Binding a quilt

Cutting Binding Strips

• Cut 2 ¼” strips for binding on quilts with thin batting.

• Cut 2 ½” strips for binding on quilts with thicker batting.

• Cut enough strips to go around the perimeter of the quilt plus an additional 12-18”.

• Cut bias binding if your quilt edge is curved or if you want a special effect from your fabric being cut on the diagonal.

Forming Binding Strip

1. Place two strips right sides together and sew diagonally.

2. Cut off additional fabric.

3. Press seams open.

4. Fold the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.

Attaching the Binding

• You can begin binding anywhere along the edge of the quilt except in a corner.

  • Helpful hint: After you have selected a starting point, run the binding strip around the edge of the quilt to make certain that a seam does not fall into a corner. If it does, readjust the starting point.

• Line up the raw edge of the strip with the raw edge of the quilt top.

• Leaving a 6-8” tail, stitch the binding to the quilt with a ¼” seam allowance.

• Stitch up to the seam line in the corner stopping ¼” before the end of the corner.

  • Take a few backstitches.

  • Remove from sewing machine.

• Diagonally fold the binding strip away from the quilt.

  

• Fold the binding straight down, even with the edge of the quilt.

  • Continue stitching and finish all sides and corners in the same matter.






• When you are within 10-12” of your starting point, back stitch and remove the quilt from your machine.

• Pin the binding to the remaining edge of the quilt, making sure to center the beginning, ending spot.

• Fold the tails back and mark 1” on each beginning and ending tail.

• Cut excess fabric off and unpin the unstitched binding.

• The tails are placed at right angles with right sides together and stitched diagonally.

• Leave a ¼” seam allowance by cutting any additional fabric off.

• Press the seam open.

• You are now ready to attach the remaining 10-12” of binding.

Stitching to the back

• Fold the binding to the back, over the raw edges of the quilt.

  • The folded edge of the binding should just cover the machine-stitching line.

• Blind-stitch the binding in place, making sure your stitches do not go through to the front of the quilt.

• At the corners, fold the binding to form miters on the front and back of the quilt

  • Stitch down the folds in the miters.

Mitered Corner Baby Blanket

Mitered Corner Infant Blanket

Supplies:

1 yard flannel fabric (front)

1 ¼ yard flannel fabric (back)

Thread that matches back fabric

*Note: All seams are 3/8” unless otherwise stated.

Step 1:

Cut the two fabrics into squares. The front will be approximately 36”X36” and the back will be 45”X45”. These are approximate measurements.

Step 2: Using sewing pins, mark the middle on all 4 edges of both the front and the back.

Step 4: On this first side only leave a 6-8” opening somewhere near the center of the seam. Using pins, mark where you are going to put the opening. Sew this side seam 3/8” from the edge. Start ½” from the starting edge and finish ½” from the end edge. These ½” starting and endings are very important that they are done with precise measurements.

Step 5: Line up the next side of the fabrics at the center pins. Pin fabrics together. Start sewing where you ended and stop ½” from the end. You will have a bulk of fabric in the corner. This will be used later to make the mitered corners. Line up remaining sides in the same manner and sew in the same way. You should have extra fabric at each corner.

Step 6: Take fabric to the ironing board. With a seam gage or tape measure, measure an equal distance from the seam to the edge of the fabric on each side. If you pull the fabric it should lay flat and you will not need to measure the distance. Press seams toward outer edge. Press corner seams down so they make a mitered corner, with a straight line. When you are pressing the corner, you are creating a line to follow when you sew the corners. Press all of fabric front and back to eliminate any creases or puffiness.

Step 7: Take the fabric back to the sewing machine. Pull corner fabric out so it lies flat, line up small square corner edges, and turn so you can see the crease created in the ironing process. Sew in that crease from edge to corner area. Do not sew onto corner. Cut excess fabric away from each corner seam. (To within ½ - ¾”) Clip corners.

Step 8: Reach your hand in the opening and reverse the fabric. Poke each corner inside the blanket to create a sharp corner.

Step 9: Take blanket back to the ironing board and press, for sharp edges, and corners.

Step 10: At the sewing machine top stitch around the outside edges of the inside square to sew back to front and to sew the opening closed. Decorative stitches or ribbon may be used.

Mitered Corner Baby Blanket

I made this about two weeks ago. I am giving it to Gretchen for her new baby.

Gretchen's Quilt for Baby Boy No Name.

This is the quilt that Gretchen wanted made for her baby. She picked out everything from the pattern to the fabric. I hope she likes how it turns out. I think it looks great.

Yesterday I went over to a neighbors house to learn about making fondant. It was lots of fun and the above picture is what I created at the class. My 5 year old Chloe took the picture. Here is the recipe we got for making Marshmallow Fondant.

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe

16 oz bag marshmallows
3/4 of a 2 lb bag powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons water
Crisco (important to not use generic)

Combine marshmallows and water in large bowl. Microwave 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave 10-30 seconds, stirring, until all marshmallows are melted, about 2 1/2 minutes. Pour sugar on top of melted marshmallows.

Cover counter top and hands with Crisco. Dump marshmallow sugar mixture onto the counter. Knead.

It will be a little sticky at first. After kneading for a couple of minutes, if it's tearing, add 1/2 Tablespoon water at a time until no longer tearing. If it seams too sticky, add a little more powdered sugar and knead it in.

When at desired consistency, roll into a ball and coat with Crisco. Wrap in plastic wrap. store in a zip lock bag in refrigerator.

It's best to let it rest overnight before using it. Add color right before using it because some colors will change the consistency of fondant.

My Passion

I have decided that it is time to set up a blog to keep track of all the fun projects I do. I love to do crafting and quilting, so this is where I am going to post ideas, techniques, and completed projects.