Binding

[Dawn S.]

I ran out of the fabric I want to use for my binding! ops: :shock: I have enough to piece it together, 3 WoF and a bunch 10-12 inches in length.
Will that hold together ok? look ok?

[Dawn S.]

Jean, I quite often use strips that are about as short as you mention (and even shorter) to make a binding, scrappy of otherwise. I just join the pieces together with your normal 1/4" seam allowance and then I press them open so there is less bulk. I use the same stitch length as normal. Have not yet had any problems and some of the quilts I make get loved, used, abused and washed many times.

[Margo C.]

Sure, Jean! That will work just fine! When I piece my bindings, I always join the strips with a 45-degree seam to distribute the bulk, and like Catapprovedquilts, I press those seams open. I do shorten my stitch length a little bit just to make sure that the thread doesn't show from the right side.



A piece of painter's tape with a line drawn straight in front of the needle makes it easy to stitch a straight joining seam. I just start where the strips cross, and keep the other side lined up with the marked line. Trim the seam allowance and press open. Easy peasy!

[Betty J.]

Like Margo and Catapprovedquilts (neat screen name), I almost always piece my bindings, using seams like Margo demonstrates (nice clear picture and instructions Margo). You should just place the binding so as to NOT have a seam at the corners if you are mitering them. Cheers, BJ

[Annis C.]

I agree with all of the above. I pin my binding to the quilt first before sewing so I can make adjustments to keep the seams away from the corners.

[Dawn S.]

Margo, I love the picture, and the painters tape for the process! Wow! Would that process ever work for sewing across half square triangles!!!!

jasheeler, I do pieced bindings all of the time, and as Margo said, by shortening the stitch length, the seam isn't as visible. Also, alternate your short pieces with your long pieces so that there are not too many seams on one side.

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Dawn S.]

I think I should have mentioned that I don't have enough to miter the joins. Will they now be too visible?

[Dawn S.]

Thanks Margo for the pictorial demonstration. I forgot to mention that I normally sew my binding strips together with a miter. Sometimes we get so used to doing something we forget to add it to our verbal/written instructions.

Jean, I have had to use a straight seam before. The most noticeable thing about it is there will be a little extra thickness there if you are making a folded/double binding, as all of the fabric will be in one spot.

Sewdreamy. Cat Approved Quilts is my registered fictitious "business" name. I use it for some patterns I have designed that hopefully I will someday be ready to market. Currently it appears only on directions/patterns/designs I use for teaching, and for an appliqued and pieced quilt I designed for an opportunity quilt.

[Margo C.]

Margo, I love the picture, and the painters tape for the process! Wow! Would that process ever work for sewing across half square triangles!!!Dawn In beautiful Northwest Montana

Dawn, I use the tape all the time for HSTs that are not paper pieced! It works great!! You just have to remember to draw your line on the tape 1/4" to the right of the needle, then stitch on both sides of the center of the squares! Sure does save a lot of marking!!!

I'm anxious to try Annis's new tool for this method so I don't have to keep applying tape:
community/my-profile/ajclapp

[Marion D.]

Jasheeler:

If you don't have enough binding, you can do one of three things:
Use something else (I do this all the time, I ignore the quilt police)
Make a two color binding, piecing different things in
Advertise at different internet sites for more fabric. My favorite is http://www.missingfabrics.com.

Good luck!

[Marion D.]

Thanks everyone for your help! I finished putting on the binding today and you can barely see where I joined the pieces. I truly had just enough to finish :shock:
Hopefully, tomorrow the DH will assist me in taking a photo to post!