I received the queen size Night Garden quilt back from Melissa at Sew Shabby Quilting this week. I LOVE the quilting and can’t wait to show the full quilt and more details off to you. I do love to finish my own quilts, but it was absolutely the right choice to send this 90″ x 100″ queen bed quilt off to Melissa. Do you have a quilt that you have been putting off finishing and that would benefit from being sent to a longarm quilter? If so, Melissa is offering 15% off to anyone who mentions me (Yvonne Fuchs or Quilting Jetgirl) when you contact her. Her 15% off offer is valid through the end of April 2023.
Well, putting the binding on a queen size quilt takes a bit of time, so while I’m doing the hand stitching, I thought I’d share with you a quick binding tip that I’ve been using lately to help reduce the bulk on the edge of the quilt and make wrapping the binding around to the second side smoother and easier to do.
Quick Binding Tip – Second Stabilizing Stitch
This is a particularly handy tip when you are working on quilts with high loft battings or with double batting: after you sew the binding around the the quilt using your ¼” seam, sew a second stabilizing stitch line about ⅛” away from the edge of the quilt.
Quick Binding Tip – Second Stabilizing Stitch
I start off the edge of the quilt at a corner…
Quick Binding Tip – Second Stabilizing Stitch
… and I fold back the binding when I reach the second corner, stopping before I sew through the 45-degree fold line.
Quick Binding Tip – Second Stabilizing Stitch
Above is a photograph of what the two stich lines look like in a corner on the opposite side of the quilt.
UPDATE: I have now shared a short video of this process on Instagram.
I have seen other quilters use a serger to flatten, clean up, and tidy edges before applying binding as well: @elizabethkray recently shared a post on Instagram that shows her method. Since I will be doing a lot of hand binding on this larger 90″ x 100″ quilt, flattening out the bulk and making it easier to manipulate the binding around the corner will make a big difference to me in how quickly I can finish up this quilt.
So, you can see what I’ll be working on this weekend; what are your quilting plans?
Linking up with Tips and Tutorials on the 22nd.
Thanks for the tip Yvonne, I’m going to give it a try on my next quilt.
The stitching on your binding is so precise! I often go back to neaten up my stitching. No matter how much attention paid, my quarter inch is rarely as even as it should be. I have noticed that areas with added stitches feel better so I know you’re on to something here.
I have never heard of doing a second line of stitching, thanks for the tip!
That is a great trip and what’s another time around such a large binding. I do press my bindings over which helps…but maybe this is faster!
Early in my quilting journey, all of my throw or larger quilts went to a LAQ (now only queen size or larger head to the spa.) For an extra $10, she would trim and serge the quilt edge. Best $10 ever! Made adding a binding so nice and neat. Plus, I confess, a few quilts went directly to the couch without ever getting a binding….
This is a great tip and I’ve used it myself a time or two…
Thank you for being so faithful to Tips and Tutorials!
Well double duh, this is brilliant. With not having a walking foot on my Featherweight and having used a pretty lofty wool, I struggled with machine stitching it down on my last quilt. But even with a walking foot, this will help. Thanks for the closeups! Question: what needle do you use for hand stitching it down? Also, I’ve always used a single thread, not double, and rarely have I had to repair the binding on a quilt if the thread has let go (like 15+ year old quilts). These days between my eyes (I end up taking off my glasses to see up close better) and my fingertips (yes, I do use a leather thimble, though I haha, will still often use another finger to push the needle!) I’ve not been able to find a satisfactory needle.