Welcome to our first series of Moda Bake Shop Basics! Oda May has rounded up a set of tutorials from our Chefs that will teach basic sewing and quilting skills. Today’s post from Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique is all about binding.
This tutorial will teach you how to make straight binding (not cut on the bias).
To get started, calculate how many inches of binding you will need. Measure the sides of your squared quilt, adding each side up for the total length. There are quilting calculators that will do this simple math for you, but I’ve included the basic formulas below. My latest Bake Shop recipe – Jumping Jacks Quilt – measured almost 60″ square so I’ll use that as an example:
(Quilt Length x 2) + (Quilt Width x 2) = Total Binding Inches
(60 x 2) + (60 x 2) = 240 inches of binding
Total Binding Inches/Usable Width of Fabric = Number of Strips to Cut
240/42 = 5.71 strips (round up to 6)
Number of Strips x Strip Width = Yardage Needed
6 x 2.5 = 15 inches (round up to 1/2 yard)
Now that you know how many strips are needed, it is time to cut.
Connect the binding strips end-to-end at a bias by placing two ends right sides together at a 90 degree angle. Draw a diagonal line as indicated.
Stitch along the marked line.
Trim 1/4″ seam allowance.
Open and press. Behold your binding strips connected at a bias!
Once all strips are sewn together, fold the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and iron.
Line up the raw edge of the binding with the raw edge of the quilt (start in the middle of one side).
Skipping the first 8″ of the binding, stitch the binding in place using 3/8″ seam allowance.
Keep sewing until you are almost to the end of that side. Stop exactly 3/8″ away from the edge of that side.
Remove the quilt from the sewing machine. Extend the binding strip in a straight line.
Fold the binding upward (90 degree angle) in a straight line with the next side.
Fold it down to line up with the next side of the quilt. Pin in place if necessary.
Resume the 3/8″ seam allowance from the top of that side and keep sewing until you are 3/8″ away from the end of that side. Repeat the fold at all corners.
Once you have pivoted at all corners, keep sewing until you are a few feet away from the beginning of the binding.
Trim the binding tails to overlap by exactly 2-3/4″ (the binding thickness, 2.5″, plus 1/4″).
Unfold the binding strip tails and bring them right sides together at a bias. Draw a diagonal line as indicated and pin in place.
After you have sewn along the marked line, trim 1/4″ seam allowance.
Press the seam allowance open and flat.
Fold the binding strip back in half lengthwise. It should be an exact fit!
Resume stitching until you meet the beginning stitches.
Fold the binding up and over to the back of the quilt.
Using a double-threaded needle, stitch through the batting and back fabric and into folded edge of the binding, at an angle.
Repeat, stitching through the back and batting directly below the exit point of thread through the binding in the previous stitch.
Mitering the corners: when you reach the corner, extend the binding in a straight line (it will end in a 45 degree angle).
Fold the binding strip in to meet in the corner. Resume stitching.
Happy binding!
& Vanessa Goertzen {lellaboutique.blogspot.com}
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