binding measurements
 

Does anyone know what the measurements are for the end of your binding where you are going to join them? I know there is a tool you can buy for this but I think once I heard the instructions without it. Can anybody help me out? Thanks Carreen

I almost always use a 5" binding, folded in half and then sewn on. The trick I was taught is to whack it off at one end. For the other end, lay it on top of the trimmed end and measure the full width of the binding longer than the first end for the overlap. So for me it is almost always 5". When you put the right sides together and mitre them together you end up with the right join.

Hope that helps. It always works for me.

Tara

I always use this method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7Trk6J2Vw

if your binding is the standard 2 1/2" wide- you overlap the two ends by 2 1/2" then place them right sides together so when you stitch your diagonal seam they will be joined correctly- stitch a diagonal seam- trim, press- attach

what I do is use the same measurment as the binding opened up It has always worked for me you really don't need a tool.

Are you sure about the 5"? That sounds like it would make a huge binding. I have been cutting mine at 2.5", then fold in half. That makes 1/2" finished binding.

I finally figured out the mitered binding tool and don't use it. i do 2 1/2 inch binding strips. then when coming to the ends, i over lap them, take a small ruler and lay it on the left end which i fold back over the ruler until the fold meets the cut end of the right binding strip. then i measure 2 1/2 inches of the fold and trim the rest off.
then take the left binding end, open it up flat, then take the right binding strip turned over so the right sides will touch , then pin on the diagonal. open out and make sure it will lay flat, then take to machine and stitch. then trim off excess and flatten out and finish stitching down on front.
same thing the directions say to do.

I learned a big lesson while doing this on my third quilt at Christmas time. Make sure to leave both binding ends 8-12 inches long (not stitched at beginning and end) so you have enough room to easily sew the ends together. I was in a hurry and only left about 3-4 inches. What a struggle over and over again. Lesson learned!

Seems like 5"is an awfully wide binding. I use mostly 2 1/2 and leave that same amount extra.

I agree with Nativetexan! If binding is 2 1/2" sew with 3/8" seam. If 2 1/4" use 1/4" seam. No tool needed.

No, you're right. The cut is 2.5", not the folded finish. So I would cut 2.5" of overlap. Sorry, haven't done binding in a while. I've been hanbd piecing a queen sized GFG since May of last year instead! LOL

Sometimes my brain doesn't completely engage with two children running around but I know I got the basics right!

Tara

I struggled with this for a long time.....finally got it figured out a couple of years ago and now it is sooooo easy. I also make 2 1/2" strips, folded in half and I finish it off as described above. Why didn't someone tell me this years ago????

The measurement for overlapping the binding is the same as the width of your binding. In other words, if your binding is cut 2 1/4" wide, then you want the binding edges to overlap by 2 1/4". If it's 2.5" wide, then overlap them by 2.5". Cut them perpendicular but stitch them diagonally.

Yep, learned this lesson too! Much easier to sew a longer line at the end and have that extra "play" to work with!

This video is a great tutorial and the method I use by: Sharon Shamber
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PE0Yq9iGlc