BettyGee

I very strongly suggest that you check Craftsy for QuiltFinger's instructions on continuous quilt binding. It is a free download and is the clearest most comprehensive article on quilt binding I've ever read. I want my binding to be as clean and neat as possible after all the work that went into the quilt. Her method words, it is easy and gives you a beautiful binding.

AZ Jane

I do but with just a pin. No exact but closer than eye balling it.

maviskw

I agree with this. Patrick Lose never got the ends of his binding sewn together. Sharon Schambers and Kay Wood (no relation), show this, but I like my way better.

After the binding is created, sewn into strips and ready to go, (I always iron mine in half but some don't), lay it on the quilt where you want to start sewing it on. I start a foot or so from a corner. Open the binding flat and fold the left top corner down to the seam line to form a triangle. This is called a Magic Triangle. Press this fold very well. Fold the binding back in half as it would be when you sew. Start sewing about 8 inches down from this triangle. Also put a pin in the edge of the quilt about 16 inches above where you started sewing. You will have a tail loose at the beginning. Now we sew the binding all around the quilt.

First, I don't take the quilt out of the machine when I get to the corner. I sew up to a seam width from the corner (if your binding will be 3/8" wide, stop at 3/8" from the corner. Turn quilt 45 degrees and sew right into the corner, but keep the needle in the last stitch. You may have to back up one stitch to keep the needle still in fabric. Turn the quilt so that it is in position to sew down the next side. Lift folded edge of binding and pull loose binding down toward you. You've just created a big wrinkle in the binding. Pinch this wrinkle and lay it flat to the left. You've just created the perfect folded corner. If you need to, lift the needle now, but don't move the quilt too far away from the needle area. Be sure the fold in the binding is even with the last side, and edges of binding and quilt are even along the next side. Give binding a little tug so that it lies flat. Move the quilt so that the needle is at the next seam line. You will have one seam width of loose thread there. Just leave it, don't cut it off. Start sewing down the next side, no need to backstitch.

When you get to the pin from the beginning, stop and take the quilt out of the machine. Lay this last area flat and pin down the binding as you will want it to be. I always give my bindings a little tug so that they don't end up wavy, so I pull a little here, also. Lay the beginning magic triangle down and lay the end tail on top of it. They need to be overlapped when you cut off the final end. Find the base of the magic triangle, and cut the top tail here. The two pieces are overlapped at this point. Take out the pins now and open out both ends of the binding. They should be single layers now. Lift the ends up and hold them right sides together. Now twist them in opposite directions so that they form the "L" as when you sewed the strips together to make the binding. The fold of the magic triangle should run side to side, not top to bottom. Check this out carefully. Pin very carefully on both sides of the fold. It's only a short seam, but with 25 pounds of king size quilt hanging on there, it's hard to keep it straight. Sew this seam. Now pick it up and snap it so that it lays flat on the quilt. Did it work???? Now go back and open that seam allowance and then trim out the excess fabric. Opening the seam before you trim it gives you more fabric to grasp to open the seam.

Now all you have to do is sew that last 16 inches and you have your binding on. No one will be able to tell where your last seam is on the binding.

Peckish

Different strokes for different folks. I found that when I stopped ironing, the binding snugged up to the top much better and laid flatter. I think that ironing sets a memory into the binding that doesn't allow it to move and shift as you wrap it around to the back, and then you end up with lumps.

maviskw

lesson: http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/med...Lesson_pdf.pdf
here's a link to a photo tutorial: http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/cut...ding-tutorial/
and here's a video using the same technique on miters and that final seam for machine binding: http://youtu.be/i9riC03FNRQ

I just watched all of these, and they are very good. I think it's a good idea to get lots of opinions. Then you can pick out your favorite.

I never understood why the strips are overlapped with some extra sticking out when the mitered seams are made. I just match mine up to the edge of the fabric. No trimming.

In the videos, they clipped and cut off a piece of binding to measure where to cut off the tail. In my method, the magic triangle does that. It's a built in measure. They put the triangle in afterwards anyway. You need it to see where to sew the seam.

Also showing how to fold the binding strip straight up and then bring it down explains what happens when I do the "Pinch" folding at the corners. Just be sure to pull it down snugly so there is no extra fabric hiding in that fold.

redbreast

First of all I do want to say that I enjoy doing bindings but there is one thing I have not been able to figure out. Some instructors tell you to trim the quilt top even while others tell you to leave about 1/2 inch of batting and backing, I have done both ways and still am not sure which one is best. It seems to me that trimming even with quilt top creates a binding that is not too stable. How do you quilters handle this? Betsy

Peckish

I'm not sure what you mean by "a binding that is not too stable".

It's personal preference. I like a narrow binding, so I trim the excess backing and batting and use narrow strips for the binding. If you don't trim, you'll need to use a wider binding to cover the gap.

cathyvv

I assume that you are talking about machine sewn bindings, since that is all I do and you didn't specify.

Question 1 - Achievement: finish the quilt. Sometimes it acts as a frame to the quilt, which is something I like. But there are quilts where a 'blending in' binding looks best.

Question 2 - motivation - it is not my favorite thing to do. Also, the bigger the quilt, the more 'wrestling' with the bulk, which makes my motivation even harder to achieve.

Question 3 - No questions, as I've mastered it. I admit that sometimes I have a bit of trouble with the mitering, but that's usually because I'm too tired to think straight. That's easily resolved by taking some time away from the sewing machine.

Holice

The origional question related to both. I have been reading all comments as well as looking at the videos recommended. The videos appear to have the same instructions with some variation to them. However, all are designed to achieve good bindings. Good bindings are: even seams; full bindings; well mitred corners and an almost invisible joining at the ends. The one thing missing in almost all of them is the "why" Knowing the "why" might clear up much of the confusion quilters have with this part of the quiltmaking process.

katesnanna

My BFF, (rebeljane on QB) and I have noticed a lot of quilters will avoid binding at any cost. I think sometimes it's a case of convincing ones self that they can't do it. We can't see why it scares them so much. If someone is just new to sewing, fair enough, but we've seen quilters of long standing who dread this finishing of their quilt. We have only been quilting for 9/10 years each but love getting to the binding as it means the quilt is about finished and we can start another. We both stitch binding down by hand at the back.
Don't let it beat you ladies, you are all better and braver than that.