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Binding a Quilt
is the last step after you have
completed quilting
To determine how many strips you need for binding a quilt, measure your quilt to find the distance around the outer edge. If your quilt is 50” square, then the distance around it would be 50x4=200”. (If it is 50x80, then the outer measurement would be 50+50+80+80=260”.)For our sampler quilt, we will need about 200” plus about 8” for mitering the corners. When determining the number of strips needed, I usually divide the length (208) by 40” which is the minimum width of cotton fabrics. 208 divided by 40 = 6 strips (just over 5 strips, so cut the extra strip). Cut 5 strips 2 ½” wide. Sew them together to make one long strip. I prefer to sew them on an angle (see photo) so that the bulk of the seam is not all in one spot. Press all the seams to one side.
Fold and press the corner of your finished strip at an angle as shown below. Trim away excess fabric, then press the long strip in half lengthwise. You are now ready to sew it onto your quilt.
Starting away from the corner about 12”, place the angled end of your strip along the front edge of your quilt, keeping raw edges flush. Sew using a ¼” seam until you are ¼” from the corner. Stop sewing, cut your threads, turn your quilt in preparation for sewing the next side.
Pull the strip up at right angles, parallel with the next side (see photos below), then bring it down on top of itself to create a mitered corner. Place the strip flush with the side of the quilt and sew from the very upper edge to ¼” from the next corner. Repeat all the way around until you come to your starting point.
Cut the end of the strip so that it fits into the wee pocket you created with the angled start, tuck it into the angle and sew.
Fold the binding over the raw edge to the back of the quilt and slipstitch the edges through the back of the quilt only.
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