How to Sew a Quilt Binding by Machine

Quilting techniques can also be used to create pillows.

Quilt-making is quickly and regrettably becoming a lost art. Machines can now easily reproduce quilts that appear hand-made and many people wonder why they should expend the effort to make their own. A quilt can be a wonderful legacy to leave to your children and grandchildren. A quilt made with love can be more comforting than one that is mass-produced. Additionally, by making your own quilt, you can customize it to look exactly how you wish. Binding a quilt is the most difficult part, but you can use a sewing machine to complete most of the job.

Things You'll Need

• Straight edge
• Rotary cutter
• Fabric for binding
• Sewing mat with angle lines
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Scissors
• Quilt batting
• Quilt backing

Instructions

1. Use a straight edge and a rotary cutter to create strips of fabric that are 2 ½ inches wide. Make each strip the same length, creating as many strips as necessary to go all around the outside edge of your quilt. Lay each strip out on a sewing mat with angle lines and cut the ends at 45 degrees with the rotary cutter.

2. Line up two strips so that their angled ends align to create a rectangle. Turn over one of the strips and lay it vertically so that the angled edges are lined up perfectly. Pin the edges together with a straight pin, leaving enough room for a ¼-inch seam.

3. Sew a straight seam ¼ inch in and snip away any extra thread. Sew together all of the remaining strips in the same manner and unfold each seam. Press each strip with a hot iron, pressing the seams to the side.

4. Fold the whole binding strip in half lengthwise and press along the fold with the iron to make it crisp. Gently open the fold and tuck in one end of the binding strip like you are wrapping a present. Fold over ¼ inch of the short edge and press it closed with the iron.

5. Refold the binding and press again along the fold. Set the finished end of the binding against the center of one of the quilt sides. Pin it into place.

6. Open the fold that you pressed into the binding. Line up the bottom layer of the binding with the quilt edge and create a 2-inch straight seam. Use scissors to cut the threads and release the quilt from the machine.

7. Fold over the binding again and sew through both layers with a 1 ¾-inch seam to attach the binding to the quilt. Hold the binding taut and sew the entire length of one side. Stop ¼ inch from the edge of the quilt, backstitch a few stitches, and cut the threads with scissors to release the quilt from the machine.

8. Turn the quilt 90 degrees. Fold the binding sharply so that it now points up. Press the fold into place with your finger and fold the binding down parallel to the new quilt edge. Pin the binding into place.

9. Sew a straight line of stitches all the way down this side of the quilt. Again, stop ¼ inch from the edge, backstitch three stitches, and release the quilt from the machine. Fold the binding like you did in Step 8 and finish the entire binding this way.

10. Trim the extra length from the binding, leaving ½ inch to insert into the open end of the strip that you sewed in the beginning. Hold the ends together with two or three stitches. Add the batting and backing to the quilt, then fold the edges of the binding over the backing and hand-sew the binding into place.

References

• Sew Inspired: Quilt Binding Tutorial