How To Bind A Quilt How To BIND A QuIlt: 12 NEW

12how to BIND a quilt4. Trim 1 8" from all edges on thebacking.NOTE: If you will be using the escapehatch method, apply fusible web to asection of the back and cut the openingnow.5. Place the backing on the quilt,For a quick and easyfinish, try the “escape-hatch”method (see The Pillowcase Technique).The opening is fused closed, then hiddenunder the label.right-sides together, and sew alongthe outside edge using a 1 4" seamallowance, easing the top andslightly stretching the back to fit.6. Trim away as much batting as youcan from the seam allowance.NOTE: I do some additional quiltingafter adding the pillowcase backing tokeep the backing in place (see Step 10).2. Trim the quilt top and batting,being sure to allow for a 3 8" seamallowance. (The extra 1 8" is for the“roll” toward the quilt back.)3. Cut the backing exactly the samesize and shape as the top.7. Trim the outside corners to reducebulk when turned. Clip all insidecurves and cut notches in alloutside curves. Clip into insidecorners.TIP: Avoid clipping into the stitchedseam. If the fabric is raveling a lot, use ashort stitch length to reinforce the seamand use a no-fray product where theclips approach the stitching.8. Turn the quilt right-side out. UseshortcutsTo speed up the process, use fusibleweb on the backing (before youstitch it to the quilt), using one of thefollowing methods: For the escape hatch method, applyfusible web extending 1" or soaround the planned escape hatchlocation.a point-turner, blunt-tipped largeknitting needle, or a crochet hookto ease corners.9. Iron the seam allowances towardthe center of the quilt as follows.Roll just a smidgen of the frontedge of the quilt to the back; this isClip off cornerCut notches For small quilts, apply fusible webto the entire backing.For either method, sew with thefused backing on top and reduce thepresser-foot pressure so the fusibleadhesive doesn’t bunch up under thepresser foot. To reduce drag, placetissue paper or tear-away stabilizerover the fusible; remove the stabilizeronce stitching is complete.ClipClip into cornerhow to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding AND FINISHING methods for Your art quiltsquilt binding methodscalled “favoring” the edge. Whenseen from the side, you won’t seethe backing/facing, so it gives aclean, professional finish to theedge of your quilt or garment.Use an up-and-down (not sliding)motion with a dry iron to set theseams in place.TIP: If you rest a piece of wood or aheavy book on top of the area you justironed as it cools, it will “set” better andstay where it belongs (instead of tryingto uncurl).10. Stitch the side opening or escapehatch closed (or fuse it). If thebacking is fusible, iron it now. Youmay wish to add some quilting orstitching to keep the backing inplace, as I did here, especially ifyour quilt backing is not fused.11. Sew or fuse your label over theescape hatch to hide the slash.SheersQuilts bound with sheer ribbonare lovely, but the ribbon can beexpensive, poor quality, or difficult tofind. I developed a method of usingsheer synthetic fabrics to finish theedges, providing a subtle visual “stop,”yet allowing the viewer to see thecomposition extend all the way fromedge to edge. I use a heat tool to cutand sear the edges because sheers fraya lot. You can also rotary cut thesestrips and allow the edges to fray, oruse tulle (netting) or stretch mesh,which will not fray. Because this piecehas curves, I cut my strips on the bias.For a quilt with straight sides, youmay cut the sheers on the straightgrain. Because sheers can be fiddly,I use a wrapped corner instead of amitered corner.Q u i lt i n g A r t s . c o m6 Interweave Press LLC

12how to BIND a quiltquilt binding methodsD irections1. Rotary cut your binding strips atleast 2" wider than the desiredwidth. For a 1 2" edge, cut strips21 2"–3". Cut a separate strip foreach side of the quilt (cut eachstrip 2" longer than the quiltside).2. Fold the binding strip in halflengthwise and insert the quilt,easing the binding fabric until itis snug against the raw edge of thequilt; pin. Repeat on the oppositeside. (Photo 1)TIP: Spray baste the inside of the sheerto make pinning easier.3. Topstitch the binding in place,sewing 1 2" (or desired width) fromthe quilt’s raw edge, then trim theends of the binding strips flushwith the quilt.4. It is necessary to trim away theexcess width of the binding strip(on both the front and the back ofthe quilt). First, secure your quiltto an ironing surface by pinningon both sides of the stitching line,stabbing the pins through thebinding and underneath the excessfabric. Carefully lift the excessfabric and cut/sear the excess away,leaving 1 8 " beyond the stitching.(Photo 2)5. Positionbinding stripson the final 2 sides ofthe quilt, pinning from themiddle and working outward.Trim the excess binding striplength, leaving 1 2" extending ateach end (for wrapping to the backof the quilt).7. In the same manner as above,topstitch and trim away the excessbinding strip width.6. Wrap the 1 2" excess strip lengthto the back and fold it up on theback. Repeat on the other end.Photo 2Photo 1NOTE: If you sear too close to thestitching, your sheer may pull loose.Also, you might melt your threads.Practice on a scrap and on the back sideof the quilt before working on the front.Keep the heat tool somewhat vertical oryou may accidentally melt the bindingwith the hot shaft of the tool.how to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding AND FINISHING methods for Your art quiltsQ u i lt i n g A r t s . c o m7 Interweave Press LLC

