General Directions Page3 Binding the Q

For wallhangings, I sometimes use a "single" layer of fabric for binding. I use a Narrow hem finish or serge-finish to "clean finish" one long edge of binding. Narrow hem finish--I have a special "narrow hem" foot for my machine that turns under a very narrow hem and makes this job easy. A hem done this way usually "ripples". Steam-press to get rid of ripples. Or serge-finish one long edge of strip, using the narrow-rolled hem stitch on your serger. I've even been known to "pink" the long edge, to clean-finish it. Hey, I was in a hurry! Or, you can turn under the raw edge of binding to the back of the quilt and hand sew it to the back of the quilt, after binding has been applied. If you have had to "square-up" your quilt and have drawn chalk or pencil lines on quilt, line up the raw edge of binding to the chalk or pencil line. If your quilt is square, line up the raw edge of binding to the edge of the quilt. When sewing the binding down, I use walking foot and also "tug", just a little, on binding. It will lie flatter, with that little easing. There is less chance of "waviness".

1) Lay the unfinished long edge of binding alongside the right edge of your quilt top. Start sewing binding on, with ¼" seam, starting about 2/3 down the length of the quilt and about 6" from end of binding strip. When you get to a corner, stop stitching ¼" away from edge of quilt, turn quilt 90° and sew off edge, through the ¼" seam allowance. I have enhanced, in red, the sewing line.	2) Remove quilt from machine, flip binding up and back on itself, diagonally, from corner of quilt.	3) Then fold binding toward you, so that the raw edge of binding lines up with the edge of the quilt and the fold at top is even with the raw edge of the binding that you just previously sewed. I have enhanced, in red, the sewing line that starts at the top of the fold.
Fig. 1	Fig. 2	Fig. 3
4) Sew binding all around, stopping sewing about 6" to 8" from where you started. Remove quilt from machine. In the middle of the unsewn area, cut one end of binding on diagonal. Lay the uncut end of binding on seamline and lay diagonally-cut end of binding on top of it (Fig. 1). Mark, with pencil, where the diagonal line lies. Make another line, with pencil, ½" away from the first drawn line. The second drawn line will be the cutting line and will give you the needed ¼" seam allowances when sewing the binding ends together (Fig. 2). I always tug a little on these unsewn ends, when lining them up for marking. Want binding to be a little shy of the actual amount needed, so that way the binding will lie flatter. Fig. 3 shows that the excess binding has been cut away. Seam binding ends together, in a ¼" seam. Sew the unsewn section of binding to quilt. Trim off excess of batting and backing. If you are going to be putting a hanging sleeve on back of quilt, for hanging, sew on hanging sleeve before turning binding to wrong side of quilt.

Binding the Quilt