Binding Wide Angle Corners Tutorial

Remember my Four Star Salute runner project for the Show Your Stripes hop last week?

Hiding within all the pretty pictures, there's a link to a video tutorial for binding wide angle corners. That's those 135 degree corners found on both the Four Star Salute and the Clover Field runners. They may look daunting, but they are really easy to bind. Check out the video to see for yourself.

With today's post, I'm supplementing the video with a written tutorial of detailed instructions and pictures on how to bind wide angle corners, those corners that are 135 degrees.

It's a simple process, relying on the traditional stopping 1/4" before the project's corner, making a fold, and continuing down the next edge. Let's get started with the tut!

Set up the sewing machine

Set the sewing needle 1/4" away from the machine's right foot edge for a 1/4" seam allowance.

Stitch binding to within 1/4" of the corner

Stitch binding to within 1/4" of the wide angle corner.

Turn the project to check the 1/4" stop and seam allowance by lining up the foot's right edge with the project edge.

Make a fold in the binding

Leaving the needle down in the project, make a small fold in the binding, at the needle.

Line up the binding edge with the project edge, holding the fold in place.

There may be a small ripple in front of the needle due to all the fabric at that spot. Just hold the fold while stitching.

Continue stitching binding until complete

Clip binding seam allowance

At all of the wide angle corners, clip the binding in the seam allowance so that it lays flat.

Turn binding to back and press

Press on the front for a crisp binding edge at the seam. On the back, press the binding over the project edge, working toward the wide angle corner. Use the iron tip to help make a small fold in the binding at the wide angle corner.

Finish stitching the binding

Hand stitch or stitch-in-the-ditch from the front to finish applying the binding.

Here's the view from the front,

and from the back.

And that's it! Pretty easy, right? Now those projects with wide angles won't be so scary to attempt - bring 'em on!

Happy Quilting!

My Favorite Patterns

How to Join Quilt Binding Ends

Listen up quilters - here's a tutorial that will make you one happy quilter! 

No matter your skill level, today's tutorial is all about joining the ends of quilt binding using a super quick and easy method. It's guaranteed to take away any confusion, hassle, or headache that you've ever experienced in the past, and turn quilt binding into a pleasurable part of the quilting process. 

There's no complicated measuring or confusing angles to deal with. Once you learn the process, it will become second nature, changing your quilting life forever!

Not only is joining binding ends in the written format below, but it can also be seen in action, with the video 'How to Join Quilt Binding Ends - Step by Step.'

How to Join Quilt Binding Ends

Start with a fold

Prepare binding strips, cutting 2.5" WOF strips and joining on the diagonal. Square off one end.

Fold back the squared off end 2.5" and pin to the side of the quilt. If using a narrower binding strip, 2.25" for example, fold back that measurement and pin.

Leave a 6" tail

Start stitching the binding to the quilt approximately 6" away from the fold.

Continue around the quilt. Tip: use the reducing bulky corners technique at each corner for flat, square corners. 

Stitch to within 6" of fold

Stop stitching to within 6" of the fold. This gives another 6" tail at the end, which is 12" of working space to join the binding.

Cut the end binding at the fold

Lay the end binding along the quilt and on top of the folded beginning binding. Cut the end binding where it touches the fold. Tip: cut the end binding 1/8" short of the fold for a better fit along the quilt.

Open binding for joining

Open the end binding piece, laying it flat and right side up. Open the beginning binding piece, laying it on top of the other, right side down. Align the top and side edges.

Stitch on the diagonal

Join the ends by stitching on the diagonal from the upper corner to the lower corner of the piece underneath. Draw a diagonal line if necessary.

Check the fit

Before trimming excess, check the binding's fit against the quilt. If all was done correctly, it should lay smooth and straight on the quilt. Trim out the excess, and finger press the seam to one side, or open if preferred. 

Finish stitching

Pin the binding in place, and stitch to finish, overlapping the stitching by 1". Avoid letting the machine push the binding to the beginning stitching spot, resulting in a wrinkle. Tip: use a walking foot if necessary.

