DIY Binding With Ribbon

Turn some leftover pieces of ribbon into a beautiful blanket or quilt binding.

Binding is a term used in both book- and quilt-making. You can bind together a wedding program or event itinerary with ribbon, or transform your favorite ribbon into binding tape to finish a handmade quilt. Both decorative finishes help to enhance the overall look of the item -- and each project is simple to complete. Bind a booklet or a quilt with a coordinating trim, or make the binding stand-out with a brightly colored or patterned ribbon.

Things You'll Need

• Soft tape measure
• Scissors
• 1.5-inch-wide ribbon (or wider)
• Iron
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine or sewing needle
• Thread

Instructions

Quilt Binding

1. Measure the length of each side of the quilt. Add an extra inch or two and cut one piece of ribbon for each side. To keep at least 1/2 inch of the binding visible, you will need a ribbon with a width of at least 1.5 inches.

2. Lay one of the strips of ribbon on your work surface with the wrong-side facing up and one long-side in front of you.

3. Fold 1/4-inch of the long edge over towards the center and iron it flat: Do this along the full length of the ribbon.

4. Repeat the process. First, rotate the ribbon to put the other long-side in front of you. Fold over 1/4-inch along the edge -- towards the center -- and iron it flat.

5. Fold the ribbon in half lengthwise; now the good-sides will be facing out. Iron along the folded edge to make a crisp center crease; keeping the ribbon folded.

6. Slide the edge of the quilt in between the sides of the ribbon, into the folded center crease and pin it in place. Use a straight-stitch to sew the ribbon binding onto the quilt.

7. Repeat with each side of the quilt and trim away any excess ribbon binding. Cut each end of the binding on a 45-degree angle to make the corners line up perfectly with one another without overlapping for a finished look. Sew the cut angles with a straight stitch to lay them flat against the quilt.

Book Binding

1. Fold the program, itinerary or other loose page booklet open to the center pages. This way, when you add the ribbon binding, all of the pages are secured by the ribbon.

2. Wrap a tape measure around the center fold in between the left and right pages.

3. Multiply this number by 1.5 for a shorter ribbon, or 2 for a longer ribbon binding.

4. Fold the length of ribbon in half to find the center and lay the center against the inside center of the open pages. You can sew a stitch through the ribbon and into the paper along the seam if you like.

5. Flip the book over with the pages still open and tie the ribbon ends in a bow. Sew a few more stitches through the ribbon and into the seam if you would like the ribbon to stay put.

References

• One-Yard Wonders; Rebecca Yaker, et al.; 2009 p. 18