Lengthwise Straight Grain As Binding?
 

It is the time of year where I start cutting out the backing for my donation quilts. My quilts are around crib size, but usually wide enough that 44" won't be wide enough and I do not enjoy piecing quilt backs so I buy a specific 108" backing by the bolt when it is on sale. This year my quilts are a little skinnier and a bit longer than usual, could probably have used standard 44" fabric but no reason to buy something new when I have bolts of stuff already in the house. Long story short, I'm going to be left with a strip of fabric ~16" wide by 7 yards give or take.

I usually lop off a chunk of backing and make bias binding to match the back. I've only ever actually worked with bias binding, and making it in large quantities results in beautiful long pieces of binding with minimal joins.

But with this crazy long but not wide piece, I could just about make enough binding for the quilts that I have, if I didn't need it to be on the bias. Cutting it on the bias would mean a lot of joins but could work. And at the end of the day, if binding is not in this crazy long piece's future, I could also make a bunch of squares and use it on the front of future quilts, because it is cute.

Is straight grain for a crib quilt going to be OK? Will double fold straight grain hold up since these are donations? Any other thoughts?

I prefer to do the french double fold continuous bias, but that's mostly just preference and because I love using striped fabrics for the effect when I'm binding. The biggest need for bias is around curves, and so 5% or so of the time, I do use straight grain for whatever reason.

Straight grain is going to miter just fine around a square corner. I just do the diagonal seams like normal, but you can just butt joint those too. When I can, I like to use the length of fabric instead of the width, just seems to work better for me and I will often make my binding lengthwise if I have that left from a quilt back.

I utterly loathe bias binding. Straight grain all the way. You'll be fine.

Me too. In fact I believe it is Jane Sassaman whom I had class from, or could be another well known instructor(been too long ago), who endorses using straight single fold binding for quilts. Said all the antique quilts mostly had single fold binding and still look fine today. Less bulk and you have flat corners. I use crosswise or lengthwise whatever is easier to cut at the time. Really all the old fashioned quilt must dos are getting rather silly with the better quality fabric and thread we have today.

I never use bias cuts for binding. I mostly use double fold binding cut WOF. Once in a while I make double fold LOG binding.

It has always worked so I don't want to change now.

Only on a curved quilt do I use bias binding. Always WOF binding or if it is a special border fabric that requires it I may use LOF.

Watson

I am with Tartan - Bias for curves or scallops only. You will be fine with your plan to use strips from the backing. I do that often.. I never butt the ends but join them on the diagonal to distribute the bulk of the seam as I use the double fold method on everything except table runners.

I have only made bias binding for a bag pattern to go around curved pieces. Binding for quilts is cut either WOF or lengthwise.

I prefer the lengthwise grain of fabric for binding as it does not stretch as much and so makes for a flatter finish of the quilt instead of a wavy edge.