Quick & Easy Binding Tutorial

Before we begin, I know that many of you have your own method of binding!  This post shows how I do binding - with the shortcuts I've created to avoid multiple trips to the cutting table, and drawing on fabric - which I just won't do!  Oh - and to use my 1/4" foot (because I almost never sew without it)!

Let's begin! 

Making The Binding 

1. Gather your binding strips and trim off the selvedge edges.

2. Lay one strip, face up so that the bottom corner is touching your 45 degree angle line as follows:

3. Lay another strip face down (so the fabrics are RST) as follows:

being sure they are neatly aligned on the top and side lines of your mat!

4. Lay your ruler edge along the 45 degree line - but DO NOT CUT

because this is your sewing/stitching line!  

5. Carefully move your ruler over so that the 1/4 " line on your ruler is aligned on the 45 degree line on your cutting mat as follows:

(thus adding your 1/4" seam allowance) - and cut:

6. Pin the two strips together

7. Now take the end of the strip that was face down and carefully fold it over once, so that it is face up, and align it with the bottom corner on the 45 degree line as you did before

8. This piece will now be your bottom piece that is face up - and you'll place another strip face down on top of it - aligning the edges as you did before

9. Continue this process until all of your binding strips are connected in one piece.

10. When you've added your last strip - fold it over as if you were going to add another strip of binding (though you are not) - and cut the strip 1/4" past the 45 degree line as you have done with the other strips:

This is going to make joining the two ends of your binding on the quilt A LOT easier

and it also helps to ensure that your angels are all facing in the same direction.

10. Stitch each section of your binding together

using a 1/4" seam allowance.

11. Press the seams open

to reduce bulk.

12. Starting with the straight edge, fold the binding in half, press, and roll

so that the end you cut on the 45 degree line is left out.

Attaching the Binding To The Quilt Front

1. Starting on the side, lay your binding about 1/2 way across the quilt edge and  STARTING ABOUT 6" to 8" from the binding edge, pin the binding all the way to the corner of the quilt:

 

2. Stitch (remembering to leave a 6" to 8" tail free)

3. At the corner, lift the binding, and fold it straight out from the top edge of the quilt

4. Then fold it straight back down, so that the fold aligns evenly with the quilt edge

if you hold it open a bit - it should look like this

5. Pin the corner.  Aligning the binding to the quilt edge, pin to the next corner - and sew

6. Repeat until you get to the side of the quilt where your started.  Fold your corner as normal, but only stitch this edge about 2" to 3" down the side of the quilt (to leave room for you to work as you connect the two ends of the binding.

7. If you have a lot of overlap, feel free to trim off some of the excess, but be sure you trim off of the straight edge - and that you leave at least 6" of over lap

8. Now, this is where the cut at the end of the binding comes in VERY handy!  Open the binding on the straight cut edge, and face it toward you as follows:

so that the right side of the fabric is facing up.

9. Now, align the edge you cut on the 45 degree line

and pin 1/4" from the edge of the 45 degree cut.

10. Now pull on each end slightly so that it closes, to see if it is too tight, too loose, or just right

you can see that mine is too loose here - so I'll repin it 1/4" from that 45 degree cut to make it tighter.  Once you have the perfect length for your quilt, repin it for sewing:

11. Stitch with your 1/4" foot running along the 45 degree cut line:

12. After you've stitched, pull on each edge, so that the fold closes, to make sure once more that the length is correct - and also that you've stitched it correctly. 

13. Trim off the tail end of the straight edge, aligning with the 45 degree angle

14. Press the seam open, press the binding in half, and stitch the remaining binding to the quilt!

Attaching the Binding To The Back of the Quilt

1. Fold the binding over the edge of the quilt to the back, and making tiny stitches, grabbing just under the binding edge - and coming out on the tip of the folded edge

2. When you approach a corner, stop stitching about 2" to 3" before the corner, and pin the side of the corner down with one pin

and then fold the top edge over, aligning the corner and pinning as follows:

3.  Stitch in place

4. Repeat as you work your way around the quilt!

Wishing you much joy in stitching your binding!

TTFN,

Kelly

Comments

[Gladys]

Hola, Kelly!
Acabo de leer su magnífica publicación y está muy clara. Sólo quería comentarle que mire un link gracias al cual yo aprendí a terminar el bies de mi primer quilt y aunque soy super novata, me quedó exacto: http://eltallerdegeorgina.blogspot.com/2009/07/tutorial-bies-final-perfecto-sobre-como.html
Allí Georgina explica cómo obtener un "final perfecto" del bies y realmente es así!
Muchas Gracias por sus claras explicaciones! A quienes aprendemos como yo sólo de la web, nos vienen fantástico!
Un abrazo!

[Dandelion Quilts]

This is a good tutorial, Kelly. You ought to put a link to it on your side bar because I know quilters will use it for years.

[Darlene]

Awesome tutorial, Kelly, applause, applause!

That quilt is adorable - need to get that pattern. :-)

[Mary Flynn]

I'm a wee ahead of the game with my finish I guess. Your tutorial is a good one!!
My quilt is here: http://www.quilthollow.com/

[Polly]

Hi, Kelly! I just got back from FL and am waaay behind on both projects. With our temps over 100 each day for the last week, my sewing room upstairs is really hot as our upstairs AC is not efficient. So, no sewing each night after work until it cools off some. I promise they will get done when I can sew in cool air!! Polly

[Kaaren]

I'm delivering my completed flimsy to my friend Barb who is going to quilt it on her longarm for me and I should have it bound and done in time for our parade.

I can't wait to see everyone's quilt! Bring on the marching bands and baton twirlers. Everyone loves a parade!

Great tute, Kelly!

[SewCalGal]

Beautiful quilt! Fun post

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

[Ulla]

Putting the binding on was no problem (I have used your method for some time already). Your "quilt as desired" advice was no good for me ;-) because I desired to quilt it with nice swirly hearts, but all I can do in straight lines, and sometimes not even so straight. I guess it is not your fault, though. Thank you for this cute quilt-along. My finished quilt is here: http://kotkarankki.blogspot.com/2010/07/quilt-finish-summer-trip-and-garden.html

[Rosie Davis]

Hi everyone! I haven't been too active lately but I wanted to share my Schnibbles little quilt with you all. I posted pictures on my blog which is quilter64.blogspot.com.
Hope I did this right so that I can be entered into the contest!!
I used the pattern called "Picnic". It was fun to see it go together and I think I posted my pictures wrong! I'm still learning how to operate these new computer programs. I am turning 65 tomorrow and I am so enjoying retirement! Have a great day!