Traditional Binding

November is the month we add binding to our Surprise quilt-along quilts. The finish line is near!

I opted for a traditional hand-stitched binding to finish my Surprise quilt. I love the look of a hand-stitched binding so much, I don’t mind the time it takes to do it.

There are lots of options when it comes to binding and lots of opinions as to which is the best. I think it all depends on the quilt. How the quilt will be used is the most important question I consider when choosing binding technique. My  Surprise quilt will be used on the couch during the holiday season each year.

It will not get a huge amount of heavy use, but I will wash it before I store it away til next year. And it might get washed during the season in case of hot chocolate spills. (!!!)

The next consideration is the amount of time I want to devote to the quilt. How important is the quilt? Some quilts are utility and really don’t merit the time commitment of hand-stitching. In that case I would opt for a machine finished binding. It’s a very personal decision.

I also think about the look I want for the finished quilt. I might chose to do a two-color flange binding on certain quilts. There is a blog post about that process here. Or the quilt might look best with a facing. Read about the facing process here.

Hand-stitched binding

Here is my process. There are a hundred ways to do this. I’m just sharing mine.

Cut strips

Measure your quilt perimeter and add 10 inches. Cut enough two and a quarter inch strips to make one long strip at least this measurement.

Sew binding

Join your strips end-to-end into one long piece. I use a 45 degree seam and press the seam allowance open. This creates less bulk at the joins.

Press

Fold binding in half (length-wise) and press. I wind the pressed binding onto an empty thread cone to help control it as I sew it to the quilt.

Sew to quilt front

Sew the binding to the quilt front. I use a 3/8 inch seam allowance. You can do this on your longarm frame before you remove the quilt using the HQ Square foot. Read about how to do that here.

Or you can use your domestic sewing machine.

Hand-stitch to the back

Turn the folded edge of the binding to the back of the quilt enclosing the raw edges. I use a plastic clip to hold it in place as I sew. I only use one clip (usually) and move it along, placing it a couple of inches ahead of where I am sewing.

Use a fine thread, like Superior Threads So Fine 50 wt, that matches the color of the binding.

Make a knot in your thread and start stitching at one corner. I do a blind stitch. I put the point of the needle into the quilt right where the previous stitch comes out of the binding. You have to look closely at the photo to see the thread.

Bring the point of the needle through the batting layer only and come out on the fold of the binding. Make your stitches as small as possible. Smaller stitches make the binding more durable.

I use a stick-on thimble to push the needle.

Repeat til you run out of thread. Leave enough to tie a knot. Bring needle under the binding, tie the knot. then take some random stitches that will be covered by the binding.

Tie another knot and clip the thread.

With your new thread start above where you left off and stitch back to where you want to continue in the 1/4 inch that will be covered by the binding, coming out in the fold where you want your next binding stitch.

Continue stitching. When you come to a corner,

Carefully fold the binding to form a miter. At this point I use 2 clips to hold things in place.

Stitch to the corner. I like to stitch the miter closed on both sides (back and front).

Put the needle through the quilt at the point to get to the other side.

The corners stay nice and square.

Continue along the next side.  Repeat til you have come back to where you started.

Hand stitching is a great time to catch up on your favorite binge-worthy TV shows.  Enjoy!

by Mary Beth Krapil