Was I wrong ~ or ~ was she
 

I went to Joanns to get fabric for binding (only). Didn't need any extra. The quilt is 41x61. I am going to cut 2 1/2" strips. I couldn't figure out how much fabric I needed (it's 44" wide)

The woman at the cutting counter told me I needed a min of 65" or so. ??? I told her I would cut 2 1/2" strips selvage to selvage and she told me no, to cut one long strip so that I didn't have to piece it. It's only one seam on the long sides and none on the short.

I've never heard of cutting 2 1/2" strips going longways on the fabric. I would have had to buy more than 2 yrds. I ended up buying a whole yard and now realize I only needed 1/2 yd.

There's different ways to cut binding. Cutting with the selvedge is one way to have the least stretching of the binding. I frequently cut my borders that way, but never the binding. Stretchy binding isn't a problem for me...I usually cut mine on the bias which is the stretchiest of the three... with the selvedge, across the grain or bias. She sounds like she mostly sews clothes. When making clothes, you don't want a stretchy cut, almost everything is cut with the straight of grain which is running with the selvedge. Sounds like you have figured out how to calculate your own yardage for the binding. That's best, that way you will cut it your way.

Next time don't tell her what you are doing. I always just tell them at Joann's how much I want.

I thought I needed help. :/

I often use the same fabric for an inner border as the binding, and if I have enough, I do cut lengthwise so I don't have to piece the borders. But you can do it whichever way you want. I've found that many of the people at Joann's don't have a clue. For future reference, here is a binding calculator to help you figure what you need before you go:

http://www.quiltersparadiseesc.com/C...Calculator.php

In 2 states and 5 cities I've never meet a JA's 'cutter' who was a quilter.
If you had told this story on an LQS I'd have been much more surprised.

Believe it or not Jan, she said that's the way she was taught in a quilt class. I would have definitely gone to a LQS, but it was after 6

And I swear some don't even sew at all.

Our Joann's has more guys than girls now and believe me...you want to know what you need.....

she wasn't wrong.
she just gave you advice based on her training and opinion.

either way is correct.

I have another question on binding. I love to do continuous bias binding and it takes a lot less material. Do you see a problem doing bias binding on a regular rectangular quilt. I have only used it on scalloped edges.

I use bias binding on regular shaped quilts. Here is the method I use to make the binding. Easy and fast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO7iTP1MSsY

I don't normally prewash fabric, but I learned the hard way to prewash if I am going to do a bias binding. I had one shrink *terribly* and skew the quilt. I prefer to use WOF strips for binding on rectangular quilts.

The thing I don't like about continuous bias binding is that there are so many joins in the binding.

When you do cross-grain binding (the kind you wanted to do), you are the least likely to have problems if the fabric ravels.

Here's a good explanation of the benefits of each type of binding:

http://quilting.about.com/od/binding...ing_strips.htm

Binding can be cut several ways, it all depends on your preference.

Maybe I'm cheap but it seems silly to buy a long length of fabric just to get a 2.5" strip from it. I think it's pretty standard to piece binding. I don't even cut my borders on the lengthwise grain but I know some do.

I use bias binding almost exclusively. I can't remember the last time I used SOG binding. I also do curved corners because I hate mitering. I only make square or rectangular quilts so far.

I mostly cut my binding WOF. I you had length left from your cutting the rest then you could use that. I would only do the bias binding if it were scalloped and you had to go around the curves.

The goal of a fabric shop is to sell you fabric. Oh well, just add the extra to your stash.:)

Thank you TeresaA for posting this link. Based on this article I will never use SOG for binding.

i always count on 1/2m for binding. i have gotten really lazy lately and stopped doing what i think of as "proper" bias bindings.

and buying 65" of fabric for a total cut of 10" across is bananas. but i get bowing to the advice of the person with the scissors. totally.

aileen

Maybe she got "binding" confused with "borders"? I've heard of doing that for borders, but not for binding. What if your quilt was king-sized? Would she recommend you purchase 11 yards of fabric, so you don't have to piece the binding? :shock:

I was at Joanns last week and didnt know how much backing I needed. I went over to the 2 plus rows of quilting books that were for sale and found a pattern in the book that was about the same size as my quilt top. Good source of information!!

I sometimes use wof good when ive used 108 wide fabric as less joins, for binding, sometimes I use the length particularly if its a strip I've saved from trimming the extra off of a backing of another quilt and it matches and I've also used bias because I like the way the bias cut looks. it's my quilt and I cut my binding depending on what I fancy and what fabric I have at the time. The quilt police dont visit my house:D

next time you need to purchase binding fabric- first find how long of a binding you need- (your current project of 41x61=)
41+41+61+61= 204", I generally add about 10" for joining ends & mitering corners- so now you are at 214" needed
divide that total by 40" (figuring cutting off the salvages- that's an average length) you need 5 1/2 strips (figure 6)
6 strips x your 2 1/2" width comes to 15" (so, a 1/2 yard would have been enough)
any other size- figure it the same way- the two measurements x 2 (for all 4 sides to bind) plus excess for joins, corners- figure the number of strips needed-based on the usable width of the fabric- then multiply the number of strips by the width of the strips to see how many inches of fabric you need.
I have found most Joanne's employees know very little about the products the store sells- are seldom sewer's or crafters- most of them at our local are college students who needed a 'retail' job. any retail would work.

