How to Trim a Quilt Top
Once you have pieced and quilted your handmade quilt there is one more step before you can attach the binding. Since quilting can shift the layers of the quilt against each other, you need to trim and square up the quilt top before you attach the binding. Trimming the quilt top may seem tedious, but it helps to assure that your final product will have square corners and even edges.
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Things You'll Need
- Pins
- Quilted top
- Sewing machine and thread
- Walking foot
- Rotary cutter and mat
- Quilting ruler
Instructions
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1
Pin all the way around your quilt top to secure the layers together. Smooth out any wrinkles or lumps as you go along.
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2
Attach the walking foot to your sewing machine and set it for a zigzag stitch.
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3
Sew a zigzag stitch all the way around the perimeter of the quilt ¼-inch from the edge of the quilt top. Make sure that you catch all of the layers when you sew.
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4
Lay your quilt out flat on top of your rotary cutting mat with the top of the quilt facing up. Work in a large, flat area.
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5
Put the ruler on the quilt so that the long edge of the ruler is even with the edge of the quilt top and the short edge of the ruler is at the corner of the quilt.
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6
Trim the quilt’s backing and batting with the rotary cutter so that all of the layers are even. Trim around the corner of the quilt, using the corner of the ruler as a guide to make sure that you have a 90-degree angle.
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Continue trimming around the quilt using the long edge of the ruler as a straightedge and the corner of the ruler to trim the quilt’s corners.
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8
Re-sew any areas where you trimmed off the zigzag stitching that was holding the layers of the quilt together.
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Tips & Warnings
Drape the extra weight of the quilt over a chair or ironing board when you measure and cut so the bulk does not pull on the area you are cutting.
Only use your rotary cutter on a self-healing cutting mat. Cutting on a floor or table will either dull your blade or ruin the work surface.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
