Beauty Bound

At every step of the quilt making process, it’s amazing to see each incremental improvement. Even the most simple of quilts, takes on its own new beauty after basic quilting.  I think the same applies to binding.

Why We Quilt

Personally, I love binding.  Especially the hand stitching.  It’s like a special treat! I think it’s like one of my hygge places.  Curl up on a lounge with a matching thread and just quietly stitching.

The binding, although narrow does provide the last “frame” of the quilt.  It’s the finishing touch.  It contains all the edges and protects the edges of the quilt.

Prepare binding strips for quilts

Attaching Binding to a Quilt  Tutorial

I try to choose a fabric which really is complementary to the quilt   This a great time to add striped and directional fabrics for that extra statement  you can also use the fabric strips left over from your quilt backings  Those that come from the length of the fabric “the warp” will create very stable binding strips in long lengths, which can make binding easier, although I would not recommend this for curved bindings.

I like to make double fold bindings.  Some other suggestions for bindings can be curved bindings, double edged bindings, which add a lovely extra finish, scalloped edged bindings or bindings which follow the finished edge like in hexagon quilts

If you are in the camp of not enjoying bindings, here are some other suggestions.  Self binding, where the quilt backing is deliberately made larger, then folded to the front of the quilt and stitched down by machine.  Prairie point finishes or ruffled edge finished or even a lace edging.  All of these can be attached prior to quilting, then the backing is added, and the quilt turned and then quilted, or after quilting, providing  enough free edge is left to turn under later.

Beauty Bound