Perfect Binding

MAKING BINDING STRIPS:

Cut enough strips to fit around the quilt perimeter + approximately 20” extra. For double fold, straight of grain binding, cut strips 2½” across the width of fabric (WOF). For single binding cut strips 1¼” or 1 ½” WOF – depending on the thickness of the quilt.

Join the individual strips into one continuous length using a diagonal seam. Diagonal seams are less visible and they distribute the seam bulk evenly. Place the first strip, right side up, horizontally in front of you. At the right edge of the horizontal strip overlap (with a ½” overhang), right side down, the end of the second strip vertically across the first strip (i.e. at right angles).

Draw a diagonal line from the top left to the bottom right corner – this is your sewing line.

Pin the two layers and sew on the drawn line.

Continue attaching all the fabric in a continuous strip this way.

Use a rotary cutter and ruler to trim away excess fabric ¼” from the stitch line.

Press seams open to evenly distribute bulk of seam.

Trim “dog ears”.

For double fold binding, press binding strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.

Roll up binding to keep neat.

ATTACHING A MITERED BINDING:

Attach a walking foot to your sewing machine (unless you have a dual feed sewing machine). The walking foot feeds the bulk of the quilt and the binding evenly through the sewing machine. Thread the sewing machine with a matching thread.

With the trimmed and squared quilt top facing up, lay the raw edge of the binding strip level with the edge of the quilt somewhere in the middle of a long edge of the quilt.

Leave a 10” tail and start sewing - this unstitched tail is necessary when the two ends of the binding strip are eventually joined.

Use the walking foot edge or notches as a guide, stitch a generous ¼” from the raw edge.

It is important that you test that the binding reaches all the way around the edge of the quilt to the correct position at the back of the quilt. Varying thicknesses of batting and fabric can affect how full and/or wide the finished binding will be – adjust your seam allowance accordingly so that the finished binding width is even on the front and back.

It is also very important that the binding is filled with the quilt top – there should be no hollow areas within the binding. An empty binding is unsightly and wears more quickly.

Approximately 3” from the corner, stop sewing with the needle in the down position.

Making sure that the corner of the quilt is resting on your sewing machine’s table, fold the binding strip (to the right) at a 90° angle creating a neat diagonal fold. The raw edge of the binding must now be level with, and parallel to, the horizontal edge of the quilt.

Finger press the diagonal fold that has been created. The diagonal line must meet with the corner of the quilt top.

When you unfold the binding you will see a 45° crease – the correct formation of this crease is very important and is used as a guide for your stitching.

Continue stitching until the needle is one stitch away from the creased line. If you go over the creased line (shown in blue on the photograph), the binding will not lay flat in the corner.

Back stitch for about 1½” on the same line of stitches (using the reverse button on your sewing machine). You do not need to cut the thread.

Raise your needle and lift the presser foot.

Working on the sewing machine table. Refold the binding strip on the 45° angle you previously created. Ensure the binding raw edge is level with, and parallel to, the next edge of the quilt.

Fold the binding strip back over itself so it is even with the edge of the quilt on both sides.

You can use a pin to hold it in place but once you gain experience you can just hold it with your fingers. The newly created fold must be in line with the first edge of the quilt and not extend beyond the quilt edge.

Reposition the quilt under the presser foot and continue sewing from the edge (you do not need to back stitch).

Repeat this process in all the corners. Continue stitching the binding until you have approximately 14” of unsewn quilt top from where you started sewing. Remove the quilt from sewing machine.

JOINING THE TAIL ENDS

Lay the unsewn area of the quilt on a table in front of you with the raw edge to the top. Make sure all is flat and level.

Fold back out of the way the END tail of the binding strip.

Lay the START tail of the binding strip flat and even with the edge of the quilt.

Approximately in the middle of the gap of the unsewn section, cut the START tail straight across at right angle.

Lay the END tail of the binding strip flat and level with the edge of the quilt. At the point where the END tail meets the START cut tail, fold back the END binding strip so that the two edges abut. Therefore, the START tail is cut and the END tail is folded and abutting the START tail.

Press the fold (iron or finger press) that has been created. This crease is important and must be clearly visible. You may want to mark it with a pencil line.

With the quilt edge in front of you (and being careful not to twist the ends), open the END tail of the binding so that it lies flat on your work surface above the quilt, right side up.

Open the START tail and align, at right angles (right side down), to the right of the crease on the END tail. Make sure the top edge of the START tail is level with the edge of the END tail.

Draw a diagonal line from the top left corner to the bottom right corner.

Pin.

Folding and pinning the quilt as shown in the photograph makes it easier to work in the small gap – it prevents the tail ends from pulling apart.

Stitch on the drawn line.

Trim seam allowance.

Press seam open.

Refold the binding in half and press.

The binding should lay perfectly flat on the quilt top

Stitch the final section of binding to the quilt.

Perfect!

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