madamekelly

I just wrote this for someone else;You asked me to share how I do binding. Here it is, if you have more questions just ask. I cut bias strips 2.5 inches wide, and long enough to go around the quilt. I usually just cut a yard of fabric at a time. If I have extra, I save it for another project. I iron it in half lengthwise, using spray sizing. I start in the middle of a side, leaving a 1 foot 'tail' hanging loose, and sew it, with a 1/4 inch seam, all the way around the quilt, stopping about 8-10 inches from where I started. I lay the 'tail' I left before, across where it will be sewed, and cut it off near the middle of the open space. I take the other 'tail' and lay it across the other, over lapping them. Very carefully, measure a 2.5 inch overlap, and cut only the second 'tail, at that measurement. Draw a diagonal line (45 degree) from one corner of one 'tail'. (I fold it to get it in the right spot.) Match the now square ends, right sides together, and pin. Lay it so you can see the drawn line, check for fit in the unsewn 'gap'. If it fits well, sew and trim, if not, fiddle with it until it does. Lay it down smooth and attach, using a 1/4 inch seam. Don't forget to miter the corners as you go around them *( there are several methods for mitering corners, just use the search on this board to learn how to do it). Because you used a bias strip, the binding will roll nice and flat to the back, and I then hand stitch it down, using a 'blind hem stitch', or a 'ladder stitch'. I DO NOT try to machine sew it down, as I know me too well and I will definitely screw that up. Feel free to try it on a small sample to see if it works for you. I hope this helps. I encourage you to find a tutorial for "french binding" so you can see it in action. I hope I have this clear enough to follow, clear as mud, right?

co.durhamgirl

what is your great way to bind a quilt?

mrsmail

I love the piecing, and hate the quilting part. I really hate to mark the quilt for hand quilting.

madamekelly

For the record, it has been pointed out to me that if you are making charity quilts, it is preferable to machine stitch the bindings on both sides as they will be 'loved' more than your average quilt. I stand corrected. I guess I have lost my excuse not to learn how to do this well. :oops: :thumbup:

decky

I hate doing the binding!!! Try to talk my friend to do it for a penny an inch, but she keeps telling me no. She tells me that it's not enough money. LOL

tryitall

My thing is scrappy quilts, so I don't have TOO much trouble with colors. I don't like layering. I don't have any place big enough to lay a quilt out. The only room big enough has carpeting and i "tack" it also.