There are SO many variations to binding quilts. This post is about how I usually bind my quilts. I traditionally machine sew my binding to the top of the quilt and then hand sew it onto the back. I feel like machine sewing binding to the back gives a more modern look, which I tend to stray from with binding. There is just something about hand sewn binding that makes the quilt feel really special. I feel like nothing says handmade, not mass produced, quite like handsewn binding does.
Blog post on how to make binding.
Machine Sewing the Binding – Starting
Sew the binding onto the quilt along the edge of your quilt. Make sure that the open part of the binding is along the edge and that the folded side is facing the interior of the quilt. Start machine sewing the binding on about 1.5-2″ inches from the start of the binding.
I tend to sew the binding on about an 1 – 1 1/2″ inches from the edge of the quilt, but you can do less or more, as long as when you fold over the binding you have enough left to cover your machine sewn line. If you are unsure whether you went too wide, sew a few inches, then fold it over to check. If you went too wide, grab your seam ripper and start over.
Machine Sewing Binding – Corners
Sew until about a 1/8″ from the edge. Then stop sewing and trim your thread.
Fold your fabric in a way that there is only one fold and your fabric is against the edge of the quilt. It should look like the picture below. Keep sewing with the same seam allowance.
Below is what your corner should like after you are done. Corners can be tricky, so after you finish your first one, I would check it in case you need to fix it.
Machine Sewing Binding – Ending
Trim your binding off about a 1/2″ or so from where you started sewing your binding on.
Fold the start of your binding inward like pictured below.
Then put the end of your binding inside.
Machine sew your binding on until you sew past your original seam line. Your binding should look like the picture below.
Handsewn Binding
You can use practically any weight thread to hand sew the binding on. A higher weighted thread will make the stitches more visible and give in a chunkier look. A lower weighted thread will blend in more and have a more subtle look.
For the binding in the pictures below, I used DMC perle cotton thread in white for a chunkier thread.
Hand Sewing Binding – Starting
Insert your needle and start your hand sewn thread above the machine sewn line.
Insert your needle right off the edge of your binding. With the needle going in from the back side and towards the front side.
Fold the binding over and start a running stitch.
Hand Sewing Binding – Corners
Sew your running stitch until just before your perpendicular machine sewn line.
Fold your binding over on the other side of the quilt. Insert your needle into the corner from the bottom side of the binding towards the top.
Continue your running stitch until you finish sewing the binding on.
Finished Binding
Quilt pictured above is the Fleeting Quilt. Pattern available Dec 5th.
Happy Sewing!