how to BIND a quiltWrap-andTuckit creates a straight line across the top,it makes it much easier to add a sleeveand hang the quilt.With the Wrap-and-Tuck method,the backing is wrapped around tothe front, so it’s important to select abacking that will make a nice framefor the front. The wrap method solvestwo challenges presented by highlyirregular quilt edges. First, it providesstability to design elements thatextend beyond the quilt top so theydon’t sag or flop. And second, becauseNOTE: You need to decide on thistechnique before you have finishedquilting. Leave 1 2" unquilted all aroundthe outside edge so there is room to tuckthe fabric under the quilt top.D irections1. Cut the backing and battingoversized. (The excess requireddepends on how far anyhow to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding AND FINISHING methods for Your art quilts12quilt binding methods“poking-out bits” extend beyondthe central background; see Steps 2and 3.) Layer and baste your quiltsandwich. Complete most of thequilting, leaving at least 1 2" marginunquilted around the edge of thecentral design.2. Trim the batting into a rectangle sothat all the “poking-out bits” aresupported by batting.3. Trim the backing, ensuring thatit extends far enough beyond theedge of the batting to wrap overQ u i lt i n g A r t s . c o m8 Interweave Press LLC

how to BIND a quilt12quilt binding methodswhat if?You can gussy up the edges where thewrap tucks under the top with satinstitching, couched yarns, embroidery,beads, or other decorative details.7. Pin, baste, glue, or fuse the edgethe exposed batting and tuckunderneath the quilt top (withat least 1 4" tucked under theinnermost part of the quilt top).4. Fold opposite sides of the backinginward, wrapping it smoothlyaround the edge of the batting andtucking it underneath the quilttop; press the folds.5. Fold the corners to create miters;press.of the quilt top to the wrap,making sure the corners stay nicelymitered.8. Complete the quilting. Be sureto quilt the new frame and the“poking-out bits.”6. Fold the remaining sides inward;tuck under the quilt top and pressthe folds.Satin stitchingSatin stitching, a tightly packedzigzag stitch, is a familiar stitch usedin many fabric postcards and ArtistTrading Cards (ATCs); it works asan edge-finish on larger pieces aswell. It can be tricky to get a dense,classy result, but with practice and avariety of techniques, satin stitchingoffers a pleasing edge-finish option.The following are the strategies Irecommend. In general, I make twoto three rounds to cover an edge. Forthe first round, a narrow width andsomewhat open-length zigzag is usedto secure the three layers of the quilt.Wider, tightly packed stitches are usedfor the subsequent round(s).D irections1. Starting with your quilted sandwich,secure the quilt top and backingfabrics to the batting along theedges of the quilt by fusing it, oruse wash-away tape. (This is notYou can use the same thread all the way around orchange thread colors to blend with the fabric, as I did here.I wanted a variegated look at the night sky’s edge, but not a stripe,which happens when you machine zigzag stitch with variegatedthread. To avoid the stripe, I used free-motion zigzag stitchingwith variegated thread.how to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding AND FINISHING methods for Your art quiltsQ u i lt i n g A r t s . c o m9 Interweave Press LLC

