Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Continuous Binding for quilts

Continuous Binding is very simple to make. Some judges at juried quilt shows will pick up a quilt and look at the binidng, and if it is not a bias binding, they will be even bother to judge it. Now, doesn't that get your attention? It certainly did me, back in Ft. Worth, Tx when I watched a judge do just that! I know that all of you know that quilts with scallops or curved edges have to have bias bindings to make them lay flat, but most of the quilters that I know today, just whip on a crossgrain binding or a selvage edge binding that is cut 2 1/2", folded in half and sewn down raw edge to raw edge of the quilt. Here is a beautiful binding, that is done with continuous strips on the bias: Looking at the pictures: Picture A on the left, and Picture B on the right. Follow these instructions: For a better wearing binding, take a 30" square of fabric, cut straight on each side with the grain line, and mark a diagonal line from one corner to the other, and cut. Pin two straight sides together so that it looks like Picture !, and sew with a quarter inch seam allowance. Press the seam allowance open. Lay fabric flat with wrong side up. With a yardstick and pencil, starting from the top, draw a line every 2" parallel to the bias cut. Then pin the other two straight sides together offsetting the top to line A on one side. see Picture B. stitch, using quarter ince seam allowance, and press seam open. Start cutting on line A and continue to the end of the tube. Fold bias in half lengthwise and press. Place raw edge of binding to raw edge of quilt back and sew using quarter inch seam allowance. Fold finished edge of binding to front of quilt and whip down by hand. A 30" square of fabric will give you approximately 13 yards of 3/8" wide binding.