How to Blind Stitch a Quilt

Blind stitching is a quilting technique used to appliqué fabric shapes to a piece of background fabric, tack binding to the back of a quilt, or attach a sleeve for displaying the quilt. The technique allows for one piece of fabric to be attached to another piece of fabric with stitches that are almost invisible.

The materials needed to secure the fabric to the quilt will vary depending upon the quilting project, but all materials are inexpensive and easy to obtain. Blind stitching is an essential quilting skill that can be performed with a little practice.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 100 percent cotton thread
• Appliqué or Sharps needle, depending on preference
• Thimble
• Scissors
• Binding clips, appliqué glue or straight pins, depending on project type

1. Thread the needle with 18 inches of 100 percent cotton thread. Secure the long end of the thread with a small knot.

2. Fold the binding fabric over the edge of the quilt and secure the edge with binding clips. If appliquéing shapes to fabric, attach the pieces with a small amount of appliqué. If attaching a fabric sleeve to the quilt, use straight pins to hold the sleeve in place while sewing.

3. Hide the beginning of the first stitch by inserting the needle into the base fabric layer underneath the binding, appliqué shape or quilt sleeve.

4. Bring the needle up through the fabric being attached to the quilt, catching only two to three threads in the folded edge. By catching only two to three threads with the needle, the stitch will be nearly invisible. Pull the needle through until the thread is tight, but do not allow the fabric to pucker.

5. Insert the needle into the background fabric very near to the folded edge of the binding, sleeve or appliqué shape, at the same point as the stitch taken into the fabric being attached to the quilt.

6. Bring the needle back up through the fabric being attached to the background approximately 1/16 to 1/8 inch from the previous stitch. Continue in this way until the entire fabric binding or appliqué shape has been attached to the background of the quilt.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear the thimble on the middle finger of the sewing hand. This allows the sewer to push the needle through the fabric easily without driving the needle into the sensitive skin at the tip of the finger.
• Be careful to avoid piercing through the base layer of fabric, especially when attaching binding or a quilt sleeve. This will allow the stitches to show through on the front portion of the quilt.

References

• Learn to Appliqué

Resources

• Blind Stitch the Binding to a Quilt