Well here we are at the final step in our quiltalong ‘Dream to Achieve’ – Binding the Quilt!

So let’s get started!

1. Trim the quilt

Take your quilt, and trim to the edge of your sashing , checking the square of your corners.  They should be pretty spot on as we have been checking along the way!

I use my square rule for the corner and then my long one to continue down the sides

 

2.  Prepare the binding

Take your fabric for binding and cut it into 2.5″ strips selvedge to selvedge – you will get 8 cuts from your 0.5m

3.  Join the binding strips

Take two strips and place as shown

Stitch along the line shown with my rule, trim and press.

Continue to join all strips in this manner and then press in half

4. Adding the binding

Take the end, open it and cut at 45 degree angle

Now, leaving about 6″ of binding free, and starting along one of the sides (not at a corner),stitch the binding to the wrong side of the quilt (this is to stitch your binding by machine – if you prefer to do it by hand you will stitch to the front)

When you reach the corner, stop 1/4″ from the end and turn and stitch out to the corner (I apologise that my machine light has reflected here but if you see the last stitch the stitches then go up at 45 degrees to the top right)  Sort of like this ——–/ Remove from the machine.

 

Fold the binding up towards the machine (Your angled finish will help get this)   The photo I took of that step is not clear enough so will use one from another quilt to demonstrate

Then fold the binding back down along the next side until the fold is level with the side just sewn (I have pinned it to take the photo)

Starting at the edge, you then stitch along this side up to the next corner and repeat.

5.  Joining the ends of the binding

When you get about 8 – 10″ from the start, do some reverse stitches and finish off and remove from your machine.

 

The start is on the left.  Open the start end

 

and lay the other end into the opening

 

Now mark where they meet – I will mark it with this pin so you can see as this fabric is tricky!

 

Take that end away from the quilt

 

Open it up and using your 45 degree on your rule

Mark along the rule

 

Then put another mark 0.5″ to the left of the first mark (this is the seam allowance)

Cut along that line – the one closest to the end (you will still have the first line on your binding)

Now join the ends, finger press, fold in half  and it will fit perfectly!!  Complete sewing the binding.

6.  Press

Press the binding away from the quilt.

7. Finish the Binding

Fold the binding to the front of the quilt so that it just passes the stitching. To work out how far over the stitching to put the edge, pop a pin in where you are going to stitch close to the edge and it should show just next to the binding on the back.

At the corner, fold right through

and then fold the next side up forming a mitre – You will find it easier to handstitch a little stitch in the corner to hold it for you rather than pinning

 

 

Stitching close to the edge, work your way around the quilt.  When you reach a corner, leave your needle down, lift your presser foot and turn the quilt.  Lower your presser foot and continue.

Repeat until binding is complete.

Nanny note:  Don’t worry if your stitching isn’t perfectly positioned on the back – this is something that improves with practice and like I have said before, just step away a bit and it will not even be noticeable!!

Congratulations!!  That is your quilt finished! What an achievement!!  It shows that you just need to Dream to Achieve!

Don’t forget to give your new quilt a name – I’m calling mine ‘Butterfly Dreams’ !  I will include this on my label when I find its new home!

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining me in this Quiltalong.  I hope you have enjoyed making your quilt and that you will share a photo . I would also like to thank our sponsors Alan’s Pen Making and A1 Craft and Quilting for providing the gift packs along the way!

What to next?

Until next time

Nanny xx