Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Quilt Class 101 - Week 12 - Binding

OK.. are you ready?
First Step, is to find out how much fabric do you need?... Get out your calculators...
 Do this by adding 2 x width and 2 x length. So, My Quilt Top measures 
2 x 50" + 2 x 58" = 216"
then divide 216 by 44" (width of fabric) = 4.9
So, you need 4.9 or 5 Strips to get you all the way around. I always add an extra just in case... So 6 Strips.
Your strips need to be 2.5" wide, so you need 6 x 2.5" = 15" of fabric
Still following?? You can work it out quickly in your head once you get the hang of it.
Cut your 6 strips, 2.5" wide.
 With a 1/4" seam allowance, join them them all end to end, so you have one long continuous strip. You can do a diagonal seam to reduce bulk, but i don't usually.
 Press seams open.
 Next, with wrong sides together, press your strip in half length ways...
 I always start at the bottom of my quilt.  Lay your binding strip on with the raw edge of your binding along the raw edge of your quilt top. Leave around 6 inches and place a pin to hold in place.
 Start in front of the pin you just put in,With a 1/4" seam allowance and your walking foot, sew down a few stitches and reverse to secure. Continue sewing along, 1/4" in from the edge, until you reach your first corner.
 When you are 1/4" away from your first bottom edge ( or next side ), put your needle down. Lift your presser foot .
 Swivel your Quilt and instead of continuing to sew down the next side.. you are going to sew backwards off your quilt top
 Secure with a few reverse stitches. Pull your top out of your machine and cut your threads.
 Take your binding strip and fold it up 45 degrees... See below.
 Then fold it back down on itself. This will give you a neat mitre corner.
 Now, Continue to sew down this next side. Remember to do a couple reverse stitches again in the begging to secure.
 Sew all around your quilt, mitring your corners as you come to them. When you get close to where you started... Stop about 8-10 inches away and Reverse to secure.
 Take your quilt top out of your machine and lay on a flat surface. Take your ruler and measure the distance between your two spots.  Another formula for you..
 Mine was 8 inches, So,
8 inches + .5 inch(seam allowance) = 8.5"
Divide by 2 = 4.25 inches.
Next, Measure and cut each binding end... Mine needed to be cut 4.25 inches long. You will cut yours differently depending on your measurements.
 With right sides together, pin to hold.
 With 1/4" seam allowance sew these two binding ends together.
 Fold out and lay flat and
  sew this down onto your quilt... You have now finished the machine sewing part. Almost done!
Take your scissors
 Cut off the extra batting all around the edge of your quilt. Take care cutting around your corners.. you don't want to cut a hole in your binding.
 Iron your binding out flat
 Fold your binding back over to the back of your quilt.
 I always fold mine just over the sewing line so you cant see it.
 With a slip stitch... Sew in place.
When you get to the corners, the side you were sewing goes under first and the next side folds neatly over top...
Continue all around your edge and your done!!!! A BIG CONGRATS to you!!!!
 and Congrats to all of you who read ALL the way down to the bottom of this post!!!
If you have a binding tutorial you would like to link up... you can link up below...




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29 comments:

  1. Excellent tutorial! I am still working on getting my bindings looking neat and completed easily and I think this will help me along a little. I think I've just got used to doing mitered corners, now I just have to do them well!

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  2. Me agrada el resultado de las esquinas..he aprendido el paso de trabar la costura antes de hacer el doblez gracias a su tutorial.
    Ya tengo que practicarlo!

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  3. Great tutorial.Thank you for sharing all of your expertise with us, you probably have no idea how many people you have helped. I love the polka dots not at all what I was expecting.

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  4. Great tutorial. I always join my strips on the bias but had forgotten why. You reminded me that it was just to reduce the bulkiness. Thank you for that and a great tutorial.

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  5. Thank you for another great tutorial!!! I can't wait to see all of the finished quilts!!!

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  6. I haven't seen anyone sew the binding on before cutting off the extra batting/backing, but it makes sense! I have two quilts waiting to be bound and will try it this way. Thanks so much for the class and really wonderful tutorials!

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  7. I usually cut the batting off first too, but I think I may do it this way next time. Thanks for the tutorial.

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  8. Thanks for this tutorial! I linked up a bias tape tutorial for anyone looking into making rounded corners on their quilt. :)

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  9. Wow binding already it's flown by! Great job Bec!

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  10. Thank you Rebecca! This was again very good tutorial! I didn't have time to make a quilt now but I followed every lesson and they were really good and so usefull!
    And now...is the class over...
    Thank so much for these lessons! Your quilt became beautiful!!!
    xxx Teje

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  11. This binding is just wonderful. Others make it so difficult sewing 45 d. angles. I was going to give up quilting because I dread doing those end tails. Thank you for helping me continue quilting. It means a lot to me.

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  12. First, great binding fabric to finish off your quilt!! Second, thank you! I've read untold numbers of binding tutorials and this one is super simple and easy to follow! Again, thanks.

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  13. Great tutorial. I have done this before but really appreciated seeing the very clear step by step directions. My next project should be easier with this help you shared.

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  14. Genius! I've never known a good way to close the binding. You're way is so easy! Thanks!

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  15. Always interesting how many different ways there are to do binding, lol

    I always start my binding at a bottom corner so that there's no need to "join" the ends. Just fold in the raw edge and sew over. But I also fold my binding in half again (before attaching) so that there's only one raw edge per side (and it's tucked way in/under).

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  16. thanks Becca! that is one fabulous quilt! I can't wait to make time to finish mine but it won't be for another week probably (going on a quilt shop bus trip this weekend!) I appreciate all your hard work showing me how to quilt! I'll share once it's done!

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  17. this WAS a great tutorial! I haven't quilted mine yet :( Went on vacation for a week and still mentally there LOL. You make binding look so easy. thanks :)

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  18. Great tutorial! I have never seen the stitching at the corners done like that - where you reverse stitched off and then started again at the edge. I will have to try that next time.

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  19. Ah, the things you learn! I had no idea that measuring the ending distance was done that way, I normally guess. Thanks for that!

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  20. This has been a great tutorial for me. I started a log cabin quilt 12 years ago and just finished it last week. I had most of the fabric selected and the pieces cut for the center block, but once I signed up for your class, I was able to add new fabric and make a complete bedspread! My sister helped me with the binding step because I just couldn't wait. Thanks so much for your tutorial!

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  21. Thanks for your tutorial. The quilt looks spectacular with the black and white dotty binding.

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  22. Thanks for the tutorial. It was very timely. I just did my first binding yesterday.

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  23. This would have helped me a whole lot yesterday!! But I've learned alot from this . Thanks.

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  24. I am too impatient for hand-sewing the back of the binding down, so I'm using this tutorial for doing it all on machine. It's fantastic. I would link, but it's not my own... ok maybe I'll link it anyway because it's really great.

    http://www.oliveandollie.com/2011/04/tutorial-how-to-attach-quilt-binding-by.html

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  25. THANKS for the tut and great pics :)

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  26. Worked like a charm...great pictures, clear directions, flawless binding!!
    Thanks so much.
    Laurie
    Las Cruces, New Mexico

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  27. Thanks so much for your great tutorial on how to do this binding. My friend tried to explain this to me, but seeing the photos really help!

    I made a baby blanket and referred to your binding tutorial in my blog post! Thanks again.
    http://www.stemmom.org/2012/03/blanket-tutorial.html

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