Wednesday, December 12, 2012

How to Bind a Quilt and Other Quilty Projects...



Recently I've had several people ask me how I bind my quilts.
So I thought that this would be a perfect time to show you how I do it:)


Yesterday I made a quilt for Dolly and I took pics of my machine quilting and binding process.
It's the same way that I bind every quilt or project...no matter the size.

I'm no stranger to hand quilting...
I grew up around the quilting frames.
But because of my design schedule...
I usually send my quilts out to be machine quilted.
That seems to be the norm now a days and
 I do love me a beautiful machine quilted quilt!




When I have smaller projects such as my new Dolly quilt...
I simply quilt them on my Bernina.
I cut my backing fabric a few inches larger than my quilt top...
around all 4 sides.
 I cut my batting the same size as my backing fabric.


I ALWAYS use a walking foot when I am machine quilting. 
A walking foot allows the top, middle and bottom layer of the quilt
 to feed through the machine at the same speed...
so that means no shifting... gathering or puckers when quilting.
Nice!!! 


After I have finished my quilting...


I quilt 1/8" from the edge to hold it down nice and flat for binding...
then I trim the excess batting and backing fabric away.


Sometimes I like to add trim in my bindings.
For the Dolly quilt...I sewed 1/2" pink ric-rac on the edge.
I fold the rid-rac like this on each corner and if there is any 
ric-rac sticking out past the edges of the quilt...
I simply trim it off. 
Don't worry about those trimmed off edges fraying...
they will be within the binding:)



When I take my 1/4" seam allowance with the binding..it will look like this.


I cut two 2 1/2" x Width of Fabric strips for the binding.
For this quilt I will need about 80" of binding.

My formula for determining how many inches I need for a quilt goes like this.
1. Measure the length of all 4 sides of your quilt top.
2. Add them together.
3. Add 10"...
4. That is how many inches you will need!

*NOTE - if you are binding anything that has a curve at all to it...
you will need to cut your strips on the bias!!!


I cut the selvedge off of each strip....


And join them together on the diagonal...


like this.


I trim off the excess...


And press the seams open for less bulk around the edge of the quilt.


Then I press the whole strip in half with WRONG SIDES together.


I unfold one end and fold it down like this...


And then fold it back to wrong sides together.


I place the raw unfolded edges even with the edges of the quilt....
the fold goes towards the inside of the quilt top.
I start by sewing the end I have folded like this....
 and I leave a tail by stitching about 2" down from my fold.


I use a 1/4" seam allowance and 
I always use my walking foot when sewing on binding to keep the layers even.
I keep sewing until I am 1/4" from the first corner.
I lift the foot up ...leaving the needle down and pivot the quilt on an angle like this.


Then I sew at an angle off the edge of the corner and clip my threads.
I DO NOT CUT MY BINDING STRIP AT ANYTIME.


Then I lift the binding straight up...



And fold it back down like this.


The raw edges are even with the side of the quilt again
 and I'm ready to sew the binding on the next side of the quilt.


When starting on a new side...
I simply start at the top...
sewing through the folded corner and backstitch at the beginning to secure.


I continue sewing all 4 sides of the quilt and do each corner exactly the same as the first one.


When I get back to the side where I started...
I trim the end on the diagonal ...


Making sure that I leave it long enough so that I can 
unfold the folded tail at the beginning and tuck it inside...


like this.


Then I simply continue sewing until I reach my first stitches...


Then I sew on top of them about 1/2" and backstitch.
By tucking the raw edge inside the folded end that I started with...
I have a completely finished seam!


Then I fold the binding to the back of the quilt and whip stitch it into place.


I always start my hand stitching where I started my machine stitching.


I do a blind whip stitch...


and I fold the binding just past the 1/4" seam line on the back.


When I get to the corners I fold them over to the back and sew just to the machine stitching.


Then I fold the other side in just past the stitching and
 stitch them together with 2-3 stitches...like this.
I continue in the same way all the way around...



Until I get to my first fold in the binding. I also do a blind whip stitch to hold it down and the I knot off.
I hide my tail between the layers and trim...just like when hand quilting.


And my Dolly quilt is completely bound.






And ready to give to Dolly:)
Have a quilty kind of day my friends!!!
xx
Lori





37 comments:

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

How nice of you to take time to show us how it's done! And LOOK at your fingernails! I love them!

The Slow Quilter said...

This was a great tutorial and I have done the same. One question maybe two, what is that plastic guide you have on your machine? I think I had one at one time but was not sure how to use it, might have to find it again. Does it help keep you stright on the 1/4" seam? Because using the walking foot I am never sure where the 1/4" is. Also, do you cut the excess backing and batting even with the quilt top or leave 1/8" from the top? Sorry for all the question, again this was a great tutorial.

trish said...

This is a fabulous tutorial!
Super cute dolly blanket.

Jan Barnett said...

Thank you for this much needed tutorial! Just today, I'll be binding my second quilt effort, and I've been dreading it! All is better now...Jan

legato1958 said...

Thank you for this beautiful tutorial! Your pictures and explanations are excellent! I make many mug rugs and small quilts, and am " intermediate" level, but always wonder how to make my binding more precise. Love this little quilt!

Susie

legato1958 said...

To Slow Quilter- I believe the plastic guide is The Angler 2. She has mentioned it in her blog before. I got one, and am going to use it now!

