Your binding should be anything from 2 – 2 1/2 inches wide. If the size of your seam allowance is the regular ¼”, the ideal width for your quilt binding strips will range from 2” to 2 ½”. 1. After you remove the end piece, turn the piece of fabric around and begin cutting 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) sections all the way across the rectangle. Bias binding is binding that is cut at a 45 degree angle from the selvedge. Remember that the more space you give around the edge of your quilt, the easier it is to attach it to your quilting machine. The size of the seam allowance determines the size of the binding. Continue moving the ruler over to cut as many 2.5-inch binding strips as you need to bind your quilt. I made my binding 2 ¼ in wide but I think a good width would be from 2 in to 2 ½ in. Remember that flannel is very linty, so you need to clean out your machine frequently. But you need to be careful and experiment on your own to know if it will work well with your projects. The following are the most common binding strip widths for each seam allowance size: If you prefer a looser quilt binding or flannel fabric, you can use strips on the range’s broader end. Carrie Nelson of Moda Fabrics will guide you step by step on how to put wide binding on your quilt. The diagrams shown illustrate a 5⁄8-yard length of 42"-wide fabric. Binding Basics - Part 3: Preparing the Quilt, Binding Basics - Part 4: Attaching the Binding by Machine, Binding Basics - Part 5: Hand-Stitching the Binding to the Back, Binding Basics - Part 2: Making the Binding, Nine Patch Lesson 1: Basic Piecing with Charms, Nine Patch Lesson 2: Speed Strip Quilting for a Baby quilt, How to Sew an Accurate Quarter Inch Seam Allowance, Machine Quilting with Golden Threads paper, How to Pick the Right Quilting Design for Your Quilt. If you have a passion for crafts and arts, you will love what I have to share with you. Next, you could either baste or pin your layers together. Always start with a straight edge and then cut strips 2 ½ " wide. So, we decided to write a comprehensive binding tutorial you can refer to over and over. Divide the total by 40” (safest usable fabric width, especially if pre-washed) to determine how many cross-cut (selvage-to-selvage) strips are needed to make … The quilt backing you select depends on the amount of time and money you are willing to invest in your project. You can use this best for quilts that you intend to hang for display or gently use and not washed often. You can make quilt binding in any size you'd like, but 2 1/4 (2.25 inches) or 2 1/2" strips are most common - this will give you a binding width of about 1/4" on the front and back of your quilt. Straight binding is easier to cut and apply. To work out much binding you will need, measure the quilt all round and add about 20in extra. Sew along the diagonal line; chain-piecing makes sewing the strips go faster and keeps the pieced seams joined together for trimming (do not cut the strings yet). Quilts that have curved edges require bias binding. Another type of bias binding is double-fold binding. You need to choose a backing fabric that compliments your top quilt well. Sew strips together until they measure the sum total length of all four sides of the quilt. What Are The Bamboo Batting Pros And Cons? Required fields are marked *. Bias-grain bindings are strips that you cut along the bias grain of your fabric, 45 degrees to the lengthwise or crosswise grain. How do I Know what Width to Cut My Quilt Binding? Use a relatively thin batting since flannel will add extra bulk to your quilt. We also get lots of questions about how we managed to pull that off! 4. Cut binding strips 1 1/4" wide. Finally, remove all the pins and finish the edges. What is the best quality quilting fabric? Cut binding fabric into strips. Okay, I'll admit it, all the steps are important for me...I'm just a quilting junkie! Follow this simple guide to make a 4” wide sleeve: Measure the width of the top of your quilt. But you need to be careful in handling them to ensure that you will get quality results. Using 2 1/2" strips might be recommended for early beginners, especially if you're going to be attaching your binding entirely by machine (so that attaching leaves room for 3/8" instead of strictly 1/4" seam … You will receive a link and will create a new password via email. If your fabric piece is a different size, the folded fabric may look different, although the instructions will be the same. You fold in each raw fabric edge toward your fabric strip’s center and fold it in half along the center. It is best to choose which binding is ideal for your project as it neatly covers your fabric’s raw edges. I use a 2.25" wide binding and a 1/4" seam. Please enter your email address. Reply Delete If you want details on your top quilt, you can use a solid fabric in matching color. Hand-stitch the top edge of the sleeve to your quilt using a whipstitch or a blind stitch. Press the binding in half lengthwise and seams open as you come to them. After completing the detailed process of sewing a quilt (see How to Make a Quilt) the last step is to bind the edges with fabric to give your quilt a “finished” look.This article details the process for making binding strips and using them to bind your quilt. It must be a total of 8 to 10 inches larger than your quilt top. The seam allowance used to attach the binding should be equal to the desired finished width of your binding. Pinning is optional, but it will keep the strips in place together when you start sewing. For our example, we need 156” of continuous binding cut at 2.5” width. Follow this simple guide to calculate the yardage for your quilt binding: Binding a baby quilt uses the same principle as binding regular quilts. Besides leaving space on the top and bottom of your quilt, you also need to have enough room on the sides. How Can You Tell The Quality Of Quilting Fabric? This gives me a really full binding. Cut binding strips 2 1/2" wide on lengthwise or crosswise grain of fabric. Watch this instructional quilting video to sew a wide binding on your quilt. You can also try washing and drying your sheets before using them to prevent bleeding and shrinking.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'crafttribeonline_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',105,'0','0'])); Many crafters use flannel quilt backing and are happy with the decision. It all depends on your preferences. Trim off the extra fabric, leaving a 1/4” seam allowance. Piece strips together at a 45 ° angle to create one continuous strip long enough to go around the entire quilt. And when I trim I l cut about 1/8 - 1/4" beyond the quilt top edge. Because my seam is 1/8" wider, I have a very nice full binding when I turn the binding to the back of the quilt to stitch down. Fold one of the long edges up about ½” and press it to make a new crease. Fold in half lengthwise, wrong sides together then press. Its folding method leaves only one layer of fabric that covers the raw edges. Binding puts the finishing touches on any quilting project. 