How Do You Bind?
07-14-2019, 07:53 AM
#41
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 1,310
On large quilts I sew the binding on the front, turn to the back and hand stitch it down. I also lock the stitch every 6 inches or so, so that in case it comes unsewn for some reason the entire binding doesn't come undone. I can never seem to get the hang of stitching in the ditch on the front and consistently catching just the edge of the binding on the back, so hand stitching is better for me. If I were to machine sew it I want it to be at a consistent distance from the edge of the binding and I can never seem to achieve that look.
On baby quilts because they are used and washed so much I stitch them down with a decorative stitch. I figure it will last longer by machine.
On baby quilts because they are used and washed so much I stitch them down with a decorative stitch. I figure it will last longer by machine.
07-14-2019, 08:27 AM
#42
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
Thanks FelineFanatic ... I have done it that way with a flange, and found that the flange seemed to pucker some (yes, I am finicky about it). Have never done it with a true piping. Maybe I should give that one a try sometime.
What did you use for your "cording" in the piping? I remember way back in 4-H days (so that's like a 100 yrs ago!
) that we had to get a cord then boil it to shrink before making the piping. Otherwise, what a mess when it shrunk when things were laundered. But for a quilt, we would want something softer than a hard cording. your suggestions?
What did you use for your "cording" in the piping? I remember way back in 4-H days (so that's like a 100 yrs ago!
) that we had to get a cord then boil it to shrink before making the piping. Otherwise, what a mess when it shrunk when things were laundered. But for a quilt, we would want something softer than a hard cording. your suggestions?
07-14-2019, 09:12 AM
#43
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,728
A good idea ... must see if we have some in our local TSC.
I remember learning the patience of sewing slow to prep the piping and being careful to not nip into/over the cording. Then snuggling up to the ridge when I stitched the final seam. At the time it was a love-hate relationship, but the big part was I loved the rewards of the finished look, but never on a quilt. Always garment sewing.
I think you have me hooked to get at it and get back to it for quilts!
Thanks for the nudge, FelineFanatic!
07-14-2019, 09:58 AM
#44
Super Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 4,424
I have all kinds of misery when binding. I use a 2.5” strip, sew it Very carefully to the back with exactly a ¼” seam and then turn it to the front. Now this might seem crazy but binding stresses me out so much that I realized I was being way too aggressive when pulling it to the front which gave me about ¼” of binding on the back and way too much on the front. I tried to not wrap it around too tightly and this last time it worked better but I’m still not happy. As you can see from the pix below, when I flip it over, it’s inconsistent. I don’t understand what little gremlin is hiding in there that makes it wider going from back to front. It’s not that far! On the back I’m never consistent with it being on or off the fabric and gave up all hope on that long ago.
I think you have a brilliant idea of making the seam on the back larger than ¼” although I don’t have the accuracy (yet) of working in 8ths but I could do a ½.
Incredibly, I have no problems with the mitered corners. Go figure.
The dark brown fabric in the pictures I used for contrast because my countertops are light colored and you couldn’t see the binding very good.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]614828[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]614829[/ATTACH]
I think you have a brilliant idea of making the seam on the back larger than ¼” although I don’t have the accuracy (yet) of working in 8ths but I could do a ½.
Incredibly, I have no problems with the mitered corners. Go figure.
The dark brown fabric in the pictures I used for contrast because my countertops are light colored and you couldn’t see the binding very good.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]614828[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]614829[/ATTACH]
This leaves ONE inch of binding strip. If you fold at the 1/4 inch seam line there is going to be approximately 3/4 inch of binding to bring to the front. This is give and take a little depending on batting. It doesn't fold exactly in half using these seam allowances.
The other option is to try a 2 1/4 inch binding strip. Sew these with the 1/4 inch seam allowance.
I make small samples and mark the seam lines.
Actually, I just measured and it is really between a 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch seam when I sew binding on the quilt. The 3/8 inch is a little too wide and doesn't leave enough binding when you bring it to the front.
If you use a wider seam allowance, you have to stop the corner stitches the same distance so you still have the correct 45 degree angle in the corners.
Try a 3.0 stitch length for sewing the front of binding. The smaller 2.5 or 2.0 adds some pull.
Do you have a walking foot for your machine? I always sew binding with the WF.
I have also used a glue stitck to hold that fussy binding in place on the front. Clip and let dry. Then stitch down.
Hope that helps!
07-14-2019, 11:00 AM
#46
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 110
**Getting a different walking foot with better visibility so the stitching is more consistent
**If I’m still saying all kinds of bad words, then I’m going to try stitch in the ditch but sometimes that just causes a new array of bad words
**Using a glue stick might work for me, too, which would give me the chance to adjust the fold before committing to sewing it
Thanks so much again!
07-14-2019, 11:26 AM
#47
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 110
Honestly, it has to do with math. The folded 2 1/2 inch binding leaves 1 1/4 inch to work with on the quilt. Using the 1/4 inch seam line you use up 1/4 inch of the binding strip.
This leaves ONE inch of binding strip. If you fold at the 1/4 inch seam line there is going to be approximately 3/4 inch of binding to bring to the front. This is give and take a little depending on batting. It doesn't fold exactly in half using these seam allowances.
The other option is to try a 2 1/4 inch binding strip. Sew these with the 1/4 inch seam allowance.
I make small samples and mark the seam lines.
Actually, I just measured and it is really between a 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch seam when I sew binding on the quilt. The 3/8 inch is a little too wide and doesn't leave enough binding when you bring it to the front.
If you use a wider seam allowance, you have to stop the corner stitches the same distance so you still have the correct 45 degree angle in the corners.
Try a 3.0 stitch length for sewing the front of binding. The smaller 2.5 or 2.0 adds some pull.
Do you have a walking foot for your machine? I always sew binding with the WF.
I have also used a glue stitck to hold that fussy binding in place on the front. Clip and let dry. Then stitch down.
Hope that helps!
This leaves ONE inch of binding strip. If you fold at the 1/4 inch seam line there is going to be approximately 3/4 inch of binding to bring to the front. This is give and take a little depending on batting. It doesn't fold exactly in half using these seam allowances.
The other option is to try a 2 1/4 inch binding strip. Sew these with the 1/4 inch seam allowance.
I make small samples and mark the seam lines.
Actually, I just measured and it is really between a 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch seam when I sew binding on the quilt. The 3/8 inch is a little too wide and doesn't leave enough binding when you bring it to the front.
If you use a wider seam allowance, you have to stop the corner stitches the same distance so you still have the correct 45 degree angle in the corners.
Try a 3.0 stitch length for sewing the front of binding. The smaller 2.5 or 2.0 adds some pull.
Do you have a walking foot for your machine? I always sew binding with the WF.
I have also used a glue stitck to hold that fussy binding in place on the front. Clip and let dry. Then stitch down.
Hope that helps!
**Getting a different walking foot with better visibility so the stitching is more consistent
**If I’m still saying all kinds of bad words, then I’m going to try stitch in the ditch but sometimes that just causes a new array of bad words
**Using a glue stick might work for me, too, which would give me the chance to adjust the fold before committing to sewing it
Thanks so much again!
07-14-2019, 04:36 PM
#49
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 157
I've always squared the quilt and corners before adding the binding. Also iron the edges flat. Then machine stitch to the front and hand stitch to the back, stitch each corner miter along its fold, both sides.
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