Susie

~Damita's Pretty Wrap~ said...

Looks so cute!! And thank you so much for a great tutorial!! :) Have a lovely day, Happy Holidays! xo Holly

Sharon@Sharon at Home said...

Thanks for the tutorial ... love how you do your end. Much easier than the way I always sew it together .
Definitely trying your way

Marcia said...

Thank you for this tutorial ... I've bound many quilts (it's my favorite thing to do) but I always look and read about how others do it. One can always learn something from another!

Kathleen said...

I bound 3 potholders for Christmas gifts - wish I had seen this method first. I did it the way Sharon mentioned, by sewing the ends together and that was not fun. I'll remember your way next time! Thank you for your many detailed tutorials! You are so kind to share your tips and tricks.

Sowing Stitches said...

Great Tutorial...and I love the addition of rickrack!

Maxine said...

Thanks for sharing Lori..I do have a question on thread..what kind and weight do you use when quilting the quilt? And do you use the same when putting on the binding? Happy Holiday from our home to yours

Unknown said...

Thank you for the tutorial, you made it very clear and look so simple. I learned a few new things from it, that is awesome. As always your work is impeccable.

Julie @ The Crafty Quilter said...

This is a wonderful tutorial on binding and I love the addition of the ric rac. I teach my beginning quilt students the same method for joining the binding ends - it's so much easier! I'll be referring them to your tutorial for reference. Thank you for the great visuals!

Judy said...

Being a newer quilter I have a difficult time with the binding. This tutorial is wonderful for me. I thank you for taking the time to explain and for the pictures. I love it! jlblvn@gmail.com

Judy said...

Being a newer quilter I have a difficult time with the binding. This tutorial is wonderful for me. I thank you for taking the time to explain and for the pictures. I love it! jlblvn@gmail.com

MaggieOz said...

Thanks for the brilliant tutorial.I start my day off with a visit to your blog Keep up the great work and have a great Chrissy Hugs Maggie.

Unknown said...

Yep still awesome!!! I love the hiding in the fold, you are brilliant.

Nancy B said...

Oh, I wish I had this tutorial last week while making mug rugs! I couldn't figure out the hidden tail in the fold thing to save me!!! You have made this so simple and the great pictures really help. Thank you!
Merry Christmas!
Nancy

Sasha said...

Thank you for the wonderful tutorial! Your Dolly quilt is so adorable. I wish I could quilt with my machine, but it doesn't like to cooperate :( I don't mind hand quilting though =D

Kim with a K said...

Wow!
Another useful tutorial...you do so many!
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this...the pictures are so helpful!

Mary Ann said...

How cute that turned out! I do my binding just like you showed except I do the beginning and ending a little different.

Helen L said...

Lori, this is how I do it also, but I learned a great tip from you: I love how you fold down the beginning of the strip so that when you come to the end the join is all ready to go!! Wonderful idea: THANKS!!! I'll be using it from now on!! Helen in Healdsburg

Shelly said...

Lori thank you thank you for the most wonderful tutorials. The pictures are great. I love your blog!

busyascanbe said...

Great tut! Are your circles out anywhere yet?
Debbie

Rebecca said...

This is such a wonderful and beautifully photographed tutorial! Thank you so much! I do everything the same way you do, except ending the binding with the angled fold - I will definitely be doing that in the future! It looks so much better than sewing the binding ends together. I had a question about the solid neutral you used - what was it? It looks like either a Kona or Bella solid, but I don't recognize the color? Thanks again!
Rebecca in CA :)

Unknown said...

great tutorials thank you.....

kervei said...

such a smart way to tuck in the beginning and end of the binding; I have not seen that before! I will definately use that on my next project.
thanks for doing the tutorial!

Kim said...

Thank you so much for a great tutorial! I just finished my first binding with your help! I have one question, should the size of the binding be the same width on the front and the back of the quilt? (does that make sense?) How do you know how much to fold over when you finish the back.

Patty C. said...

Thank you!

Loopy Freak said...

I just used this excellent tutorial and finished my quilt! Superstar! Thanks so much! x

KathyD said...

His just popped on my pinterest, and I've made amd bound a few quilts, but the trick about tucking the ends into each other was a revelation, I love it! Thank you for sharing, I will definitely be using this method from now on.

Marlene said...

Many thanks , will be doing " IT " your way on my next quilt

Mom2Caleigh said...

Thanks so much! I have never put binding on a quilt. I have always used the roll over method. That is what I learned making "Quilts for Kids" and that is all I knew how to do. Thanks so much for giving me the tools to take the first step to a new world! I have a few quilts in the works, and I promise I am going to use this method - they may not turn out as pretty as yours, but I have to start somewhere. I just have to remember it's just the beginning! Thanks so very much!!!!

Unknown said...

A most useful step by step guide - the visuals are perfect !

Many thanks for sharing !

Sylvia Taylor said...

I have been sewing for 75 years- this is one of the best tutorials I have ever seen! Easy to understand and photos so clear- this is almost exactly how I do borders so it was especially fun to see that others do- Good work

Frances said...

This is the best binding tutorial I have seen, so well explained and lovely clear photos. I'm new to quilting and this is my go-to reminder of how to do really simple, neat corners. And I love the ric-rac trim, I'll have to try that. Thank you for sharing.
PS: That's a beautiful quilt you made.

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