I hope this helps you with your bindings. Please PM me if you have any questions.


Better Binding Basics
Gather your supplies, walking foot, fabric for binding, quilt or practice square 12 – 18 inches; binding strips, marking tool, small ruler, scissors, about 3 pins. To hand sew binding to back; hand needle, matching thread, binding clips of your choice.
My binding supplies
This is based on cutting your binding strips 2 ½ inches wide. Cut number of strips needed:
To piece strips together lay one face up horizontal and the next face down vertically directly on the top of the first strip so right sides are together at an angle
Take the other end of the vertical strip, now lay it horizontal and add the next piece as above. (I string piece these all together).
Now all your binding strips are pieced take the pile to the ironing board. Press WRONG sides together, when you get to a seam clip the thread and trim seam allowance, press seam open; continue pressing binding until done.
How you store or control the pile of binding is a personal choice. I either fold or mark it for storage until I finish the quilt. Or roll it on a TP tube; or I take the pile to my sewing machine and attach to my quilt; when I take a long strip directly to my quilt and machine I toss the long roll over my shoulder.

Now let’s attach our binding to our quilt;
(1st pin) Pin beginning of binding strip to long side of quilt, (2nd) second pin about 8 inches down from beginning edge; this is where you will start sewing. Take 3rd and last pin, position about 8 inches above 1st pin; this is where you will STOP sewing.

With walking foot attached, I use the outside edge of my walking foot as my seam guide
Back stitch 2 or 3 stitches or use locking stitch, stitch down edge, STOPPING 1/4 INCH before end (I do eye ball this, but you can mark it before you get to the edge). Stop with needle down, lift presser foot and turn quilt so the CORNER edge is centered in the middle of your foot ; lower presser foot and stitch off the edge (this will be at an angle).
DO NOT CUT THREAD; Raise presser foot again and turn quilt so the edge you just attached is at the top, (you may have to pull quilt toward you a little). Binding is behind machine, Fold binding back over itself toward you, and fold again.

Stitch from very edge (through fold of binding), and continue to next corner.

Continue around quilt until you reach pin #3.
Back stitch and remove from machine; lay flat on table and gather scissors, marking tool, and small ruler. Lay binding smooth across quilt to meet beginning; fold binding back on itself, with fold meeting beginning; measure and mark 2 ½ inches, (this should be the same as the width you cut your binding).

Cut on the marked line, take the two ends and lay the right side face down on the left end, right sides together, insert pin diagonally through the center, open and lay out to check that it lays flat (occasionally one of the strips get twisted, you want to check now, not after it is sewn together). THIS IS THE LAST PICTURE IN THIS GROUP, SORRY went out of order. Now repin top and bottom corners leaving room to stitch through the center, and draw stitching line from corner to corner. Stitch on drawn line and trim, leaving ¼ inch seam.

Finger press seam open; fold binding back in half and continue to stitch the open area; stitch overlapping the seams where you started and ended.
looks like the rest of your seams.

Fold to back and hand stitch down. Your corners should look like this.

I hope this tutorial is helpful to you.

Thank you, I will try this on my next quilt.

Thank you so much.

Thanks....I have the most trouble joining ends where binding starts and stops...will try this.
Dottie

thank you

What a great tute. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks,
Does binding have to be on the bias or can it be a straight cut? I have a top I am making and am thinking I will not have enough for the binding on the bias. What can I do?
Cathy