Binding Basics: the Perfect Finish | December 6

Binding Basics: The Perfect Finish"
Bindings are the crucial final step that turns a project into a polished, durable quilt. If you get stuck at this last stage, this class is for you! You'll gain the confidence and skills to achieve a flawless finish every time. We will cover how to calculate, cut, and prepare your binding, with detailed instruction on creating crisp mitered corners and securely joining the ends. We will also explore both machine-finishing and traditional hand-stitching methods, allowing you to choose the best technique for your style.

Key Skills Covered

• Calculating yardage and cutting strips
• Joining strips with a 45-degree seam
• Creating perfect mitered corners
• Machine stitching vs. hand-sewing finishes
• Tips for a professional, durable edge 

Materials Required:

• A quilt or other project that you need finished and enough binding for that project (recommend 2.5" strips) or bring a small quilt sandwich made up of some scraps and enough binding for that project (18" x 18" minimum) to practice on
• Your sewing machine threaded and ready to go with matching thread
• A hand sewing needle
• Scissors

How to determine binding requirements:

Step 1: Find the perimeter of your quilt or items. Measure each of the four sides and add them together.
Step 2: Add 20 inches to your total.
Step 3: Choose your binding width. We recommend using 2 ½" wide strips.
Step 4: Divide the total length of binding needed for your quilt by 40". This gives you the number of width-of-fabric strips needed to create your binding.
Step 5: Round up to the nearest whole number of strips. Multiply the number of strips by the width of binding you decided in step 3. That will give you the number of inches required to cut the necessary number of binding strips for your quilt.
Step 6: Divide the number determined in step 5 by 36" to calculate the yardage. Round this number up to the next 1/4 yard increment and you’ll have your total yardage number!