NewsletterBot

I been having a hard time making my corners on my quilts square, maybe I am doing the binding wrong. can you help me?

KAFFYGIRL

Knot Sew

I use a BI





I use a big carpenters square. Mine is my sons. It is used for sheet rock or ply wood. It is shaped like an L.,,,I trim before adding the binding. You could make one out of thin sticks from home supply store.

diana.fink

Are you squaring up your blocks before sewing them together? Also, using a mitered corner will help make the corners square.

sewmuch

Nancy's Notions website, used to have instructions on
binding, you could print it out. Easy to follow.

stevendebbie25

Always measure both directions N/S & E/W starting from the middle, make sure middle & both ends measure the same. Start binding pinning to the middle, working to ends. This keeps it from rippling. (borders too). Always square up your blocks before stitching them/rows together. And Sashing can be added the same way if using long pieces, as you would your borders/bindings.
Remember, adding a 10" border to a quilt, doubles it "inches" size if your sending it out to a long arm quilter, so you'll probably be charged double the cost of that size quilt. Borders are often added to expand quilts, create a bed side drop. Old quilts didn't have borders, and I just made a 1/2 log cabin pattern that is new, and had no borders, looks nice.
The Carpenters Square (L shaped) mentioned before is also a good tool, I have one just for me, so I don't have to find hubby's. Debbie D

Nelco

April, have as much fun as you can at the conference and we will do fine while U R gone.

ckcowl

is your binding not mitering correctly, the problem? or are you not squaring up before adding the binding? after quilting, lay your quilt out (the quilting process causes some distortion) line up your ruler along the side & trim all the way around- making sure you have nice 90 degree corners- then add the binding- if the binding process is the problem there are lots of tutorials---and practice finally gets that right---for years I could make 3 pretty perfect mitered binding corners...then that dog-gone 4th corner would be ...ugh! finally- after years (most of the time) I get all 4 right...every now & then though...

ArtsyOne

Be sure to have perfect 90-degree corners on your quilt to start with by trimming before you add the binding. Then when attaching the first side of the binding sew to within 1/4" of the edge, lift your presser foot and pull the quilt away just a little bit while you fold up the binding away from you. You'll get a 45-degree bend in the binding going from bottom left to top right. Then fold the binding back down to fit along the right edge of your quilt, covering the 45-degree fold. Start sewing again with the 1/4" seam. When you're ready to do the back side of the binding fold it over to within 1/4" of the corner and bring the adjoining side down. It should make a natural 45-degree fold. If not - I use the point of my seam ripper to bring the binding closer to the edge while folding the top edge over it. YouTube has some good videos of the process if you're a visual learner. Good luck!

Silver Needle

Start with square corners as stated. When you are sewing on your binding stop exactly 1/4" or whatever seam allowance you are using from the edge. Don't guess! Mark where to stop and back stitch. When you take the fabric from under the machine and prepare to go down the next side you need to make a perfect right triangle with your binding fabric on the bottom. Then as you bring the top layer down the folded edges need to match exactly and the cut edge should line up with outside edge of quilt. It can help to lower your feed dogs as you maneuver this sandwich back under the machine. I only do hand finished binding so can't help if you are doing machine finished.