BASIC TECHNIQUES

• Carolyn Lynch's Favorite Edge Binding for Quilts
• Finishing a Corner with Cut Strips
• How to Make a Quilt Sleeve
• How to Label your Quilt

ADVANCED TECHNIQUES

This is how I make my favorite edge binding for quilts that have square corners and straight edges. This binding can be made any width. When the binding turns a corner it is mitered on the front and back of the piece. Some variations can be added in later newsletters if there is interest.

1. Cut strips of fabric on the straight of grain (bias is optional) that are four times the desired finished width of the binding plus two seam allowances (SA). For a scant 1/2" finished binding using 1/4" SAs the strip width is 2 1/2." My favorite cut width is 2 1/8" which results in a finished binding of 3/8." A little is lost in the turn of the fabric so the numbers are not exact.
2. Be sure the stitching line around the outside of your quilt is well marked. If the quilting does not go to the edge, put several pins at right angles to the edge and through all layers so everything stays in place and you don't get a wavy edge.
3. Trim the quilt so that the SA is even and not wider than the finished desired width of the binding. The easiest way is to use a 1/4" SA for your binding and cut the raw edges of your quilt so that the SA is 1/4." If you use a wider SA around your quilt, use the same width SA for your binding. Make sure the corners are well squared.
4. Join the strips either end to end or make a 45 degree cut and join at right angles (less bulk this way). Press the seams open. Fold and press the strips the long way with wrong sides together and raw edges even.
5. Place the quilt out flat and take several lengthwise and crosswise measurements of the quilt. You need to come up with an exact length and might need to do some averaging. You will use these measurements for the binding and will match the correct length of binding to the same length and width of the quilt. (This helps to make a quilt hang well.)
6. Place the right side of the binding to the right side of the quilt with raw edges even. Place the strip so that one end overlaps the ends of one corner. The amount of overlap depends on the width of the finished binding. For a 1/2" finished binding, all that is required is 3/4" but don't be skimpy. Pin the binding to the quilt at the first corner (not the raw edge, but the corner of the stitching line.) Matching equal lengths of quilt and border, pin at the second corner. For a long piece, fold and mark the half and quarter points of both the binding and the side of the quilt. Then pin the half way point of the binding to the half way point of the quilt, etc.
7. Begin stitching the binding to the quilt at the first corner where you have the pin. Stitch forward a few stitches, backstitch, then stitch forward to the second corner. Backstitch and remove from the machine.
8. Now the tricky part - but when you know how it is so easy! Measure the distance from the corner, where the stitching line ended to the fold (Point A to point B). Measure an equal distance along the stitching line for the binding and mark that point C. I find having A-C slightly less than A-B works better. Call the difference "scant." Insert a pin into the binding at point C.
9. Turn the binding to go down the second side of the quilt. Insert the same pin that is in point C into the exact corner of the quilt (Point C is on Point A). Align the raw edges.
10. Match up an equal amount of quilt and binding along the second side and pin at corner 3. Start stitching the second side at the second corner point. This leaves an unattached fold which is necessary for turning the corner to the back.
11. Work around the quilt in the same way until the stitching lines meet at the first corner. Leave an extension of fabric and cut off the excess. Finish that corner as in "Finishing a Corner with Cut Strips."
12. Place the quilt on a flat working surface with the back facing you. Starting a couple of inches from one corner, turn the binding so that the fold of the binding meets the stitching line. Fold all the way to the edges and pin in place. Turn the remaining sides to the back in the same way. The front and back of the binding will be mitered. Stitch in place all the way around.

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Finishing a Corner with Cut Strips
Use this method to join the ends of the binding when the binding does not turn at the corner. (e.g. when the strip of the binding gets around to the first corner and you have two loose ends). Position the binding strips on the quilt. The extension of both strips should be aligned so that the folded edges are together. (The underneath strip will be flipped up on a 45 degree angle.) Take a pencil and draw a right angle corner that begins where the folded edge of the binding rests on the stitching line and ends at the corner of the stitching line. The mid-point is half way between the two. Stitch in small stitches through the two layers of binding on the right angle corner line you drew. Trim seam and turn over the corner to the back.

Note: Knowing how to begin and end a binding strip at the corner allows you to use a different color fabric along each side. It also allows you to bind the occasional piece in which you don't want any seams to show.

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How to Make a Quilt Sleeve
The hanging sleeve for your quilt does not need to be a permanent hanging sleeve. If, however, you put a temporary sleeve over a permanent sleeve (for instance, if the show sleeve needs to be wider than the permanent sleeve), be sure that the permanent sleeve is completely covered.

Cut a 10"-wide strip of washed muslin or cotton fabric, making it 1" shorter than top edge of quilt. Turn under and press 1/4" at each short end, then turn and press again (Diagram I). Stitch in place.

With wrong sides together, stitch long edges together 1/2" from raw edges (Diagram II). Baste the long folded edge loosely, 1/2" from edge.

Roll the seam to the middle of one side, and place this side against the quilt backing. Press open or to one side; doesn’t matter. The basted seam should be away from the quilt, opposite to the stitched seam.

Slipstitch the top edge of the tube to the quilt backing about 1" below the inner edge of the binding and the lower edge of sleeve flat to the quilt backing, catching only the lower layer of sleeve. Remove the basting so the front of the hanging sleeve is a little larger than the side which has been slip stitched to the backing. This excess will be taken up by the pole, allowing your quilt to hang smoothly without a ripple at the top. If you like, write your name, address and phone number on this hanging sleeve in permanent ink.

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Labeling your Quilt for the Show
In addition to your signature label, your quilt will need a temporary label (lower right corner at the back of the quilt) with the information below for the quilt collectors.  This label and the hanging sleeve above can be made with muslin.

The same information will need to be on each entry's bag.  In both cases, the quilt label and the label/info on the bag should be written in permanent black ink and legible.  The label on the bag should be near the opening of the bag.  This makes it easier to match-up the bag and quilt during the takedown process.

1. Name of the quilt you used on the entry form
2. Your Name
3. Your telephone number
4. Chapter

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