how to BIND a quiltexperiment Try different thread colors, stitchwidths, stitch lengths, and tensionsettings. If your edge wants to ripple orstretch, or the stitching wraps toofar to the bottom side, try stitchingwith a piece of wash-away stabilizerunder the edge. To remove thestabilizer, tear away as much aspossible, then spritz with water todissolve the remainder.necessary if your quilt top is fusedand/or densely quilted—everyquarter inch or closer along theedges.) If the fabric isn’t secured tothe batting, it has a tendency to liftup or wiggle out from under thesatin stitching.2. Make test samples using differentthreads and stitch settings, andexperiment with wash-awaystabilizers.TIP: Do a test to be sure the stabilizerwill wash away completely.3. Use an open-toe embroidery foot.(This foot allows you to see whatyou are doing and has an areascooped out underneath to permitdense stitching to pass throughsmoothly.) If possible on yourmachine, reduce the presser-footpressure just a little; or use afree-motion quilting foot, butkeep the feed dogs up. (Thefront-to-back motion of the feeddogs helps you keep an even linewith free-motion zigzagging.)4. Round 1: If you are using awash-away stabilizer, place a stripunder the edge. Use a narrowwidth and somewhat open lengthzigzag to secure the 3 layers ofyour quilt. On the featured quilt,I used a 2.5 width and a 2.0 stitchlength for this round.5. Round 2: Set your machine to thedesired stitch width and length.In this case, using a 40-weightRainbows trilobal polyesterthread from Superior Threads, Iused a 3.5 stitch width and a .35length—even shorter than fora buttonhole. If you use a finethread, such as regular 50-weightsewing cotton, your stitch lengthmay need to be even shorter.TIP: If, after Round 2, there are bitsof batting showing, use a fabric pen orfabric paint to darken the batting alongthe outside edge.12quilt binding methods(convex) edge of the curve,lift the presser foot slightlyand pivot the piece so thatyour satin stitch will slightlyoverlap previous stitching. Thisis repeated until the curve isrounded.b. I get smoother curves whenI turn curves on the fly, inother words as I am stitching.I grab the edges of the quiltletand “steer” the edge as if Iwere holding a steering wheeldriving down a winding road.Try both and see which works bestfor you.8. Optional: Depending on how theedges look after 2 rounds and howyou want them to look, do a thirdround of satin stitching.6. Corners: I stitch up to the endof the corner (or “poking-outbit”), pivot with the needle on theoutside corner, then make sure toovercast the previous stitching.When possible, I try to do a fewstitches on the diagonal to createa mitered look and fully cover thecorner.what if?What if you sew embroidery floss orperle cotton around the satin-stitchededge, like a barber’s pole? What if youchange thread colors along the edge,creating long, irregular dashes ofcolor, echoing colors in the quilt?7. Curves: There are 2 ways to turnsatin-stitched curves:needle-down-pivot or on-the-fly.a. Mostappliquébooks teachthe pivotmethodwhere youstop withthe needlein the downpositionalong theoutsidehow to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding AND FINISHING methods for Your art quiltsOn this piece, I painted the edges of thebranches instead of stitching them.Q u i lt i n g A r t s . c o m10 Interweave Press LLC

how to BIND a quiltCouchedyarnsUsing yarn on the edges of quiltsis one of my favorite techniques.A single, thick strand of a bulkychenille yarn creates a nice frame, plusit is quick to apply and uses a lot lessthread than satin stitching. You canalso combine yarns, thick or thin, tocreate the perfect edge for your piece.For the winter scene, I twisted threeslightly different purple yarns to createone strand with enough presence forthe edge.D irections1. Select a stitch that goes to both theright and left of a center line. Thisline can be imaginary, as it is in thecenter of a plain zigzag, or it canbe a stitched line, as in the stitchthat I call the “railroad tracks”or “ladder” stitch. A three-stepzigzag also works well. You caneven use a decorative stitch; mymachine does one that looks like acheckerboard—it gives a fun “dotsand dashes” look to couched yarns.Make some test samples usingdifferent yarns and stitch settings.Try my suggested stitch width andlength on a scrap, and adjust tosuit the thickness of your yarn,quilt sandwich, and preferred look.(Diagram 1)Tip: It’s important that your stitchswings from the outside edge of the yarn,on the right, into the quilt sandwich,on the left, with the center line (real orimaginary) running along the raw edgeof the quilt.2. Use an open-toe embroidery footto provide the best visibility. Aswith satin stitching, if your quilttop is not fused and/or densely12quilt binding methodswhat if?Instead of having an invisible join,what if you leave the ends dangling?Or start a new strand of yarn ateach corner and knot the yarns atthe corners? Or string beads onto astrand of perle cotton, twist the perlecotton with a thicker yarn, and everyso often slide a bead up into the areabeing stitched (being careful not to hitthe bead with the needle)?quilted, it’s helpful to fuse, securelyspray baste, or glue the fabric tothe batting to secure the layers.3. Whether using one strand of yarnor several twisted together intoa single strand, hold a couple ofinches of the yarn behind thepresser foot and stitch a bar-tack(zigzag stitch) at your startingpoint.I twisted three yarns togetheras I applied them; you canvary the twist from looseto tight. It can get tricky,especially on a large quilt,to twist several yarns as youstitch. Instead, you can sewthe yarns into one combinedstrand first, then apply themto the edge of the quilt.Diagram 1A: Zigzag, 3.5 wide 2.5 longB: 3-step zigzag, 3.5 wide 2.5 longC: Railroad or ladder, 3.5–4 wide 2 longD: Checkerboard, 4.5 wide .35 longAhow to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding AND FINISHING methods for Your art quiltsBCDQ u i lt i n g A r t s . c o m11 Interweave Press LLC

