it’s only been ages since i’ve posted.

but i’ve gotten a lot done.

first there was getting all the quilts for the year done.

then i had to rush and make my nieces quilt

cranked this guy out in four days.

now i just need to do the binding.

and the last few days i’ve been working on the mystery quilt, getting all my files and papers sorted, cleaning house…

it seems that going on vacation is what i need to do to get all my regular “stuff” done.

as a result i’ve been able to get all the piles in my car, by the door, on the counter and scattered around the house gone.

as in everything has been distributed to it’s proper locations.

*cheering*

but another accomplishment??

i finished the updated binding tutorial

it’s a whopping 26 pages but it’s cut down from the 43.

pictures and easy words should take the mystery out of bindings.

so though you can find the printable version in the resources section on this website,

here it is again.

WARNING:  this is a long post!

Binding 101:

Make and Apply Binding to Every Quilt…the Easy Way!

start by trimming the extra batting and backing 1″ from the raw edge of the quilt top.

next square up your binding fabric and cut into 2 1/2″ strips.

trim off the selvage edge!

find this spot on your cutting mat and mark the line with a “B” for Binding.

(Trust me…)

line up the edge of the first binding strip with the intersecting 90 degree lines on your mat.

line up the ruler, leaving a pen tip width from the edge, with the diagonal line on the mat.

be sure it isn’t ON the line but NEXT to the line.

using your ruler for a guide draw a line starting at the corner of the binding strip.

repeat for all strips except the last one.

lay the unmarked strip on the bed of your machine, right side up.

lay the first marked strip on top of the “naked” strip, right side down, at a 90 degree angle to the first strip.

make sure the edges are lined up evenly.

starting at the top of the line…

stitch along the SIDE of the line, just to the right.  Not ON the line.

when the binding strip is opened up the thread takes up space.

don’t back-stitch!

repeat by bringing the unstitched, unmarked end of each strip up.

it becomes the unmarked beginning strip…repeat the steps until the strips are chain pieced together.

clip the strips apart…

and trim 1/4″ from the stitching.

working along the binding strip,

finger press each seam open then…

run a hot iron over it.

fold the strip in half and…

run the iron over the fold the entire length of the binding.

look at the beautiful binding!

line the binding up with the edge of the quilt top.

use a 1/4″ seam allowance being sure to back-stitch when starting.

be sure to back-stitch when you get 1/4″ away from the end of the quilt top.

turn your quilt so the binding hangs off to the right side.

flip the binding strip up making sure the edge of the binding is in a straight line with the quilt top.

then fold down, again, lining up the binding with the top.

when you fold the strip down be sure to let a little of it hang over the end just a smidge.

start stitching, be sure to back-stitch.

and repeat for all sides.

when you return to the side of the quilt with the beginning of the binding, end about 18″ from the beginning.

fold the end of the binding strip away.

right now you’ll work with the beginning of the binding.

lay the strip out so it’s even with the quilt top.

pull it taut and pin.

i pin it in two places.

next lay the end of the binding strip along the edge of the quilt top making sure the two ends overlap.

pull it taut and pin it down, once before the beginning of the binding strip.

i pin it again just before the second pin on the starting end, just to make sure it doesn’t go anywhere.

line one of the 1″ marks up with the beginning end of the binding (which is hiding).

in this photos it’s the 7″ mark.

count over 2 1/2″ from the beginning end of the binding strip and cut.

remove all the pins and the excess binding.

at your cutting mat, place the bulk of the quilt so it’s facing away from you.

open up the left end of the binding and place it on the 90 degree angle opposite the line marked ‘B’ for binding.

line up the ruler with the diagonal line and mark the binding end.

open up the left end of your binding and place on the bed of your machine with the right side facing up.

place the right side of the binding, wrong side up, on top of the left end of the binding.

stitch just to the right of the drawn line.

trim 1/4″ away from the stitched line.

press the seam open.

fold over and press again.

line up the binding with the edge of the quilt and stitch down.

don’t forget to back-stitch when you reach the beginning stitching line!

lay the quilt out on your cutting mat.  (again.)

line up the 1/8″ mark on the ruler with the edge of the quilt top.

trim.

yes, that’s right…you aren’t cutting right to the edge.

this technique creates a nice clean edge to the binding.

you’re whole quilt will look like this when you’re done trimming.

now to stitch the binding down…

anchor your thread on the back of the quilt by bringing it through the binding stitching.

be sure the needle is passing through the backing and batting and not the quilt top.

then wrap the binding around from the top to the back of the quilt.

rock the needle back and forth through the binding, backing and batting making a running blind stitch.

typically i take two “notches” of the binding fabric before pulling the needle completely through to start another stitch.

be sure that the needle goes through the bottom layer of the binding and not through to the top.

this may take a bit of practice but is well worth it!

when you come to the corner, clip jus the tip away.

fold the binding corner up, tuck the corner of the quilt into the corner of the binding,

then continue stitching down until you are 1/4″ away from the binding stitch.

when you get 1/4″ from the binding stitch, fold the left side back toward your hand.

fold the binding from the top of the quilt down.

then replace the left side of the binding making a mitered corner.

blind stitch about three stitches from the inside corner to the outside corner.

then stitch back to the inside corner.

continue along the binding and repeat for steps for each corner.

Congratulations!

You’ve just bound a quilt simply.

It’s time consuming but the final result is worth it.

Thanks for stopping by!!