Making skinny bindings
 

Hi all,
I am making placemats, and would love to put bindings on them, but I hate binding! I can do it, but even on big projects, I find it to be so labor intensive and fussy, it kills me!

This lady has the neatest bindings:
http://www.redpepperquilts.com/

Any suggestions for bindings or going binder-less? Thanks!
Nancy

placemats are small enough I think you could "birth" them. This blog gives several ideas and refers to the birthing method as pillowcase method

http://www.patchworkposse.com/2010/0...itional-style/

I cut strips for bindings at 2-1/2" wide x WOF. I sew them onto the quilt with 3/8" seams and they come out pretty skinny. I use clips to turn to the back and just start sewing it on. I move the clips as I come to them. I don't mind sewing them on, I love all of the quilt making process. As I sew I figure out what quilt I am going to start next and try to race the clock.

I use washable school glue and either let the binding dry naturally (while I do something else) or hit them with a warm iron to dry the glue. For bindings I find the glue stick works best. I have a friend who makes skinny bindings and I agree with you, they look so neat. Try starting off with 2" strips.

Although, you could make the backing larger, fold over and press 1/4" and then fold over to front of your placemats and straight stitch or zigzag in place. That is what my sewing group at church does on the quilts we make for charity.

Thank yu! Just realized that I haven't sewn a quilt in such a long time, I forgot how to put a regular binding on. Oh, no!

re:placemat bindings...Do you have a serger? When we do placemats for Meals on Wheels at Easter time we serge the edges with a dense and wide overlock stitch to finish them off. A drop of fray check keeps the ends from unraveling.

I do this with smaller projects too, using wooly nylon in the loopers for heavier coverage.

No, I don't have a serger, sadly.
Nancy

Talk about skinny, this is the skinniest binding I have ever done. Cut the double fold binding 1.75" wide. but I wanted my Mug rugs to look like little tiny quilts. They are about 6" square.