QUILTsocial Issue 17

A favorite
quilt
binding
technique
for a
clean finish
Step 1: open your binding strips and press your
binding strip end at a 45° angle
Step 2: fold the binding back up and press again
Now I’m giving instructions on how to
complete your piece of art to hang on
the wall. The following is my preferred
technique for binding.
To make the binding, cut strips at 2½”
wide x the width of the chosen binding
fabric (approximately 42'' on average).
Sew strips together at a 45° angle. Press
seams and trim.
Press length of binding in half and make
a 45° cut and fold at the start of the
binding, as shown here.
Step 3: trim away the excess leaving about ¼” seam
Stitch machine binding on the back of quilted project,
following the binding edge as closely as possible.
Now for the hanging sleeve, cut a length
of background fabric 3'' x the width of
your quilt. Press sides in and bottom-up.
Pin to the top edge of your quilt before
adding the binding and pin in place. I
was able to create my hanging sleeve
from the finished edge of the fabric so
I didn’t need to fold the bottom edge
under!
Make sure the hanging sleeve is flat
against the back of the quilt as you sew
on the binding.
Remember to consider the binding and
background colors when threading your
machine to bind. I had a black thread in
the top and a red thread in the bobbin,
because my binding is black and my
background fabric (on the quilt front) is
red.
Begin the binding at a few inches away
from a lower corner and a few inches
past where the binding begins. Stitch
all the way around making miters in
the corners and when you come to the
end/beginning of the binding strip, tuck
them together.
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OUILTsocial
| issue 17