Binding & Edges

Cut enough pieces at one time for your quilt tops.  Put a piece of freezer tape, with the number of pieces and name of the quilt top, around each group of piees which are alike.

When binding a large quilt, I find that the binding starts to get tangled (even caught under the wheels of my sewing chair), so I now roll the binding around my finger and when completely rolled up, I place it into a sealable plastic sandwich baggie and put a slit in the bag just under the seal ,(just large enough for the binding to fit through easily) and put the baggie in my lap.  As you sew and need more binding it automatically just slides right out... no twisting or catching. Try it!  I wish I had figured this out years ago.

After cutting and piecing the binding, it needs to be pressed.My tip is to iinsert a corsarge pin into the pad on the ironing board and slide the binding beneath the inserted pin. This keeps the binding straight and allows you to easily press the binding in half.

After I create the label for the back of the quilt, (I make a label for every quilt I make).  I sew the label to a used dryer sheet.  I sew it fronts together and sew all the way around the label.  I then slit the dryer sheet about 1 " in the center of the sheet, just enough room to turn it right-side out.  I then press it, so I have a nice crisp edge to hand-sew or applique to the back of the quilt.  The used dryer sheet also smells real good everytime you wash and dry the quilt.

After sewing your binding on your quilt by machine and ready to sew it on the back by hand, Iron the binding down on the back side.  You won't have to use any clips or pin it down any longer.  It stays in place very well.

When making your own binding, use the empty toilet paper tubes, which the standard size is about 4 1/4", if the strips are larger, use one from wraps, cut to size, leaving at least 1/4 - 1/2 inch on each side.  Flatten the empty tube and place end on inside and pin.  Roll the strip onto the tube to about 8" from where you are going to stitch.  After stitching and trimming your seem, roll onto tube and continue until all strips are sewn together.  When you are ready to press the strips, just unroll it, and after pressing, roll onto another tube in the same manner.  It stays rolled neatly without hanging all over.

After you have finished your quilt, but before the binding is completely sewn down in the back, put your name or initials and the date in the seam line.  This way if the quilt is lost or stollen and you find it, you can always have proof  of ownership without anyone else knowing.  Use indelible ink.

I cut my binding wide enough to make a French binding and sew the strips together,and as I fold and press the binding I roll it on an empty paper towel roll. When I sew it to the right side of the quilt I lay the roll with the binding in my lap and it unrolls with out any twisting. I then hand sew the binding to the back of the quilt.

Instead of using pins to keep your binding in place as you sew it on, use those new bobbypin style barrets.  They fit tight and hold the binding in place perfectly with no holes.  No more getting poked with needles as you pack up your quilt for travelling, or getting your legs, etc poked as you sew! 

Select a backing for your wallhanging quilt that you would also use as binding.  Cut the backing with a decorative rotary cutter (pinking balde or wave blade) and wrap it around the front of your quilt. Stitch the wavy backing to the front of the quilt, ensuring the measurements are the same on all 4 sides.  This gives the quilt the appearance of having a wavy binding which is really nice for wallhangings and art quilts.  It also adds a nice touch if a decorative or verigated thread is used.  This provides beautiful contrast and detail around the whole quilt.