How to Hem a Quilt Border

For a quilt with rounded or angled edges, hem a small section at a time as you work around the border of the quilt.

Hemming the border on a quilt provides a strong and durable edge to the finished product. Hemming a quilt is the process of sewing the material so the fabric from which its made doesn’t unravel. A hem holds the quilt’s layers together — the two fabric layers and the batting inside — and prevents them from shifting.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Pins
• Iron
• Needle
• Thread

Instructions

1. Cut the batting with scissors so each piece is ½ inch shorter than the quilt layers on all sides.

2. Fold the top side of the top layer of quilt down ¼ inch. Flatten the fold with an iron. Repeat with all four sides of the top layer of quilt.

3. Fold the top side of the bottom layer of quilt down ¼ inch. Flatten the fold with an iron. Repeat with all four sides of the bottom layer of quilt.

4. Lay the bottom layer of quilt on a flat surface, folds down.

5. Lay the first layer of batting on top of the bottom quilt layer.

6. Fold the ironed folds on the bottom quilt layer on top of the first layer of batting.

7. Lay the second layer of batting on top of the first layer of batting. The first layer of batting should be encased in the quilt folds; the second layer of batting should be sitting on top of the folds.

8. Lay the top layer of quilt on the second layer of batting, folds up.

9. Fold the ironed folds on the top quilt layer underneath the second layer of batting.

10. Insert pins about 1 inch in from the border and secure all the layers together.

11. Thread a sewing needle with thread that matches the colors of the quilt.

12. Stitch the entire perimeter of the quilt, through all the layers, ¼ inch in from the edge. You should stitch the edge of the folds.

13. Stitch the entire perimeter of the quilt, through all the layers, on the very edge.

References

• Craft and Fabric Links: Mitered Binding and Bias Binding, Free Quilt Lesson