This binding looks like a regular quilt binding on the front, but it has 4 differences. It’s cut wider, it’s sewn with a 3/8” (1 cm) seam allowance, it folds over to the back, past the stitching line to a width of 1” (2.5 cm) and is machine sewn down on the front of the quilt, making a quilting line that is sewn slightly less than ½” (1.2 cm) away from the quilt edge. This binding ties in perfectly with quilt as you go quilts that are made with the cover strips on the back but you could also use it on any other project where the finish of this binding suits the look of the quilt design.
Please note: Instructions are given in imperial measurements to be in accordance with patchwork and quilting equipment.
Cutting out:
For this method the binding strips are cut 3 ¾” wide.
The quilt that is being bound is the Pattern Poole String quilt, it's a free pattern and video, you can check it out here.
For this quilt cut (7) 3 3/4" wide WOF strips.
Instructions
Join the binding strips, right sides together, end to end with a 45-degree seam. To do this, lay 1 strip in a horizontal direction on your work surface with the right side facing up, place another strip on top in a vertical direction with the right side facing down, extending the edge of each strip past each other by approximately ½”. Draw a diagonal line from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. Stitch on the marked line.
Trim to a ¼” seam allowance then press the full length of the strip in half lengthwise with the wrong sides facing.
Cut one end of the binding straight, this end will be called end A. The finishing end of the binding we are going to call end B.
Before you sew the binding onto the quilt, check that all edges are level and trim if necessary.
Once all your edges are straight, mark a line on the wrong side of the quilt that is 1” away from the edge, around all 4 sides of the quilt using a fabric marker.
Set your machine up with a thread that matches the binding on the top and in the bobbin, the standard foot and a straight stitch with a length of 3.
The binding is sewn onto the front of the quilt, start the binding about 2/3 of the way down one side edge.
Take end A of the binding and position the raw edges of the binding against the raw edge of the quilt.
Measure 10” from end A and mark with a pin, start sewing from the pin with a 3/8” seam allowance, this will leave a 10” section of unattached binding.
Smooth the binding out along the edge of the quilt and hold it taught as you sew.
Stop sewing 3/8” away from the corner, secure with 2 or 3 reverse stitches, cut the thread and remove the quilt from the machine.
To mitre the corner, fold the binding up, making a 45-degree fold from the corner of the quilt.
Next, fold the binding down so that the top folded edge is level with the horizontal edge of the quilt.
Start sewing from the top edge, there is no need for a reverse stitch.
Continue sewing the binding around the edge of the quilt in this way.
Stop sewing the binding 10” away from end A and take your work out from the machine.
This will leave you with a gap of approximately 20” and 2 long tails of binding so that you can easily join the binding with a 45 degree seam, the tails and spacing will make this step easy.
Smooth both loose ends of the binding along the quilt edge, making them taught. Cut across end B so that it overlaps end A by 3 ¾”.
Open out end A so that the wrong side is facing up and measure 3 ¾” along the top edge of the binding and make a mark.
Connect the mark with the bottom corner of the binding and mark a 45-degree line.
Open out both ends of the binding and place them right sides together, rotate end A up, so that the short end is level with the side edge of end B. Pin together on the marked diagonal line.
Double check that the binding join is correct and if so, stitch on the marked line.
Trim away the excess fabric so you have a ¼” seam allowance. Finger press the seam open.
Fold the binding in half again and finish sewing it onto the edge of the quilt.
Position the quilt on your ironing surface with the top side facing up. Press the binding away from the edge of the quilt.
Turn the quilt over so that the back is facing up. Fold the binding over to the back of the quilt, aligning the folded edge with the previously marked 1” line.
Pin the binding in place by turning the quilt edge to the right side and pinning in the ditch of the seam allowance.
Continue pining all the way around the edge of the quilt, placing the pins approximately 4” apart and folding the excess fabric at the corners to make 45-degree mitres.
I show this in the video at 40:00 minutes, click here to see the video.
(Tip: You could also hold the binding in place with a wash away fabric glue).
The next step is to machine sew the binding in place from the top of the quilt. (Sounds crazy but it really works). To do this, thread your machine with a colour to match the stitching lines of the cover strips, a bobbin to match the binding, your standard foot and a straight stitch with a straight stitch of 3. Adjust your needle position all the way over to the left, this will give you a distance from the edge of the foot to the needle that is slightly less than ½”, this distance will match the cover strip stitching lines.
Start sewing with the quilt top facing up, resting the edge of the foot against the ditch of the binding seam, sliding the pins out as you go. Sew all around the edge of the quilt in this way.
This is what the completed binding will look like on the back, you will see that the back of the binding has been caught in the stitching line. If you like, you can hand-sew the folded mitres in place.
If you are new to the Pattern Poole blog, welcome! I'm Monica and together with my daughter Alaura, we have a YouTube quilting channel and a website full of creative PDF patterns, you can check them out here.
Happy quilting!
Monica xo