I usually cut my binding at 2.5 and fold in half. Then, if I want a fuller binding on the front, just leave the batting and backing a little wider than the top. This way you are maintaining the 1/4 seam.
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I usually cut my binding at 2.5 and fold in half. Then, if I want a fuller binding on the front, just leave the batting and backing a little wider than the top. This way you are maintaining the 1/4 seam.
The easiest way to achieve a wide binding is NOT to trim your quilt sandwich until after the binding is stitched on. Cut your strips the width you want, fold, press and sew the binding with a 1/4" seam allowance. Instead of trimming the excess layers to within a 1/4" of your stitching line, leave some extra extending beyond it so the binding is filled when turned to the back and stitched down.
Last edited by Terri D.; 12-26-2014 at 09:56 AM.
This is what you need to do if you use a wider binding. I trim the back and batt "roughly" to about 1 inch or a little more beyond the edge of the pieced top. Then sew the binding on with the 1/4 inch seam allowance on the quilt front. The batt and back will extend beyond the raw edges of the binding.Originally Posted by Terri D.
After the binding is sewn on, I cut accurately with a ruler and rotary cutter as wide as I want that seam to be. Just do short cuts, and line up the ruler with the stitching.
With a 3 inch binding: folded in half is 1.5 inches. The seam to sew it onto the quilt makes it 1.25 inches left. Fold that in half and you have 1 1/8 inches that you want to leave on the batt and back layers. I would make it one inch. You need a little room for the thickness of the batt.
Hope this makes sense, and hope it works for you.
Mavita - Square dancer and One Room School Teacher
You will need 1/4 inch past the seam allowance on your quilt top if you want 1/2 inch showing on the front.
I generally use a 2.5 inch folded in half with a 3/8" seam allowance. You want to have your binding a little wider in the back to cover your stitching. If you want the wider part in the front then stitch it on to the back first and then hand stitch it to the front.
Things to consider: If you use a border then the width of your seam allowance can be varied. If you don't have a " border and you are applying the binding next to a block then you have to go with 1/4" seam allowance so your block won't be off and you won't lose points etc.
When you are mitering your corners remember to stop the distance of your seam allowance. If you use 1/4" seam allowance you stop 1/4" from the end. If you are using a 3/8" seam allowance however you will stop 3/8" from the corner; 1/2" seam allowance, 1/2" from the corner.
You want your binding to be full - in other words the batting needs to fill the width of the binding. If you use 1/4" seam allowance and a wider binding then your binding won't be full to the fold.
Hope this all makes sense...
I couldn't ever use a 2 inch binding! You are a better woman than I am. I use a 2.5 inch strip folded in half. I have used 3 inch binding and it is so much easier than the more narrow binding. It becomes a design element for the quilt back when you use a wider binding. I don't see any reason not to use the 1/4 inch seam. froggyintexas
this might help .....
http://www.connectingthreads.com/tut...ding__D99.html
May your stitches always be straight, your seams always lie flat, and your grain never be biased against you.
Sue
it also makes a difference on what type of batting you are using
Nancy
I use 2 1/2" folded in half as well. The front is nicely framed and there is a an easy wrap to the back for hand sewing.
Aurora
"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot." -Robert A. Heinlein
Depending on the quilt, but I have used Nancy Zieman's Fuse 'n Bind and the binding has a nice size and comes out perfect. But one thing I found out is that if you do not have a border and attaching to the block I happen to do this and lost the points on my star block. So now I know better.
http://signatures.mylivesignature.co...C4AE5320AC.png
It is what it is!
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