It is finally time to get this Diamond Quilt bound so that it can get some use. I don’t have much of the fabric that I want to use for the binding, so this tutorial will show you how to bind a quilt with the least amount of binding fabric possible. This method is a super fast machine binding tutorial, with no pinning or ironing. Awesome right!!! Because, ain’t nobody have time for that!!!
Backstory… I made this quilt top about 5 years ago when I had time to quilt. These days if I do get to sew it’s with neglected children in front of some kind of media device (we call it media time)… Or when they go to sleep. Corbin no longer naps!!! He is currently laying on the floor beside me playing with a new huge Bazooka Nurf gun we found this morning at a garage sale (only $1). Score!! How long do you think this distraction will last????
So I guess my natural progression from square patterned quilts to diamond patterned quilts makes sense. I found this pattern in Allison Jane Smith’s Book Called Fresh Impressions (Link to her quilting book is located at the end of this post). This is the first time I followed a pattern. Her directions were super easy to follow which made this quilt top quick to cut and put together. However, I lost motivation to finish this quilt when I decided to back the quilt with super soft flannel fabric (first time using a flannel back), which at the time I loved the idea of it but not the look of it (the back is just plain white flannel fabric). And so it sat in a pile of quilts in my craft room for a long time… Until NOW!!
I decided its time to get it bound and why not share with you my easy way to bind a quilt that uses the least amount of binding fabric. I make my own binding so that I can use any patterned fabric that I like and use up fabric that I have in my stash. I know there are a lot of binding quilt tutorials out there but this is not the traditional way of binding a quilt. This is the method I use most of the time and it works great for me. I am by far a perfectionist. I like things done quickly and efficiently. I hope you enjoy this tutorial of how to bind your quilt.
Quilt Binding Tutorial!!!!!!
Supplies Needed: Links to purchase some of these supplies are located at the bottom of this post!!!!!!
- Fabric for binding – a queen sized quilt takes about 1/2 yard of fabric.
- Quilt without binding – to put your binding on!!
- Sewing Machine – I use the “Brother Project Runway Edition Computerized Sewing Machine”.
- Coordinating Thread
- Fabric Cutter – I use a Olfa Rotary Cutter
- Mat to cut your fabric on – I use a Olfa Self-healing Mat.
- Quilting Ruler
Step 1: Collect your supplies and Find a super cute fabric for the binding material that you think goes well with your quilt. In this particular quilt I decided to go with a darker fabric than I normally would. I am trying to make the quilt a bit more masculine so that I can put this quilt on our gust room bed (can’t be too girly right?!?!).
Step 2: Cut the fabric in 2 or 2 1/2 inch wide strips. I wanted a smaller binding on this quilt, and I didn’t have very much of the binding fabric so I went with 2 inch wide strips. 2 1/2 inches is easier to bind the quilt with. To bind a queen sized quilt you need approximately 1/2 a yard of fabric. I had a little less than that so that is why I went with 2 inch wide binding for this quilt.
Step 3: Stitch the strips of binding together. Most people stitch the binding together at a diagonal. Like this:
But I don’t know that it is imperative that you do. I’m not sure why most quilt tutorials teach this method??? Possible reasons could be stitching it at a diagonal may give the quilt a bit more stretch, or it may make the binding fabrics blend together a bit more, or it could disperse the amount of fabric that meets where they are joined (I don’t really know the true reason). However, if you are in love with a certain fabric for the binding and you don’t have a lot of it than joining the strips together end to end works too! (It does the same job). If you know the reason most tutorials teach joining binding strips at a diagonal can you let me know??? Thank you!
So, I stitch mine together like you would 2 straight edged pieces of fabric. Face side to face side with a 1/4 inch seam. It’s super fast and simple. Like this:
Step 4: Add the binding to the quilt. Start about half way down any side of your quilt. With your quilt face side up and about 12 inches from the end of your binding strip, place the binding face side down and stitch with a 1/4 inch seam. like this:
Step 5: Corners: When you come to a corner stop 1/4 of an inch from the end of your quilt and back-stitch. Remove the needle from the quilt and pivot your quilt to the to the direction of your next side to sew. Fold the binding fabric using these next 3 steps to create a corner fold:
1. Fold your binding up with the fabric aligned with the side of the quilt. Like this:
2. Then fold the binding down with the fabric aligned with the side of the quilt. Like this:
The binding will look like this from the side.
3. Start sewing the binding down again from the very top of the edge of the quilt with a 1/4 inch seam.
Step 6: Repeat the corner technique for all 4 corners while sewing the whole binding down to the face side of your quilt.
Step 7: Sewing your ends of the binding together: Because we are using straight edge joining of the binding we can just lay the binding down on the quilt make a small mark on the binding (with chalk) where they meet up and sew them together at that point. Trim off excess ends of your binding. Then sew the last part of your binding down. This is a lot easier than diagonal stitching the binding together. Now the top of your quilt is done!!!! (and I forgot to take a picture of this!!!! Sorry. I can make a tutorial about joining the ends of the binding together in another post and link it later if this is unclear).
Step 8: Flip your quilt over and stitch down binding to the back side of the quilt. Fold the raw edge of the fabric under to make a nice edge and stitch it down on the back side of your quilt, close to the edge of the binding. Your stitches will show up on the front of your quilt but it is not that noticeable. If you follow along the stitches that were made from stitching the front side of the binding down then your stitches should overlap. Like this:
Step 9: Corners: When you come to a corner stop about 4 inches away from the end. Then use these 4 steps to create a super perfect corner pleat.
1. Tuck both sides of the corner binding under like this:
2. Fold the side that you are currently sewing down, like this:
3. Fold the next side up to create the cute little pleated corner, like this:
4. Continue to sew till you land on the edge of binding that you just folded up, and stop (this is the inside corner of your pleated corner). Pull up your foot and pivot the quilt to the right to continue to sew down the next side of the quilt. There is no need to stop sewing and start again at a corner. Like this:
Super awesome perfect corner!!! Then repeat for all 4 corners. It’s that simple!!!!
Step 10: DONE!!!!!! YAY!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!! CELEBRATE!!!!!
After the quilt is done I go around the quilt and trim off all of the random threads that may be sticking out. And that’s IT!! YOU FINISHED IT!! TIME TO ENJOY YOUR QUILT!!
My kiddos love this quilt. Corbin says “Mom its my favorite, it’s so cozy!” As he rubs his body all over it. hahaha. I guess the flannel fabric did pay off. I like it too, now that it has a binding on it. I feel good about getting this quilt done. I don’t like to leave projects unfinished. It made me sad to look at it in my craft room unfinished for all these years. I’m glad this blog is making me look for projects around the house and get things done!
Anyways, I hope the binding tutorial was clear enough to understand and follow along. If you have any questions please leave me a comment and I’ll get back to you with a helpful answer as soon as possible. Again this tutorial is for someone who doesn’t have a lot of time, or a lot of binding fabric. I like to just get the job done in a way that is just as great as the traditional methods of quilt binding. Thanks so much for following along!!
Until next time, just love and enjoy creating beautiful things!!
XOXO JCL
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Amarican Friends can find products like the ones used in this post here!
