What Are Your Techniques For A Perfect Binding?
 

I was just reading another thread about how a quilt is judged for a show and everyone was talking about a perfect, full binding as being one of the main criteria for a winning quilt. That got me thinking...what do you do to make your binding as best as it can be for a show? Tips? Tricks? Stitching techniques? On the bias? Mitered corners? etc.

1st I cut 2.25" binding ~ miter all your seams including connecting the section together
2nd Make sure you flip up and fold down that it is absolutely perfect.
3rd I leave just the width of a pin excess of the fold down on the top edge of the quilt.
4th Make sure your quilt is SQUARE at the corner. NO wonky borders.
5th Make sure you leave enough of your quilt edges to make the binding full and not sagging
6th Sorry to say this, but HAND stitch your binding to the back. it looks much more professional.

GOOD LUCK. Hope I didn't forget anything. After 2 decades, it becomes automatic !!! :)

Everything Maniac said. Except I didn't know trick #3 so will employ that one the next time (my miters were always a tad off, now I suspect because my fold was too tight to the edge).

"6th Sorry to say this, but HAND stitch your binding to the back. it looks much more professional."
.. and I've been thinking for the last 2 decades that "I must be crazy to do this" Maybe I haven't been as insane as I've always thought I was. That's reassuring to me today!!!

Yeah...ditto here. I would add that when hand stitching the binding, make sure that your stitches are small and even. I like to use a tunnel stitch, so that the thread doesn't show much. It's a pain to do it that way, but if I take my time, I sometimes find it's actually relaxing.

Thanks for that tip about folding the binding with a pin's width of room.

I also use hair clips to hold mine in place after sewing and pressing for hand stitching the back...saves on fingers - no pins. On smaller quilts, i use Elmer's school glue to glue the back down for hand stitching.

I think it helps also (1) to *not* iron your binding before applying. This helps it roll better over the edge; and (2) after sewing binding on, iron the binding away from the quilt (but do not press a crease into the binding) before folding over.

I was told by a quilt judge several years ago that when hand stitching the binding to the back also include a couple of stitches on the miter on both the back and front sides.

Exactly what I was going to say.

I used the Sharon Schamber method on my last quilt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2hWQ5-ZccE and I ADORE this method. it takes a lot longer than it usually does (for me) and it's slightly messy, but I couldn't stop staring at the 'perfection' of the binding. I normally just cut a three inch binding strip and machine stitch the binding on. There's always a flap of extra binding, but on utility quilts, this doesn't bother me at all. I will still do this, as it's quick and painless (can bind a queen size in less than an hour... yes please), but for the 'important' quilts Sharon's method is the one I'll use.

Thank you so much for posting that video on the Sharon Schamber method. I had heard of it but never bothered to look it up. I am going to have to look for those little glue tips.

I hand stitch the binding if it's a quilt that I need more time with and it's a labor of love! I did use the hand method for several years until I decided that the individual who was receiving the quilt (considering the investment of time, money, etc.) would know the difference. I've only entered one quilt show and probably will never enter another. My goal is to quilt for the enjoyment I receive, etc., not to be judged. I'm my own worse/best judge. My hat is off to those who do enter the shows.

I, too, use the Sharon Schamber method and highly recommend her tutorial on youtube. My corners, etc have been great since following along with her instructions. It does take alot longer, but since binding does seem to be an important factor I think well worth it.

I have always cut binding at 2.5 and have used jelly roll stripes on small table runners. Could you tell me how far you machine binding on in first place. I was taught 1/4 inch then told it was definately 3/4inch. Help?

You can choose the width of binding you prefer and decide if you want an equal width on the front and back. However, I think that most would agree that the batting should "fill" the binding completely to the fold.

Without a doubt the 'Pirates' way of finishing off the binding is wonderful,since using it I have been delighted with the smooth finish --- you must follow her instruction to the letter though -- it comes as second nature to me now. Letty

I once knew a lady, who had quilted since she was a teenager, who was almost 90 years old, who would add Batting strips, or filler of some kind to her binding. She said if the binding was "filled" completely, it not only looked better, but most of all it would not wear out so fast. I have noticed on some old quilts I have, that are washed pretty frequently, the binding does wear out first. I don't know why she didn't just take a bigger seam to fill her binding, but maybe it would alter the size of the squares etc next to the binding?

I have found in my years of quilting that a perfect binding is totally impossible. I do the very best that I can, pull threads if absolutely necessary and say, I did my best and only God is perfect. Edie

Agree with you wholeheartadly....you spend so much time making the quilt the binding is the crowning touch. I recently did a binding with this method and when horror of horrors my bias sew line of my strip landed dead on the fourth mitred corner. DIdn't want to frog stitch so went ahead and I was amazed how flat and nice it layed.
Just remember you don't need a lot of glue. I drag a pin through a puddle of glue and just lay down tiny well dispersed dots, then fold down and iron.

