Thursday, June 9, 2016

Binding Tutorial Take 2!

Take 2:  a second look at Joining the Binding Ends and there are 2 TWO tutorials here.

When I did the binding on Uncle Frank's quilt I took pictures at each step of the process in the hopes that this will be it.  Clear!  Almost everyone, lol, said the binding tutorial on Auntie Joyce's quilt was really good.  I do think that UF's binding fabric is easier to see right and wrong side of fabric, and I broke the joining the ends part down even further here (so there are a TON of photos).  However, if you are new to binding, new to joining the ends in this fashion, or new to using the glue and pressing, this is one of those things that you must DO at the same time as you read through the tutorial.  When I was first taught this joining method many years ago, I wrote down the instructions as the teacher showed another student (she'd already showed me) so that I could refer back to it, which I did, for many many quilts.  It's not every day you bind a quilt, right?  Eventually it will become second nature to you I promise.
Notice the length of each tail of binding; there is a LOT. I've left a good 11" of each tail and I have about 18" open on the quilt. The pin is to show you that is the beginning tail end.

Overlap the end binding tail on top of the beginning. Note that pin.

Overlap the ends by the width of your binding; mine is 2 1/4".  Make a chalk mark at that 2 1/4" point on the end binding tail.

Either cut with scissors or use your 5X7 Olfa mat between the two bindings so only the top layer that you wish to cut rests on the mat, and cut on the chalk mark.

This is what you will have.

Orient the two tail ends as shown, end binding tail right side up and open, beginning binding tail also open but wrong side up.
Align those two ends as shown. You may have to scrunch up your quilt top in order to do so.  Place the 45-degree angle line on your 6X12" ruler along one straight edge so you get the cutting edge of the ruler on the diagonal oriented as I have it here.  Draw a line with your marker along that edge.

Either pin as shown here, or....

put some dots of glue on the line and press the two pieces together as I had them in the previous photo.  I have pulled back the one binding so you see the glue; you press them flat, right sides together as the previous photo.  Stitch on that line. I like to stitch one needle width to the inside of the line so the binding fits snug against the quilt top.

Before trimming the just-sewn seam, lay out the binding to be sure it is not twisted, and that it is the correct length.  THEN, trim the seams to 1/4" so you will have two little triangles of fabric left over...which can be paired with previous cut off binding triangles for use in minis, right?!


That ends the Joining the Binding Ends Tutorial.  Now follows Finishing Sewing Down the Binding.  You can do it, as I prefer to, by hand, but stitching it down by machine is just so fast, and durable, that I'm doing more and more this way.

I prefer applying my binding to the front of the quilt and stitching in the ditch on the front, catching the folded edge on the back with my stitching.  You can do it in reverse, applying the binding to the back, and topstitching it down on the front.  It's a personal preference.
Press the binding away from the quilt top

Fold it and press it again to the back of the quilt.  Let's take a closer look at mitres on the corners.
Press the binding down up to the corner and off the edge of the quilt, so binding folded on binding (this is clearer when you are doing it) and you will automatically form a 45-degree angle where it starts to go around the corner.  Fold the binding down over the next edge; you may have to finagle that fold a little so both folded edges meet as you see here.

Notice the difference from right side to the wrong side of the quilt at that corner:  the bulk of the folded corner is on the right here between my index and third fingers, and in the previous photo the bulk is to the left.  This means the corner bulk is evenly distributed and the corner will lie nice and flat.

After you've pressed the binding to the back all the way around (or you can do one side at a time), then put a tiny amount of glue on the quilt back inside the seams.  Less is more.  I find taking the time to iron first, apply glue, and then iron again, keeps my fingers cleaner!
Press that binding down, setting the glue.  Stitch by hand (see why less is more; it's hard to poke your needle through a glued fabric edge) or by machine.  I've hauled quilts around on car trips like this, binding by hand to pass the time and it is the GREATEST thing EVER! No pins, or clips get lost!
Stitch in the ditch from the front of the quilt using your walking foot.

Here you can see what the back is looking like, nicely caught by the ditch stitching.  You can also see how hand-sewn-down the front looks since the stitching disappears in that ditch.
There you have it!  I hope this helps newbies, or teaches some experienced quilters a new way of doing something or a new tip.  I started using glue not even 2 years ago, as I was pretty skeptical at first. Now I wouldn't have it any other way.

AND!!!!! Desire to Inspire Challenge Update!

The Henry Glass Fabrics fabric arrived at my daughter's house on the Michigan side of the Detroit River yesterday afternoon.  MacGyver hopped in the SUV and went over for a visit once she was home from work, and then brought it to our house on the Ontario side last night!  I waited until the sun was up this morning to take the photos to show you:
My package-eeep!

Fabric inspector, photo bomber, and quilt tester Bella takes a sniff

Lush colours, no?!  Those are fat quarters of woven plaids and two twill weaves!
 Now to put some of my ideas into fruition toute suite, or as my friend Lara, who also lives on a Great Lake, Ontario to be exact, of Buzzin'Bumble likes to write, 'toot sweet'.  :-)  Fabulous giveaway, not lake but sea-themed over on her blog until this weekend.

Remember my pattern is on sale until this weekend!  Just $5 will get you a copy here on Craftsy in my pattern store.  You can also be taken there through the My Pattern Store button on my sidebar. :-) After this weekend it will be $7.

Linking up with My Quilt Infatuation.

11 comments:

  1. Congrats on receiving your fabric, dear sister, so excited to see your creativity explode!

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  2. Great tutorial! I need more practice at this!

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  3. Great tutorial, my friend. I have never tried using glue, I've always used clips. I think there is a bottle of Elmers at the house that I just might crack open for this. The Henry Glass fabrics are even better in person! Even Bella couldn't keep her paws off them :) Can't wait to see what you whip up with them.

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  4. HAH! I'm glad it wasn't just me. The first time I ever glued my binding and tried to handstitch it down I thought I'd never get through it. I haven't done it since but I have started machine stitching the binding down and glue is a huge help for that ... also my ditch foot ... love that thing.

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  5. Look at all those scrummy fabrics, what a delight to have them all there. I have started to do a flanged binding, sew to the back, bring to the front, and stitch with a hemming foot.But the glue looks a great way to go.

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  6. Thanks for this tutorial. I have never joined the binding before - just overlapped. You have made it appear rather straight forward so I am going to try this on my next quilt - thanks!

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  7. Thank you so much, Sandra! Great tutorial! I think I get it now. I have bookmarked this page to go to when I get to that spot. Which I'm hoping will be in a few days. I did not know the trick about the glue. How long do you typically wait between gluing and pressing?

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  8. I love this method of binding as you say no pins or clips. Those fabrics are fab!

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  9. Your binding tutorial is perfect Sandra - from start to finish! I became a glue convert only about 1 year ago and you are right - what a difference it makes. Even at home, you don't have to worry about sticking any cuddling pets with a pin.
    You are going to have a ball with those Henry Glass fabrics and will probably come up with more ideas than you can count! I like how you photographed them with the little lighthouse. Thank you for the shout out and good luck with your Tutes Sweet!

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  10. regular Elmer's or fancy Elmer's glue -- can't wait to try it!

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  11. OK, Sandra, I am reporting that I had my laptop open beside my sewing machine while putting on my binding and your tutorial worked perfectly! Thank you!!! I hope to be writing a post with that finish in the next day or two.

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