12how to BIND a quilt4. The “line” where the yarn buttsup against the outside edge of thequilt is your center line. Adjustthe stitch width so that the needleswings from the yarn onto the quiltenough to secure it. Use a bambooskewer to guide the yarn as it feedsunder the presser foot.5. At the corner, pivot with theneedle down on the outsideedge of the quilt, with the yarnwrapping around the outsideof the needle. This will create asharp corner instead of a rounded,squished corner.6. As you reach the starting point,trim away the original tails.Continue stitching until the yarnsoverlap at least 1 2". Secure theends with a bar-tack (zigzag)and clip the ends.quilt binding methodsHow many different kinds of bindingsare there? Lots! There are also manyvariations on the themes I’ve sharedin this article, and you can always usemore than one technique in a quilt.Ask yourself “What if ?” Then, takeout some fabric and fiber, and see howit looks. Remember: “Make visualdecisions visually!”To see more of Sarah’s work, visitsarahannsmith.com.It can get tricky, especially on alarge quilt, to twist several yarnsas you stitch. Instead you cansew the yarns into one combinedstrand first, then apply them tothe edge of the quilt.I twisted three yarns togetheras I applied them; you can varythe twist from loose to tight.You can couch the yarn aroundthe outside edge of any“poking-out bits” or, as I did,carry the yarn behind thosespots.how to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding AND FINISHING methods for Your art quiltsQ u i lt i n g A r t s . c o m12 Interweave Press LLC

how to BIND a quilt12quilt binding methods“What is Life?” 21" 21½" Unbleached cottonOsnaburg by Roc-lon , frayedand washed in thedryer. Backgroundand backing fabricact as a frame.When I started quilting yearsago, I dutifully finished everyquilt with a neat, traditional binding.Then I left precision piecing and begandoing improvisational, layered workwith a lot of raw edges and texture.NotAdapted fromQuilting Arts MagazineFall 2005boundtraditionbybyS herrie S panglerTraditional bindings, with theirevenness and predictability, didn’t suit my new style, so I began experimenting on my own with alternatives.My goal was to give a looser, creative feel to my quilt edges without them looking sloppy or unfinished. Istarted paying closer attention to raw edges, tearing them on grain and raveling them as much or as little aseach quilt demanded. I didn’t want exposed batting to look like an accident, so I shaped, tugged, and paintedit. Instead of just letting quilting tails dangle randomly, I planned my quilting with dangling starts and stopsin mind. Sometimes I even add a fringe of extra tails. Without being bound by traditional rules, I find it mucheasier to let the “art” of the quilt continue out to the edge.how to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding AND FINISHING methods for Your art quiltsQ u i lt i n g A r t s . c o m13 Interweave Press LLC

12how to Bind A QuiltgENEral tips tear backing and backgroundfabrics, rather than using scissorsor a rotary cutter, because tearinggives a softer edge. Further fray theedges by pulling threads by handor tossing the fabric in the washerand dryer.if the backing fabric will extendbeyond the edges of the quilt top,acting as a frame, make sure thebacking looks good on both sides.Solid colors, hand-dyes, and batiksare perfect, but avoid anything withan obvious “wrong” side.batting has such an interestingtexture that it’s a shame to hide it,so i let it hang out. any type orcolor can be used, depending onthe look you want. i usually useunbleached warm ‘n’ natural because i like its flatness andoff-white color. Sometimes i use afluffier batting, or black or gray, andsometimes i paint it.Soften the edges of exposed battingby trimming them irregularlyand then gently tugging on them,thinning out some areas.quilting thread tails can be adecorative edge element. if the tailslook too messy, bury some or givethem a haircut.Quilt Binding MethodstEchNiquEsr aWb ackiNg1. after quilting, trim quilt to desiredfabric asa framE1. Choose a backing fabric that looksgood on both sides. tear it severalinches larger than the quilt top.2. Cut batting slightly smaller thanthe quilt top if you don’t wantbatting to show. if you do want itto show, cut it larger than the topbut smaller than the backing.3. quilt without going into thebacking frame. thread tail

Quilting Arts 3 1 On the Edge sArAh Ann sMith 2 Not Bound by Tradition sherrie spAngler 3 A Big Finish for Your Small Quilts terrY grAnt 4 Picture It Framed lYric kinArd 4 12 1 2 how to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding and FiniShing methodS For Your art quiltS QuiltingArts.coM 1 . to be, and plan for a 3 .