Wasn't that easy? Such a super simple method - it certainly changed my quilting life and I hope it does for you too. Now all that's left is to turn it to the other side and either machine stitch or hand stitch the other side - your choice.

Happy Quilting!

 

Binding a Quilt - Tips and Tricks

Last week, I had the opportunity to give a binding tutorial over Zoom, and thought I would go over 3 of my favorite binding tutorials. 

The first one, joining binding in 3 easy steps, 

was an absolute game changer for me! Years ago, I struggled with the angles, the right sides of the fabric, where to cut, etc, and spending waaaay too much time joining binding. 

But then, an ah-ha moment, and my binding woes were over! A simple fold of 2.5" was all I needed - pop over to the joining binding tutorial to see the whole process.

The next big game changer was reducing bulky corners. 

All that requires is sewing the binding at a right angle in the corner instead of the traditional angle. 

Just this one simple change allows for a triangle of fabric to be trimmed out of the corner, leaving four less layers of fabric. For more details on this technique, check out the reducing bulky corners tutorial.


And the last binding technique that saves a ton of time - a machine stitched binding. 

Now, I know that there are those out there who are purists and want to stitch the binding by hand. And, yes, I used to do that, so I get it. But it took forever, eating up time that I could better spend elsewhere. Then glue came into my life. 

At first I resisted, trying to stay with the purist group, worrying about fabric degradation. But I wash my quilts, and I don't intend for my quilts to stay around for 100 years, so why not use glue? For me, it's old fashioned washable school glue.

I'm very happy to say I've been using glue and a machine stitched binding for several years now, with the whole process taking me a lot less time than hand stitching would. Check out the machine binding tutorial for a ton of up-close pictures on perfecting this technique.

Both my Zoom buddies, and guild members have thanked me for these binding tutorials - they've been game changers for them too. Give them a try, and see what you think!

Happy Quilting!

How to Make a Picture Frame Border

Today let's learn how to make a picture frame border, just like the one used on The Second Life of Quilts.

I was shown this technique in Noriko Endo's class in Houston last year, and thankfully remember how to do it. It's made from two pieces of fabric, with no seams showing in the corners, and is more suited for mini and small quilts.

The only stitching visible is the straight line stitching along the inside edge of the frame, giving the piece a great finished look.

So how do we do this? First, cut two pieces of fabric the same size as the mini quilt, placing right sides together.

I'm using the solid backside of this piece of fabric as my right side - I'm not to fond of the print for my border. The point is to choose what side you want showing in your border, and make it the right side.

Next, determine the width of the border. I chose 2" for mine, and I would suggest nothing over 3" unless you plan to quilt in it. I marked in 2" from the edge all around.

Stitch on the drawn line, then cut out the center 1/4" away from the stitched line.

For turning purposes, make a small clip in the inside corners.

Press, and turn both wrong sides of one border edge up. Press the seam to one side. This helps to create a crisp seam.

Turn the piece that's on the inside over on top of the other, matching border edges. Carefully press at the seam.

Continue around the border, repeating the steps for each side. When done, place border frame on top of the mini quilt, pinning in place.

Stitch a straight line 1/8" from the inside edge of the border.

Prepare binding, pinning to the outside edge. Stitch both the binding and the outside edge of the border down at once. Finish the binding as usual, and ta-da, you have a picture frame border on your mini quilt!

Happy Quilting!

My Favorite Patterns

Harlow Runner

Welcome to my day of the Color It Red blog hop, hosted by Carol of Just Let Me Quilt. My creation is Harlow, a super simple table runner.

This runner is so easy to put together, any beginner could do it. And it's a quick project too - make it up in a day, in any colorway!

Measuring 12" x 29" with 5 square-in-a-square blocks, the Harlow runner can easily be made longer with the addition of more blocks. Want it 40" long? Just add two more columns of blocks - how easy is that?

How about Harlow in something other than red, perhaps yellow for spring?

Or maybe a patriotic prints?

Or fun Halloween fabrics? 

So many possibilities! I have a feeling I'll be making the Harlow runner again this year.

The Harlow pattern includes all the yardage, diagrams, and instructions for two sizes, plus tips and tricks for binding 45 degree corners (it's easier than you think!).

Happy Quilting!

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