*I start in the middle of one side of my quilt. Lay raw edge of binding against raw edge of quilt. Leave about a 10" tail before you start any pinning. I only use a pin to mark where to start sewing.
*I fold the bulk of the quilt to reduce resistance when sewing.
*Sew using a 1/4" seam allowance. 
*When you come close to the corner stop sewing 1/4" from bottom. I place a pin at the edge and use the mark on my 1/4" foot to show me where to stop sewing.
*Leaving your needle down lift presser foot and turn quilt diagonal then lower presser foot and sew to the edge of the quilt. You should just be able to eyeball this. Then remove pin. 
*Lift presser foot and pull quilt away and snip threads. Fold binding at angle as shown in the photo above. 
*Now fold binding down and pin as shown in the photo above. The pin isn't necessary once you are comfortable doing the fold.
*Begin sewing and repeat this method for all 4 corners.
*Once you finish the 4th corner stop sewing the binding when you are about 10" from the tail of the beginning binding. I usually mark my "stop sewing" spot with a pin.
*Lay the quilt edge flat where you'll attach the tails. Mark the beginning tail with a pin.
*Lay the end tail along edge of quilt to overlap with tail beginning. Take a ruler and measure 2 1/2" (because that's the width of your binding strips) beyond the pin.
*Fold back the binding and cut off excess tail.
*This is what you should have.
*Just like making binding...lay tails right sides together and pin for stability.
*Mark a diagonal sewing line.
*Sew along diagonal line.
*Trim off excess leaving 1/4" and iron your seam open. Then iron the fold to crease.
*Lay edge flat and binding should fit smoothly right along edge of quilt. Pin and sew in place. Now you're ready to hand sew the binding on the back. That will be the next tutorial, once I have a project ready to photograph.I hope this helps. Please let me know if anything is unclear. ~Piecefully, Stephanie
17 comments:
This is exactly how I sew my binding to the edge of my quilts. Only difference - I cut my binding strips 2". Great tutorials!
very clear, stephanie...like darlene, i do something a little different, too...the way i attach the two loose ends at the very end...but i think i like your way better...let me know if you'd like to know how i usually do it...i'm going to try your way next time, tho...=)...
I always have a bit of trouble with the last step. I've never seen this method. I'm going to give it a try and see if I'm more successful with it. Thanks so much for sharing.
O.K. the corners. Way cool on the sewing diagonal before you fold the fabric up and then down. Makes perfect sense!
Picture 8; do you start sewing at the edge or a 1/4" down from the edge?
I've not sewn the binding together at the end like that either. And that was one area I have not been pleased with on mine! So I'm totally going to try it. Thank you!
Great tutorial! I've been trying to get that binding finishing (sewing the last two pieces together) perfected. The last binding I did I had to resew it 3 or 4 times! Hopefully this will help me get it right.
To answer Jodi's question about picture 8...you begin sewing at the edge.
Attaching the tails the way I do eliminates bulk.
This is just my way and if it's helpful to readers I'm pleased!
~Piecefully, Stephanie
Stephanie, this is a really great tute. I'm going to add it to my sidebar! I basically do my bindings the same way, but your ending is a lot more "sure" than mine.. I am always trying to guess where to sew the ends together, and often have to re-adjust it. This is really going to help!
Stephanie, your binding tutorial is wonderful. Thankyou.
Hi, I came here from Eileen's blog and I find your tutorial great! I thought I knew this method but your way to sew to the edge at the corners is better! I'll try this on my next binding.
I always stop sewing a quarter inch from the edge, but it makes so much more sense to sew diagonally to the corner! Thank you for the tute!
I'll have to try this sometime. thanks for making it clear to me!
This was great thank you so much, know I do not have to ask my friend to do my binding!!
This is the method I use but I was intrigued where you join the binding... I always struggle here but this looks so easy...
thanks and a Happy New Year
xoox
((((hugs))))
Maggie
waving from cold, snowy southern ontario canada
Thanks for the tut. I'm getting ready to sew my binding and was looking for a way to reduce the bulk at the joint. I usually just tuck one tail into the other, but it makes it really thick at that spot. I'm going to try this, but i am a little nervouse about cutting it too short. (I always mess something up in my quilts) :)
Hello,
Yours is the blog of my long lost blogger dreams!!
I am totally addicted!
I came upon your blog through Jodi at Simply this, that and the other, because I’m about to start my first ever quilting project—a quilt for my son’s bed. (I know I should start with something smaller, easier. But I’m not going to do it unless I have a passion for it and I REALLY want to make a quilt for his bed.)
It’s going to be very simple. I’ve been inspired by a quilt by Blair on the Wisecraft blog http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/2007/06/simple_quilt.html
Sooo, why am I emailing you besides to gush about the meer hour and a half I’ve spent absorbed by your back posts?
Well because I came to your blog with a purpose. Binding.
Your tutorials were splendid. Clear and easy to follow.
But—you knew I was coming to that—But—I have a question.
Because I’m new to this bear with me. I missed a step between attaching the binding and handsewing the binding to the back of the quilt.
So you sew the raw edge of your binding by machine ¼ from the raw edge of the quilt, right? Raw edge layered by raw edge, sew at ¼ from the raw edge.
THEN, do you just fold the folded binding edge to the back of the quilt? Just like that?
This would mean the binding on the front is now ¼ inch wide right?
And then the back binding…does that turn out to be a ¼ inch as well?
I only ask because it seems too simple. And I have to be sure I’ve followed you right. Because I want to do the best job I can even if it means I don’t finish it until he’s 13 (he’s 20 months by the way so I think I should easily be able to accomplish it or give up before his 13th birthday).
Thanks for taking the time to read my silly little email and help me out.
Kelly Otten
p.s. you know what most struck me about you? Your favourite movies listed on your profile. I too LOVE the movie Pillow Talk. Most people my age (30) don’t even know who Doris Day and Rock Hudson are! But I love them!
And White Christmas has been a Christmas Eve tradition since I was 5! My hubby always groans.
And the movie Yours, Mine and Ours reminded me so much of Doris in With Six you Get Eggroll!
Did I mention I’m really going to enjoy your blog?! LOL!
skotten at distributel dot net
(I tried to email this to you but it got returned)
Stephanie,
thank u for all these tutorial on binding, especially the trick on put tails together perfectly. Really helped me on my latest small project.
Oh my goodness. What a fantastic site! Thank you so much for your tutorials - so clear and really helpful.
Rachelle
Post a Comment