wandajean

Hi, I'm just finishing up a large lap size quilt of valor for my almost 80 year old Father. I'm pretty happy with it, but I made the mistake (after the quilting was finished) of cutting (squaring) it too close, and I didn't leave even 1/4" of batting to plump the binding. I have 8 point stars on the corners, so I can't sew the binding over farther onto the quilt or it will cover the points (by a long ways). The binding is navy with a red flange - via a Youtube video. That turned out great. I decided I would try the machine binding method, and sewed the binding onto the back of my quilt with a scant 1/4" seam.

The problem is that there will be no fullness in my binding if I sew it on as is. Does anyone know of something I can "fill" in the binding with before I sew it down? I thought maybe piping, but I'm thinking that would feel too round and hard. I also thought cutting narrow strips of batting, which would be the right "feel". I would think batting would be the right choice, but then I'm worried about securing it. I'd appreciate input ... Thanks!

I may try to upload some photos so you'll get a better idea.

cjsews

Is it possible to sew a strip of batting to the seam allowance after swing the binding on? Stitch alongside the seam. Maybe use a long zigzag stitch if you think it needs a bit extra to hold it. I would put a little wider strip on for ease of handling and then trim it down where you want it to be

ManiacQuilter2

I have never had this problem before but could you carefully put any small long strip of scrap batting where is should be?? I would cut the longest strip you could about 1/2' wide. It would be easier to do this binding to sew it to the back by hand so you could stuff and sew as you go. He is going to enjoy this quilt so much because you made it especially for him.

GailG

Perhaps I'm not understanding, but it seems that if you have a seam allowance for the binding, that seam allowance would fill a narrow binding. Perhaps you were wanting a wider binding? I usually just trim the top, batting, and binding at the seam allowance width and then wrap the binding around that to the other side. It leaves the binding full. I look forward to more responses so I will know if I've been doing this wrong after all this time. Besides cutting and piecing, binding is my next favorite process in the making of a quilt.

nabobw

If you do not trim off the extra material and batting before you sew on the binding then you will never have that problem again.

roguequilter

after trimming a quilt i always save the batt scraps. i stuff my binding for even fullness all around. sometimes it's just a sliver of batt here & there. it's something i read in a magazine article many years ago. it was about little things that judges check for in quilt shows. i've only shown a few quilts in small shows over the years, no ribbons, but they always looked so nice hanging up there with the other quilts.

NJ Quilter

I'd just sew on some scraps of batting as well - wider than necessary and then trim to the correct size. I'd also use a zig-zag stitch. My opinion, as long as you catch most of it in the zig-zag stitching, once the binding is completed, it's not going to go anywhere but others with more experience may have better suggestions.

nativetexan

if you normally use a 2 1/2 inch binding, make it 2 1/4 instead. Now are you folding the binding over the front? almost sounds like that when you are talking about the star points. If the star points are right at the raw edge of the quilt you will have to bite the bullet and sew binding on and not worry about the points being in the seam a bit. not much to do about it. Good luck!!!

krafty14

I love doing the binding with the flange!! I use 1 1/2" of the flange color and 1 1/4" of the binding color. This ends up at a 2 1/4" binding. If the batting is cut even with the top and back, you shouldn't have a problem. I bring the binding around tight so that the seam, where the flange meets the binding, is just beyond the row of stitching from sewing the binding on the back. Then sew the binding on by machine by sewing in the ditch between the flange and the binding. This should make a line of stitching on the back just below the binding. Use bobbin thread to match the back. I usually get a good miter too. Of course, the flange part may hang over your star points a bit, but since it is not attached, you can kind of see under them. Good luck. Would love to see it! Ann

wandajean

Yes, Krafty14 (and others), I am using a Youtube tutorial, stitch in the ditch (on the front) method to complete the binding. I saw both The Missouri Star Quilt Company's video, and Aunt Marti's 52 Quilts in 52 Days, both are similar. I figured out just after posting my question that what many of you have suggested is what I need to do. I will cut about 1/2" of batting and position it in the binding before I sew it onto the front. If it weren't for that pretty flange that I took extra time to create, I may have just folded the binding over itself and then sewn on, but I didn't want to lose that. I have another quilt I'm finishing as well, and I'm hand binding that one. I will post both when done. Thank you, Ladies!