How to Make Mitered Borders on Quilts
Quilts can be bound in a number of ways. The quilt back can be folded to the front and stitched in place. Ribbon can be stitched on the edge of the quilt. You can use bias binding tape or straight binding tape to hold the edges of the quilt together. All of these binding methods require mitered corners to make the border lie flat and look nice.
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Instructions
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Using Quilt Binding
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1
Pin binding, ribbon, or bias tape to the back of the quilt. Line the edge of the quilt up with the center fold of binding and bias tape, or with the center line of ribbon.
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2
When you reach a corner, extend the binding material straight as if there were no corner. Then hold or pin the edge of the quilt and the binding in place and fold the binding material 90-degrees around the corner. For example, fold the binding material down if you are going from top edge to side edge. You will notice a triangular shape standing up in the corner of the quilt.
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3
Pin the binding in place below the corner and then fold the triangular corner shape down. Match the edges of the binding on the inside corner of the quilt and pin. Stitch the mitered corner in place as you sew the binding to the quilt. Continue in this manner on all four corners.
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4
Stitch binding in place on the back of the quilt.
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5
Pin binding to front of quilt. Beginning with the top right corner, extend the binding straight to the edge of the quilt layers. Hold or pin in place to form the triangle as you did on the back. Fold the triangle and side binding material to front. Adjust the triangle to create a mitered corner. Pin in place and press. Continue until front edge of binding is completely pinned and pressed.
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6
Stitch binding in place on front of quilt, stitching mitered corners in place. Remove pins.
Using Quilt Backing
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7
Fold raw edge of backing fabric 1/2 inch toward the front of the quilt and press with iron. This fold makes a hem-like edge for stitching. If the backing does not have enough extra fabric to fold over the front, you will need to use a separate binding material as in Section 1.
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8
Fold the corners of quilt at 45-degree angles to the pressed edge of backing as you fold the hem-like edge. Press with hot iron.
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9
Fold pressed edges over onto the front of quilt and pin in place. Fold corners carefully under the pressed edges where the sides meet. Pin in place, matching pressed edges. This will form a mitered corner.
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10
Adjust pressed edges until mitered corner is even. Pin and press in place with hot iron.
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11
Stitch mitered corners in place as you sew pressed edges down. Remove pins.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Match edges of corners carefully before pressing. Pressing will help you create perfect mitered corners.
Use care with a hot iron. Pin edges so you do not burn your fingers while trying to hold mitered corners in place. Remove pins and press again to remove pin marks from fabric.
References
- Photo Credit Steve Baccon/Photodisc/Getty Images
