Quilt Binding

This tutorial will give you all the steps needed for quilt binding by hand or with a machine. The pictures shown are from a Baby Quilt tutorial I put together while making a blanket for my nephew using the Quill quilt pattern.

Binding gives the edges of a quilt a finished border that helps protect the edges from wearing over time. You can buy ready made binding at the store, or make your own. Making your own is easy, and allows for more freedom of design.

What You Will Need to Make Quilt Binding:

• 2.5 inch wide strips of fabric, enough to run slightly longer than the perimeter of your quilt.
• Self healing mat, rotary blade, and straight edge ruler.
• Pencil and Ruler
• Sewing machine and thread

Steps to Quilt Binding:

Cut the Pieces

If you are making your own binding, use a self-healing mat and rotary blade to cut long 2.5 inch wide strips of fabric. They will need to be a combined length that is at least 12 inches longer than the perimeter of the size of quilt you are working on.

Combine the Strips

To combine the strips into one long piece, lay the edges perpendicularly with right sides together. Then use a ruler and pencil to mark a diagonal line where you will sew the pieces together.

First, sew the pieces together diagonally. This makes for less bulk in any one spot and a smoother look overall. Make sure you have sewn correctly by unfolding the pieces. They should make a continuous line. Then, trim off the excess fabric.

Press the Quilt Binding

Once you have one long strip, at least 12 inches longer than the perimeter of your quilt, use an iron to press the seams. Then fold the strip in half lengthwise and press.

Layout the Binding

Lay the binding on the quilt along the edges.

If you plan on hand sewing the binding, lay out the binding on the front of the quilt. However, if you plan to bind the quilt by machine only, lay out the binding on the back of the quilt.

The unfinished edges of binding should face outward. The folded and pressed side should face inward, toward the quilt. Use pins to secure.

Machine Sew the Binding to the Quilt

Using the presser foot as a guide, start sewing 6-8 inches from the open end of the binding, leaving a tail of fabric unattached. Stop sewing 6-8 inches from the opposite open end, leaving a gap.

At the corners, stop about 1/8 inch from the end and turn the quilt, fold the next side flat and resume sewing, starting at 1/8 inch from the end.

Next, to secure the open ends, one more diagonal will be sewn. Unfold the binding and place right sides together perpendicularly at the point the binding would naturally meet up. This takes some finagling of the blanket to achieve. After sewing and before snipping the excess fabric, make sure the binding lines up and lays correctly. If it looks good, cut the excess and finish sewing the binding to the quilt.

As a final touch, use an iron to press the binding away from the quilt.

Finishing the Binding by Hand

In my opinion, hand sewn binding looks the best. It takes a while, so I recommend having a show to binge watch or some really good podcasts lined up for this part of the project.

Fold the binding over the open ends of the quilt and use needle and thread to sew using a blind stitch. Cover the machine stitching as you go.

Finishing the Binding by Machine

Machine binding is a way faster option and still looks nice too.

Fold the binding over the open end and top sew the front.

Notes on Quilt Binding

Binding is a really beautiful way to finish a quilt. It can be done the easy way with store bought binding and machine sewing. Or it can be done the more traditional way of making your own and hand sewing. Both ways lead to a stronger finished quilt.

Binding can also be used to make an old quilt stronger. Check out Repairing a Vintage Quilt for this topic and more ideas.

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