I just finished a quilt top and have a lot of the jelly roll left (2-1/2 inch strips) that I would like to create my binding with. I was at Joann's yesterday looking at the clover bias tape makers but wasn't sure what size to buy. My question is...what size binding do you bind your quilts with??

Thanks

i use 2 1/2 inch strips for binding. but i have no idea what size binding maker you should buy. i just fold my strips in half and lay raw edge down onto raw edge of my quilt and sew on with a 1/4 inch seam.
good luck.

Most quilters prefer to manually fold the binding fabric in half. Raw edges are sewn together and the folded edge of the binding is wrapped around to the other side of the quilt. This creates a double fold of fabric at the quilt's edge.

The Clover bias binders make two folds in the fabric, which the cut edges meeting in the middle of the back. If applied as binding, this results in a single layer of fabric at the binding edge. Most quilters do not use the Clover bias binders to make quilt bindings.

I do love the Clover bias binders for making applique stems for flowers; I just wouldn't use one to make a quilt binding.

Thanks guys. I have the 1/4 inch clover that I used for applique stems. It was so easy to do I thought maybe just maybe it would work for binding my quilts.

I use 2" or 2.5" strips I cut myself from continuous bias binding. Mine is also doubled by pressing the finished very long strip in half, both raw edges hidden beneath the rolled edge of the front of the quilt and hand stitched to the back.

Your strip idea sounds like a great one for a scrappy edge! Enjoy your binding...I am not sure why people dislike this part. It's one of my favorites since I think it adds the finishing touch and means I'm just about done :D :D :D
RETRO

I actually like the process of binding the quilt, just have never actually made my own binding. I am excited to see the scrappy binding finished. I think it will be great. I can't wait to finish this one. I had to order the backing fabric so it will be a while, but I thought I could go ahead and get the binding made while I waited :)

I like binding too. It is the final step and I sew my back by hand and that is relaxing to me.

I love scrappy bindings. I think they add an extra detail to the quilt. I use 3" for my bindings. I like that extra little bite of edge. The edge is the most used part of the quilt., that's why the binding is double. I saw a trunk show with M'lis Rae Rawlings (I hope I spelled her name right) and that was the way she does bindings and after hearing her explain it I started doing my bindings that way.

If you use the bias tape maker, I believe that you will end up with a single layer of fabric against the edge of the quilt. Not the sturdiest method imho.

I generally use the folded method for a double thickness of fabric. A 2.5" strip folded in half would give you a 1.25" starting binding. I generally start with a 2.25" strip so yours would just be a little wider.

It is so nice to hear that others enjoy binding their quilts! Almost everyone I know hates that final process and yet I find it both relaxing and exciting at the same time. Me, I hate to sandwich a quilt. I've tried to get someone to exchange chores with me, but no one else seems to like to sandwich quilts either. :lol:

I use anywhere from 1inch to 2.5-inch binding. It depends on the project, though I usually use 2-inch on most of my projects. I also use a double binding.

buy"The Quilters Edge by Darlene Zimmerman she has a chart on page 74.It will tell and show you. its my quilting bible.(Borders,Bindings and Finishing Touches. :-)

Thanks Gloria for the reference. I am going to Amazon to check it out.

Sally Collins, the gal known internationally as the top precision piecer, has a great book out called "[u]Borders, Bindings, and Edges[/i]." She is going to come to my local guild and is giving two classes, one of which is on the above. I'm sooooo excited!!!! Her book really helped to push my borders in an entirely new and exciting direction, at least for me. :lol:

I bought this bias strip ruler. It's fast to cut bias strips with no fussy measuring.

http://ihaveanotion.blogspot.com/200...implicity.html

Thanks for the link BellaBoo that looks like it would make things lot easier!

i don't know what others do, but i cut my binding on the straight grain, unless i specifically want diagonal stripes for the effect they give. the straight grain makes a much squarer and flatter quilt edge, imo.

I use straight grain too but across the WOF - it's a tad weeny bit more stretchy than the length so sits more nicely. I'd say jelly rolls would be perfect for a scrappy binding. I'd join them on the bias then fold them raw edges together and right side out. The only 'tools' you need are an iron and your own two hands! Oh, and a can of spray starch. :D

Do you miter the corners on your binding? If so, how well does that work with the binding cut on the straight edge? I know it is like a quilting commandment that if you miter corners you need bias cut binding, but I can't help but wonder if it would work just as well with straight cut binding.

I don't know where you got the idea you have to use bias binding to miter corners. You don't. You need bias binding for curves. As long as your quilt has straight edges straight grain binding is fine.

Some people say that bias binding wears better than straight grain binding.

I was able to get my binding made last night. It is wrapped around an old paper towel tube waiting to be added to the quilt...now if I could just get the backing fabric in the mail I could finish up. Waiting for something to be delivered is always so hard!

I was able to get my binding made last night. It is wrapped around an old paper towel tube waiting to be added to the quilt...now if I could just get the backing fabric in the mail I could finish up. Waiting for something to be delivered is always so hard!

:shock: Well, I'm certainly going to have to try out a straight grain binding on my grandson's quilt then! I've got a few strips of the border fabric left but it was going to be a major pain to cut it in diagnal strips and sew together four hundred little strips to get my binding. This way I can simply cut long, straight lines. That sounds much easier!! I think this will be the first straight edge binding I've ever made so this should be interesting. It's good to know that after 18 years I'm still learning new things! :lol:

I always make my own binding. I use 2 1/2" strips and piece them together. The hardest part is sewing the binding to the front of the quilt if it is any bed size. My husband has to stand facing me when I am doing it and hold the quilt up so that it doesn't pull against the machine. You should have seen us when I was putting the binding on my older daughter's king size 20th anniversary quilt. I always finish them by hand. I can usually complete the task while watching a few TV shows in the evening.
I recently tried finishing the binding on a couple of Linus quilts on the machine because they will get a lot of heavy washing. That was harder than the king size quilt.

You might like the machine method in this Youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wprg5vzkuGw

i use the length of the fabric exactly for the opposite reason. it pulls the quilt into the correct measure and doesn't stretch out of shape.
Tiffany




butterflywing wrote:
i don't know what others do, but i cut my binding on the straight grain, unless i specifically want diagonal stripes for the effect they give. the straight grain makes a much squarer and flatter quilt edge, imo.

Tiffany wrote:
Do you miter the corners on your binding? If so, how well does that work with the binding cut on the straight edge? I know it is like a quilting commandment that if you miter corners you need bias cut binding, but I can't help but wonder if it would work just as well with straight cut binding.

butterflywing answers: i have always mitered the corners. well, not always, but mostly. it works just fine. i especially do it on wrap-around bindings.

Thanks for the link. That was educational. I always use a walking foot. I did learn one thing about my corners. When I retart the seam I need to start a 1/4 in. I am just used to doing it by hand and don't mind. In order to use the machine I had to do a lot of pinning for the second side. One more step just isn't fast enough for me.

this is my method also....I don't think you can use a bias maker on 2 1/2" strips....