How to Bind Seams

One way to finish a quilt or garment's seams is to bind them, which entails sewing a strip of fabric along the seams, often in a contrasting color to make the seam binding more decorative. The two basic ways of binding a seam are to use bias binding or to use piping. Bias binding is simpler, while piping is more decorative.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fabric, bias tape or piping strip
• Measuring tool
• Scissors
• Iron
• Piping cord, optional
• Pins
• Needle, optional
• Sewing machine, optional
• Thread

Bias Bind a Seam

1. Purchase a pre-made package of bias tape from a fabric store for the easiest application, and proceed to Step 5. To create bias tape yourself, cut a strip of fabric on the bias that's four times the width and ½ inch longer than the length that you would like the finished band to be.

2. Fold the strip of fabric in half and then iron it to create a sharp crease in the center of the strip.

3. Unfold the strip, then fold each edge of the fabric in so they meet in the center. Iron the edges so that your fabric strip as three sharp creases and is divided into four equal sections.

4. Place the binding band on the seam of your sewing project so that the edges are folded in toward the center crease of the band, creating a double thickness of fabric.

5. Pin the band in place and hand or machine sew as close to the edge of the binding as possible.

Use Piping to Bind a Seam

6. Purchase a pre-made piping strip from a fabric store for the easiest application, and proceed to Step 5. If you prefer to do it yourself, follow the steps below.

7. Cut a piece of fabric for use as your seam binding using the steps for bias binding a seam.

8. Measure the length of your seam binding and add 2 inches. Cut a piece of piping cord to the measurement.

9. Lay the piping cord inside your seam binding fabric, making sure that it lays on the center crease.

10. Pin the piping strip of band with piping cord in place. Hand or machine sew as close to the edge of the binding as possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Although you can use a different type of fabric to bind the seam than you used for the garment or quilt, you get the best results if the fabric is the same. For example, if the main fabric you're using is 100% cotton, a band of 100% cotton is the most effective. To use a French, or double, binding, follow the directions for using bias binding, but cut a piece of fabric six times as wide as you want your finished band to be. Fold and iron it so there are six equal sections rather than four. Fold it at each crease so that you have a double layer of fabric on either side of the seam. Pin and sew as with the bias binding.

References

• Quamut
• Wise Geek
• Sewing It All