192
CHAPTER QUILTING A QUILT
Bind a Quilt
Binding finishes the edge of a quilt, covering it in fabric. Typically binding is cut from the crosswise
grain, which provides stability and helps keep your quilt square. If your quilt has a curved edge, cut
bias binding instead. You might also want to cut bias binding from striped or plaid fabric to give a quilt
with a straight edge a special look.
If you want to add a hanging sleeve to your quilt, sew the top edge of it to the
quilt before binding. Use a scant
1
⁄
4
-inch (.6 cm) seam allowance. Hand sew the
bottom edge of the sleeve after your quilt is bound.
Cut binding strips.
Binding strips can be 2 to 2
1
⁄
2
inches (5 to 6.3 cm) wide, as
you prefer. The length and number of strips depends on the
size of your quilt. Cut enough strips to equal the perimeter
of your quilt, plus 10 to 12 inches (25.5 to 30.5 cm) for joining
the ends, plus an additional
1
⁄
2
inch (1.2 cm) for every strip of
binding you cut (to allow for the seam allowances when you
sew them together).
1
Lay one strip on another and mark and sew a diagonal
seam.
Place one strip horizontally, face up. Place a second strip
on top of the first strip, face down, so the ends form a right
angle. Where the strips overlap, mark and sew a diagonal
from the upper-left corner to the lower-right corner. Trim the
seam allowance to
1
⁄
4
inch (.6 cm).
2
Trim excess
fabric
193
BIND A QUILT
3
5
Press the binding in half.
Fold the binding in half, being careful to match the raw edges
exactly. Press the fold, pressing seams open as you come to
them.
6
Join the rest of the strips.
Add a third strip to the first two using the same method.
Continue joining strips until you have one long strip that is
equal to the perimeter of the quilt, plus 12 inches (30.5 cm).
Press the seams open where they are joined.
4
Lay folded binding on quilt front, matching raw edges.
Leave 6 inches (15.2 cm) hanging free, and then pin the
binding along one side of the quilt, starting about 10 inches
(25 cm) from a corner. Use a
1
⁄
4
-inch (.6 cm) seam allow-
ance for a 2-inch (5 cm) binding or a
3
⁄
8
-inch (1 cm) seam
allowance for a 2
1
⁄
2
-inch binding (6.3 cm). Backstitch at the
beginning of the seam.
Sew almost to the corner, and then backstitch.
Sew along the edge, stopping a distance equal to the seam
allowance (
1
⁄
4
or
3
⁄
8
inch) from the corner. Backstitch, and
remove the quilt from the machine.
194
CHAPTER QUILTING A QUILT
7
Fold the corner up at a 45-degree angle.
Rotate the quilt, placing the sewn binding horizontally. Fold
the binding up at a 45-degree diagonal.
9
Fold the binding back down straight.
Hold the diagonal fold in place, and then fold the binding
back down, making sure to align the raw edges again. The top
of the folded binding should align with the top edge of the
quilt. Pin the binding in place.
10
8
Sew, beginning the same distance from the edge as your
seam allowance.
Backstitch, and then continue sewing the binding to the
quilt, repeating Steps 6–9 at each corner. Stop sewing about
10 inches (15.2 cm) from where you started. Backstitch and
remove the quilt from the machine.
Trim the binding ends where the strips meet.
Lay down the binding on the left, and put a pin in the quilt to
mark where it ends. Lay the right binding on top. Measure the
width of the binding from the pin, and mark the top binding at
this spot. Trim the top binding at the mark.
Width of
binding
195
BIND A QUILT
11
13 14
12
Position the quilt with the binding edge closest to you.
Open up the binding on the left, right side up. Open up the
binding on the right, right side down. Place the right binding
on top and perpendicular to the left binding, matching edges.
Pin the ends together. Mark the sewing line. On the right
(top) binding, mark a sewing line diagonally, from the upper
left down to the lower right.
Sew the binding ends together.
Sew on the marked line. Check to make sure the binding fits
the edge of the quilt, and resew if needed. Trim the seam
allowance, pressing it open. Lay the binding on the quilt and
sew the remaining seam. Backstitch at the beginning and end
of the seam.
Hand sew the binding down.
Roll the binding to the back of the quilt, and then hand sew it
down with matching thread using a blind stitch. Binding clips
will help to hold the binding in place as you sew.
Miter the corners of the binding.
When you reach a corner, fold the corner into a miter and
stitch it down. Sew the mitered corner closed, up to the point.
Sneak the needle out of the corner, and then continue sewing
the binding.
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