Most of the time when I go to JoAnn's I don't think the person at the cutting table knows much about sewing. It's just a job for them. Local quilt shops hire people generally who are quilters and love to help people.

I piece my bindings all the time. Sometimes I use bias binding, sometimes straight grain but I always piece them on the bias so the seam is nearly invisible. When you consider once the binding is in place you have less than 1/2" visible from either side and the seam is slanted because you've sewn it on the bias what difference does it make that you've been thrifty with your fabric and pieced it. The only thing I watch out for is to not have a seam on a corner but a quick audition of the binding on the quilt will give you a place to start so that doesn't happen. For that matter I also piece my borders. Again I sew the seam on the bias because it hides it more. For most prints and dark fabrics you have to really search for the seam.

I honestly don't think it matters. My mom would take left over fabric and cut them into 2-1/2" pieces and sew them together and use up her fabric in the binding. I usually would get more than I need so that I would have leftovers. Everyone does something different. I usually like one piece on all four sides. That is my preference. I cut the vertical one piece long (make two) and horizontal one piece wide (make two). It is the finish part of the quilt and I like it finished with one long strip. It doesn't matter. Whatever you want to do is ok. I haven't had problems with the Roseville, Minn. JoAnn's. They are all quite knowledgeable even if they are not quilters. As a matter of fact, I made a horrific mistake by cutting some white on white which was going to be the backing and cut about six strips that was going to be sashing. I took it to JoAnn's and they immediately. They figured out that I had exactly enough uncut to make a one piece backing and still have fabric left over. My store is smart. Love that store!!!!!

Edie

I agree! I usually do not cut either borders or binding on the length of fabric since I think it takes too much fabric. But It can be done that way. I ALWAYS get a little extra fabric just to be on the safe side so put the extra 1/2 yd on your stash. Also there are book and info on line that will tell you how much fabric to buy for tops, border, bindings etc. Next time go prepared!!!

Great idea!!!!!!

PatriceJ is correct. Either way is correct.

I've done it both ways depending on how much fabric I have or want to buy.

See how those word problems in our long ago math classes now finally can be realized and utilized!

If you have a cell phone or iPod, be sure to download this free app. I use it all the time to figure what I need for bindings and borders and other things. I've shown it to people at JoAnns and other shops, too. Just love this easy little app!
http://www.robertkaufman.com/quilting-calculators/

All depends on how much fabric you want left over, and if you don't mind seams in your binding. I don't mind seams in my binding. I tend to do the addition before I leave home and write down how much I need.

Shop with a quilting buddie and consult her. That way she knows you and what you want to accomplish.

I like to cut borders LOF and I will often just slice up the rest of the fabric into 2-1/2 strips to be used later for binding, narrow borders, or cut down smaller for sashing, etc. I love my super long binding pieces!

I also save trimmings from quilt backings and cut those into long strips of 2-1/2 wide, for the same purpose. I always have all kinds of binding fabric pre-cut to choose from, much of it in very long strips. I do a lot of scrappy quilts so it's fine with me if the binding fabric is not anywhere else in the quilt.

NEVER RELY ON JOANN FABRIC CUTTERS. I COULD WRITE A BOOK. I don't buy much quilting fabric from them. However, I was purchasing a panel for the center of a baby quilt, and the Joann's employee started to cut straight across without opening up the panel to cut on the panel line. I told her to stop! She said she had to cut at the one yard mark, and that was that. I said if you continue, I will not purchase the panel....the fabric was wound on the bolt crooked and cutting it straight would take off about 8 inches inside the panel, totally ruining it for any use. She argued with me until I demanded to speak to the manager. She said the manager trained her and told her to cut exactly on the yard mark and not a smidgeon more. I was shocked at the no common sense of this young lady when I showed her what would happen if she cut it her way....."that's the way I was told to cut". I finally got the manager to the table and the employee learned how to cut a panel. I left wondering how someone could not comprehend the logic. The employee was a college student!!?? An OMG moment.

I almost always cut mine the long way, using the leftover fabric from the backing because of fewer seams. I don't mind leftover fabric because I love scrappy quilts, but actually either way will work

I have only met one person at the JA near me that knows anything about sewing anything. The customers usually tell them what to do.

I worked for House of Fabrics during the big sales back in the 90s. I did it because I LOVED the 25% employee discount. They gave me NO training as to how to calculate anything for sewing so I just tried my best to hum a few bars and fake it. Women would come up asking me how much she needed for a wedding veil or how much for a sleeveless blouse. I would suggest they find a specific pattern. These stores don't give you any training at least in my day. They might have videos now a day.

You really only needed 15" so a half a yard is the right amount to get. I use to rip the binding along with the length of my border (2.5 yards) for my avatar quilt or any other Queen size quilt. Never had a problem. When you are working for someone on a custom quilt, you want to do it RIGHT and as quickly as possible.