I prefer to piece together my binding strips on the bias. Piecing on the bias insures the seam allowances are distributed, the bulk is minimized, and the binding lies as flat as possible at the joins.
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| “Stitched and Bound” [BIN 25411] design from Art Gallery Fabrics 2.5” Edition collection. |
On this quilt that needed a new binding, I chose one of the Art Gallery Fabrics 2.5” Edition binding fabrics. The 2.5" Edition bindings have distinct designs—designs whose continuity I wanted to preserve at the joins. How do you line up the designs so they are continuous? A little prep and basting glue does the trick!
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| Prepping AGF 2.5" Edition binding strips so the design stays continuous. |
Binding prep for bias piecing
This is how I prepped the binding strips so the fabric design would be continuous across the seams.
1. Fold the end of one of the binding strips on the 45-degree angle (wrong sides together). For this design, I positioned the fold so it was between the “Xs.” With an iron, press the fold to make a nice crease.
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| Fold one end at 45-degrees (bias). |
2. Using Roxanne’s Glue-Baste-It, dab a few dots of the glue close to the fold. A little glue is all that is needed! The glue is tacky, and too much of it could seep through the fabric.
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| Place glue dots near the folded edge. “A little dab will do ya.” |
3. Position the glued strip on top of the other strip, lining up the pattern so it is continuous. With the iron, press the binding flat to dry the glue. (Your binding strips are now basted together.)
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| Position the two pieces so the design is continuous. |
4. Open the pieces. The diagonal crease is now your sewing line. If necessary, you can draw a line on the fold with a white or graphite pencil to make it more visible for sewing.
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| Draw a pencil line on the sewing line. |
5. Sew on the drawn line or slightly to one side to accommodate the ‘turn of cloth.’
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| Sew the bias seam. |
6. With right sides up, press the newly joined binding flat. Trim the seam allowance to 1/4” and trim off the dog ears. Continue joining additional strips as needed to get the desired length of binding.
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| Trim, press and the binding is ready to attach. |
The design is continuous, the join is nearly invisible, and the binding is ready to attach to the quilt.
The binding on this quilt’s front features the Xs and the back side has a string of dash marks. The extra effort was so worth it!
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| Completed binding using the “Stitched and Bound” [BIN 25411] design from Art Gallery Fabrics 2.5” Edition collection. |