I use a 2 1/2 inch strip folded in half for my binding. Before I apply the binding I stitch around the edge of the quilt very close to the edge of the quilt top. I then cut off any excess batting and backing. I use a walking foot and use the edge of the walking foot as my guide line which give me a 3/8" seam. I join all the binding pieces together using a miter join. I sew the binding on the front of the quilt stopping 3/8" from each corner, fold the binding like you do for a miter. The trick to a good miter corner on the binding is to stop the distance of your seam allowance. If you are using a 1/4" seam allowance you would then stop 1/4" away. I join the two ends of the binding again using a miter. There are several ways to do this so choose the one easiest for you. I use a thin stream of glue along the top edge of the back and roll my binding over. I either secure it with some pins until the glue dries or iron it to dry the glue. I don't like the folded edge of my binding to be ironed so avoid that. By not ironing this edge it is easier to hide my stitches when I hand sew the binding onto the back. The binding on the front is narrower than the binding on the back. I use a very small (thin) needle to hand sew the binding on the back and you can't even see the stitches.

missouri quilt company has a youtube video that is easy and flawless worked so well for me

I rarely have perfect binding - even on my quilts I enter in shows and I've been awarded a couple of ribbons.
I've gotten to the point on baby/crib/lap/utility quilts I machine bind (I personally feel its a stronger stitch).
On the one's I plan to enter, I always hand stitch the back side.
In my quilting world, it's just another part of the process there's always room for improvement on!

I use a 2.5" binding, which I iron in half, then miter the WOF together, as I like the slightly larger binding. Jenny Doan on MSQC has an excellent tutorial on binding, both with sewing the binding on the front, then hand stitching it on the back to sewing the binding on the back, then bringing it around to the front and machine stitching.

Help. I need an explanation of #3. I just don't picture what you are describing. Thank you!
peace

Just looked at Sharon Schamber's method and what do you know ,that's exactly how I've always done my binding except I don't use glue.

The question was about bindings for show quilts and I believe equal width is a high priority, along with fullness.

My notes from a lecture by an NQA certified judge on what judges look for include these points on binding:
Binding (more quilts are ruined by binding than anything else)
<O:pAre binding edges straight?
Is the binding width in proportion to the size of the quilt?
Does the batting fill the binding to the edge? (this remains a key factor)
If the binding is hand stitched, does the thread match the binding?
Are hand stitches tiny, tight and invisible?
Are all corners square or smoothly rounded?
Are miters and joins stitched both front and back? (this is a critical point, too. Miters come apart over time if not stitched closed and that is why it is preferred)


I square up, preliminary trim, and mark the binding edge line on the sandwich, but to make sure the binding is full, I don't do a final trim of the batting and backing until after the binding is machine stitched on the quilt top.

Using the stitching line as a guide, I trim the batting/backing to the width I want the binding to be. The thickness of the batting adds just enough 'extra' to guarantee fullness and using the stitching line as a guide guarantees an even binding edge and equal front and back width. This process works no matter what binding width you use because all you are adjusting is what's going inside, nothing else.

Thanks for the link.

Yes could you please? I'm not understanding this either.

I have found using silk thread works well when hand stitching binding. Invisifil is a brand of polyester 100 wt thread that also works well. If silk is strong enough to last in Kimonos for 100's of years it's strong enough to bind with.

I also would like more explanation of #3.

Finally when stitching corners to front of quilt make sure folded edges and raw edges line up perfectly then I drop the feed dogs to get a smooth slide under the presser foot and all my careful work doesn't get messed up.

#3. You know when you fold the binding at the corner to make the miter? I believe she means that instead of placing the fold *exactly* on the cut edge of the quilt, you place the fold just a pin's width beyond the cut edge.

My technique for a perfect binding?....I have someone else do them for me! LOL I HATE doing bindings, but will definitely have to try using some of the ideas posted here. Thanks.


Anita

My favorite part of the quilt it hand-stitching the binding to the back. I've never entered any quilts in a show to be judged, but I think my binding turns out pretty good. I do find that I have fewer problems if I leave the backing and batting un-trimmed until AFTER the binding is attached to the front. There is nothing more frustrating than having folds in my top or bottom fabric or having my backing fabric not flat and smooth. By leaving on the backing fabric and batting, it turns out much better. I've tried using a narrower binding, but a 2-1/2" strip works best for me. I sew it on using between 1/4" and 3/8" seam allowance. When I get close to a corner, I use my seam gauge to mark where I need to stop stitching and sew off towards the corner.

I use a 2.25" strip from the bias and curved corners. I hate mitering. But even if I have to miter, I still use bias binding. I find it a lot easier to miter the corners with it (but again, I avoid that if I can).

Last time I used my sister's method of sewing it to the front, folding it to the back and pin it in the ditch on the front, then stitch in the ditch. It worked out really well. I prefer to avoid hand sewing (it would take me forever because I have carpal tunnel syndrome and can only hand sew about 6" or less before I have to stop for a while).

Thank you for the explanation. Long time in getting back to check the QB, have a very bad cold.
peace

I have someone else do my bindings, also. I can do them if I hand sew them to the back, but if I machine sew both sides, I can't make it look decent. That's when I take it to my friend to do it. She does fancy stitches on the binding and it really looks nice. I've tried that, but I don't have the touch to machine stitch it no matter how hard I try. And I don't hand sew the binding very often. It takes me a long time to attach the binding by hand. I'd rather be sewing. I know that is probably lazy, but I'm much better at piecing and enjoy it more than hand binding the quilt.