on top of the quilt top several inches below a corner. Line up the raw edges of the binding with the edge of the quilt top. Begin pinning the binding through all three layers of the quilt sandwich. Continue pinning to the corner. Place a pin 1/4” from the corner.

~ If you don’t normally pin your binding in place, place a pin through the quilt top 1/4” from each corner to prevent stitching past the turning point.

Use a 1/4" seam allowance to attach the binding. Begin sewing the 4” beyond the start of the binding.

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Corners ~

~ Stitch up to the pin 1/4" from the end of the side, turn and stitch through the seam allowance and off the fabric at a 90 degree angle. Cut threads.

~Turn quilt, flip binding up; this creates a 45 degree fold in the binding. Fold it down exactly at the edge of the quilt. Pin through all layers of the binding to prevent slipping. The binding should lay neatly along the next side.

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~ Position needle slightly below/beyond the diagonal fold in the binding. Backstitch just to the fold, then continue to the next corner.

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~ Repeat for every corner.

Back at the Beginning ~ 

Method 1 ~ Straight Seam ~

Note: Both beginning and end of binding should be cut straight across

~ Continue stitching the binding down until you are 2-3” from where you began. Cut off the remaining binding leaving a 4” tail. 
~ Smooth both ends towards the center of the gap until they meet in the middle. Holding the bottom layer of each in place, carefully pull the top layer back. 
~ Pin the two pieces touching the quilt top together where they meet. Open the folds on both ends. Pin together. 
~ Sew a seam across the unfolded ends. Trim to 1/4". Press seam open. Fold again and press. 
~ Finish attaching the binding.

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Method 2 ~ Diagonal Seam ~
~ Continue stitching the binding down until you are 2” from where you began. Cut remaining binding so it overlaps the start of the binding by 3”. Trim a sliver off of the seam allowance of the raw edge approximately 1/8” x 3".
~ Open the beginning binding, fold the binding down to a 45 degree angle. Lay the end of the binding on top of the open binding. 
~ Fold the starting binding in half again encompassing the ending binding. Pin in place. Stitch down all of the way through where the stitching began.

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Finishing ~

~ turn binding towards outside of quilt. Press.

~ Fold over the edge and onto the back covering the seam. Note: half of the binding shows on the front, and half on the back of the quilt. Pin.

~ Create a fold in the back at each corner, pin.

~ Hand stitch. The last picture shows the front of the quilt with binding pinned in place on the back side.

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Reader suggestion - close ups: back and front view of corner. Pin lies along 45 degree fold.

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Note ~ If you can’t stand the idea of traditional hand sewing the binding, there may be someone in your area that specializes in binding. Also some long arm quilters will bind your quilt for you. If neither is feasible, attach the binding to the back, fold it to the front and top stitch as close to the edge of the binding as possible. This will give you more control for the front where you want it to look it’s prettiest. If you fold it past the stitch line, then you should be able to use a thread that blends in with the quilt backing for the bobbin so it is an unobtrusive as possible.