Need advice on using velvet for quilt binding
 

I have a quilt that is completed except for binding. I found a beautiful citron colored velvet that i want to use and make a wide (2-3 inches) binding. If anyone has ever used velvet and has any tips/ advice, I would love to hear. I was planning to do a French binding like I normally would with cotton. The velvet is 63% acetate and 37% rayon. Hoping it will wash ok. The quilt prob wont need to be washed often. It’s a throw size quilt that will be used at the foot of a bed or on a sofa back.

I appreciate any feedback!

I don't see why it wouldn't work, especially since you're planning on a wide binding. I'd double-check colorfastness and shrinkage first.

I bind professionally and have put some really odd bindings on really odd blankets and quilts. Someone once hired me to bind a chunky crocheted throw. It wasn't difficult, I just had to ensure my stitches included a good chunk of the yarns.

Don’t forget to match the nap when you join strips.

I would wash a piece first and see how it comes out. Traditionally, rayon or silk velvets are not washer friendly. Also, if it's for a wall hanging it would be fine, but I don't think it would stand up well to wear.

I have seen crazy quilts with velvet bindings and they are beautiful so I can see why you want to use it, but I used to make stuffed animals and can tell you from experience that velvets fray very easily and badly. It is a difficult fabric to work with. I'd suggest if you decide to try it (which I wouldn't) you should use a much wider seam allowance than normal. Another point to consider is that you cannot press on velvet directly as it will crush the nap, leave iron marks, and might even melt due to the acetate content. A needle board is a must when working with with velvet. As RhondaK pointed out, it has a nap, and all four sides might look different even tho you sew the long strips together correctly because of the way the nap looks from different directions. Lastly, with all those layers, your binding will get very thick. All that being said, I'd find something else to use, because sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, something will happen so that the quilt needs to be laundered, and dry cleaning is the only thing you can do with that blend of velvet, and even then I am not sure the acetate will stand up to dry cleaning.

Thanks!
 

I appreciate all the advice. I will probably give the velvet a go since I’ve already purchased it. I’ll use a 1/2 inch seam instead of 1/4. I’ll follow up on this thread and let y’all know how it turns out!

Quate from
https://tipking.com/cleaning-tips/ho...shing-machine/Is Velvet Washable in the Machine?

Crushed velvet, polyester velvet, and stretch velvet should all be safe to wash in the machine. All other types of velvet should not be washed unless the cleaning label specifically says so.

While some people have had success washing velvet clothing that has only been dry cleaned, they may not be washing the same item you are. That means you should be skeptical of their words of encouragement. Not every velvet item that needs to be dry cleaned can be washed instead.
Be sure to check out the way to wash it before you decide. Momma never bought velveteen and she never washed velvet.

Velvet binding
 

I just want to report back in case anyone is curious about the outcome of putting a velvet binding on my quilt. I have no regrets about using velvet but I did learn some things and will do some things differently if I use velvet again for a quilt binding. I did a French binding and I think a single layer binding would be better. The double layer is too thick and made the getting the mitered corners perfectly square a challenge. I would also like it better if it were a 2 inch instead of 1 inch which I could have done had I not done the French binding. The velvet was easy enough to sew. I did pin it well and used a walking foot. Anyway, thanks for the tips and advice. I would submit a picture but don’t see how to do that.

We like pictures. In order to post pictures on Quilting Board, you will probably need to reduce or compress the picture to a file size that is smaller than 2MB. How to post images can be found at https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...020-01-17-.pdf
Don't forget to scroll over to the far right to find and click on the "Upload" button.

I have found that only the big red "Reply" button or "Quote" work to give me the paper clip icon to work for adding pictures.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...p-location.jpg

Some additional info regarding reducing images at post #4 and images for the scroll and upload button can be found at #5 of https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f...d-t312607.html

Another way to post pictures can be found at https://www.quiltingboard.com/showpo...postcount=1143
And how to use an ipad to post pictures can be found at https://www.quiltingboard.com/qb-hel...s-t318147.html

Or simply - Make sure pictures are smaller than 2MB
Click on red "Reply" button
Click on the paper clip icon
Click browse - choose picture/s. (only 5 allowed per post)
Once they show up as being loaded, Scroll over to the right side and click on "Upload"
After the pictures show up as being attached, you can close that window and go back to the screen to finish posting your post.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.