Quilt Binding Tutorial

I've been wanting to do a quilt binding tutorial for some time, but just didn't get around to it. I know there's alot of binding tutorials out there, but you never know so here's my version. I like to do my binding this way to reduce the bulk at the starting point of the binding.

1. Cut all your binding strips to 2 1/4" or 2 1/2". I like narrow bindings so 2 1/4" is my standard binding size. I am making a scrappy binding so my strips are not the same.

2. Place one strip right side up and one strip right side down matching the raw edges as shown. Using a ruler and a pencil or your favorite marking tool, mark a diagonal line. Pin in place. Repeat for all the remaining strips.

3. Sew on each diagonal line you've just drawn and trim 1/4" away from stitching. 

4. Take one end of the sewn strips and fold down into a triangle. 

Trim 1/4" away from fold. I forgot to do that in this picture. Fold the binding strip 

in half wrong sides together. Press all the way to the end of the strip.

5. Place the binding strip half way down on your quilt with the folded tip as your starting point (A). start sewing about 4"-5" from the starting point (B). Sew all the way down to the first corner and stop sewing 1/4" before the edge.

                                                                            A

B

6. Turn your quilt to begin sewing on the next side. Back stitch to the raw edge and leave needle in the down position. Lift up presser foot and pull the quilt out to just enough to clear the presser foot. 

Take the binding strip and fold up towards the back forming a diagonal shape (A).

    

A

Now fold back down over the diagonal fold you've just created (B), making sure to line up the binding on both raw edges of the quilt. Continue sewing and repeating these steps at each corner of the quilt. Stop sewing 4" - 5" before the starting point of the quilt binding.

 B

7. Take the binding and cut it at least 1" past the V shaped cut as shown. The pink pin is my mark for you to see where I cut the excess binding off.

8. Unfold the end of the binding and fold into a triangle as you did at the starting point of the binding. Trim 1/4" from fold to remove excess.

9. Tuck in the end of the binding strip to it's starting point. Pin in place, best to pin where the cut out triangles are to make sure it stays in place when you sew. Sew the remaining binding in place.

10. Using a needle and thread, secure the binding where it's been tucked in to each. You can also flip it over to the front and sew the opening closed (optional).

11. On the back you can either use binding clips or in this case, I like to take a contrasting thread and sew long running stitches to secure the back of the binding before I sew it in place. I like to do it this way so I don't have to keep removing the binding clips as I am sewing the binding down. 

12. When you reach the corners, use your fingers and press down on the side you'll be starting next, then fold down on the side you're working on to form a mitered corner. I am using pins to show you what I did since I have to take the pictures I can't use my fingers. The green pin is the next side you'll be working on and the black is where the fold would be to miter the corner. 

Fold down on your working side, this will make your corner look mitered. 

Continue sewing the running stitches all the way around the quilt.

13. Using a matching thread for the quilt backing, sew the binding in place. Remove the running stitches when you're done.

To download this tutorial in a PDF version click here.