Lengthwise Straight Grain As Binding?
#12
I use a great deal of straight of grain bindings. I find they work just fine. They wear as good on regular quilt. IF a quilt has a lot of curves, scallops or has prairie points I prefer a bias binding. The bias binding has a smoother look especially with the prairie points.
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,165
For those that don't use/like bias, what are the things you don't like? I know it is extra steps and more work in some ways, and some people feel it is fabric wasteful (and I will say I always end up with waaaay too much -- but that's better than too little).
When I first started quilting and all through the first 10 or so years I used straight grain binding and typically didn't miter my corners either. I decided that while I happily flout all sorts of quilt police rules, I decided that I could use show quilt entry rules for my bindings. Even when I'm using straight grain fabric, I'm mitering and doing the disappearing final seam. Plus I do the sew down from the front and flip and hand stitch on the back as it gives me the finish I desire which I've never been able to do by machine.
Making the binding is as much a part of the process to me as prewashing the fabrics in the first place. I can say after you've done it a few dozen or hundred times, it isn't all that bad...
I have plenty of fabric and generally use a width of fabric squared, so I'm generally starting with about a 1.5 yard piece. I look at my binding as one last chance to add color/fabric/movement and as mentioned before, I often use stripes. I cut my binding a bit wider than most folks too -- 3". I typically use a pretty fluffy batting and just like the little bit wider.
It don't have many positives to say about Covid and mask making -- but I finally used up all my left over quilt bindings! Had to trim them down a bit (1.5-2 is a good width, 2.5-3 too big for a nice tie and gets heavy).
When I first started quilting and all through the first 10 or so years I used straight grain binding and typically didn't miter my corners either. I decided that while I happily flout all sorts of quilt police rules, I decided that I could use show quilt entry rules for my bindings. Even when I'm using straight grain fabric, I'm mitering and doing the disappearing final seam. Plus I do the sew down from the front and flip and hand stitch on the back as it gives me the finish I desire which I've never been able to do by machine.
Making the binding is as much a part of the process to me as prewashing the fabrics in the first place. I can say after you've done it a few dozen or hundred times, it isn't all that bad...
I have plenty of fabric and generally use a width of fabric squared, so I'm generally starting with about a 1.5 yard piece. I look at my binding as one last chance to add color/fabric/movement and as mentioned before, I often use stripes. I cut my binding a bit wider than most folks too -- 3". I typically use a pretty fluffy batting and just like the little bit wider.
It don't have many positives to say about Covid and mask making -- but I finally used up all my left over quilt bindings! Had to trim them down a bit (1.5-2 is a good width, 2.5-3 too big for a nice tie and gets heavy).
Last edited by Iceblossom; 08-13-2020 at 09:32 AM.
#14
For those that don't use/like bias, what are the things you don't like? I know it is extra steps and more work in some ways, and some people feel it is fabric wasteful (and I will say I always end up with waaaay too much -- but that's better than too little).
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#16
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4,688
I am with Tartan -- I only use bias for curves and scallops. I use straight grain, double fold binding. A lot of my pieced borders wind up with some bias edges on the outside (no matter how hard I try to avoid it) and I was taught years and years ago that if you have a bias edge you need to stabilize it with the straight grain of fabric. Having the straight grain binding keeps everything stable for me.
#17
I absolutely prefer bias binding but sometimes just to get the quilt finished and out the door I will use straight of grain binding. The end result? The bias seems a little more forgiving and flexible but the bias works just fine. Long ago I was told, perhaps on this site that bias binding tends to wear better. You are good to go for the bias binding and another time return to your bias choice.
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,480
I seldom use bias bindings....only when there is a reason too...like scalloped edges, rounded corners. I generally cut width of fabric but if the backing fabric is also going to be used as binding, I will wait until I have quilted my quilt and trimmed off the extra backing because often then, I will have enough fabric from the trimmings to make my binding. And yes....I sometimes end up with both WOF and LOF binding from those trimmings but I try and use just the LOF if I have enough of it. I always use double fold binding so mostly cut my strips 2.5 inches. I live in northern Minnesota so yep....most of my quilts have batting in them. I am not very good at hand stitching anything except maybe cross stitch ...so I generally finish my bindings off by using a serpentine stitch on the binding and over the years I have gotten fairly accurate with that so seldom have the stitches showing on the backing. I match my thread with the binding. I have learned to be careful in the mitered corners to keep everything lined up as that was where I mostly was getting stitches showing when I turned the corners.