3. Divide this number by the width of your fabric (normally 42in). Fabric typically comes off the bolt at about 42” so we want to figure out how many strips we will need to cut to get to our 156″ to get all the way around the quilt. Note that the tail end of the strip on top becomes the strip on the bottom when the next strip is added. But for many quilters, especially those who quilt in competitions, prefer tight binding. For example, if you want a finished binding that’s 1/2 inch wide, cut strips that are 2 inches wide (1/2 inch x 4 = 2). Quilt binding should be cut 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) wide for large quilts or 2.25 inches (5.7 cm) for small or wall-hanging quilts. *The mathematical formula for this is: Multiply the number of inches around the quilt (the perimeter) by the width of your bias binding strips. This technique is especially useful if you choose to sew the diagonal line without drawing it first. Ultimate quilt binding tutorial with step by step instructions to show you how to make quilt binding and how to attach the first round of binding. With more experience, it is possible to skip drawing the line. You can use it in covering straight edges. Many crafters believe that quilting cotton is the best choice to use for the backing. You need to add the measurements of all four sides of your quilt if you are making your bindings from width-of-fabric strips. Can you use flannel and cotton in a quilt? Cut two fabrics and batting 4" wide X 6" long. Your email address will not be published. The right sides must be facing outward. Quilt binding allows you to finish the edges of your finished “quilt sandwich” in a professional way. My binding actually comes out at about 3/8" wide instead of 1/4" wide (because the walking foot is wider than my 1/4" foot) so I pivot at 3/8" at the corners instead of 1/4". The charming Winter's Night floral quilt pattern features an extra-wide striped binding. Cut binding strips 2½in wide then cut your binding strips to measure 2½in (6.5cm) wide. Always keep right sides together. If you’re determined to make your own double-fold bias binding, follow these steps: Cut strips of fabric four times wider than the desired width of the finished binding. You can then play with the seam allowance as well as the width of your binding. I am so thrilled to have you visit this website. Draw a diagonal line exactly from corner-to-corner on the edges where the strips intersect as shown; this is actually easier to visualize if the strips extend beyond each other slightly. References. Strips to cut — Take your length of binding total and divide it by the width of your fabric. You need to avoid wrinkle-free sheets, which also make it difficult to penetrate with your needle. Cut a strip of fabric 8 ½” x the width of your finished quilt, including binding. Most of the time I sew the binding on before I trim the excess from the quilt. Remember that the larger your quilt is, the more you need to worry about stretching. 2. If the line is off, the pieced strips will not be straight (upper example). It will provide you with enough space so that you will not cut off the points.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'crafttribeonline_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',103,'0','0'])); Beginners usually prefer cutting slightly wider strips to avoid any hand discomfort. Sew along the long raw edges using a ¼” seam allowance. Your seam allowance needs to be ¼” if there are points next to the binding. Fold it under again so that there are no visible raw edges on the short end showing. You can make your strips smaller or larger if desired by increasing or decreasing the width of the strips. This can be done at the cutting table with a rotary cutter and ruler (not shown) or by hand with scissors at the ironing board. Click the link below to download our free lesson on how to apply extra-wide quilt binding. If I use a 2.5" binding I use a 3/8" seam. A 3" binding is recommended when you're learning to use these tools but after that you can create wider & narrower bindings. If the quilt doesn't have borders, a binding sewn to edges with a 1/4" seam is the best choice, since that width matches the 1/4" seam allowance that's built-in to the edge of most quilt blocks. You always need to prewash your flannel. © 1999-2021 Crafts Americana Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Spread out your batting into the backing and smooth out all the wrinkles. Fold both short ends under, toward the wrong side of the fabric and press. Crafters usually use this type of binding in covering curved or rounded edges.eval(ez_write_tag([[468,60],'crafttribeonline_com-box-4','ezslot_2',107,'0','0'])); You can cut a single -fold quilt binding either the straight or bias fabric grain. There are some general guidelines to follow, although binding size is a personal preference. Fold both short ends under, toward the wrong side of the fabric and press. Choose a Binding Width . Add 12” for seams, corners, and finishing. Lay down your backing fabric on a flat surface after sewing it together. Straight-grain binding is a strip of fabric cut along the crosswise or lengthwise grain of our fabric. How Many 12 Inch Blocks In A Queen Size Quilt? This tells you how many strips to cut; round this number up. Binding a quilt is just as important, if not the most important, step in making a quilt. Divide the total measurement that you got to determine the number of strips you need. Place end of two strips perpendicular to each other forming an 'L',... How to Sew Easy Mitered Quilt Binding - About.com Home You will not have enough room to bind your quilt if you start working with a backing that is the same size or just a little bit wider than your top. Doing so creates more slack that prevents the rod from creating bumps on the front of your quilt when you hang it. You also need to quilt with a walking foot to get the ideal results. Make sure that it is square with the floor. I bind the same way. There are different types of binding which you can use for various projects. Thank you for being part of our little tribe. These strips may be cut on the straight grain or on the bias. Doing so will highlight the top work without drawing attention away from it because of the backing. 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