I was putting the binding on a quilt the other day and thought of a couple of tips to pass along to make it a little easier!
Binding Tip #1
Once you’ve attached your binding to the quilt by machine, the next step is to flip it to the back and hand stitch it down (unless you do it all by machine but that’s another blog post!) Take a few moments and press the binding in the correct direction first. It’s kind of like pressing a seam to one side, pressing the binding away from the quilt top. It will make it much easier to flip around to the back during the hand stitching part. You will also get a more uniform appearance on the front of the quilt.
Binding Tip #2
Save all the extra binding pieces. I put all mine in a big glass jar. That way they’re a pretty decoration until I’m in need of a scrappy binding. Sew ’em all together and it’s like free fabric!
Binding Tip #3
Start the hand sewing portion with a new needle. Just like machine needles, hand needles don’t last forever. They can bend, get burrs and get their points worn down from use. The price of an individual needle is not all that much, get a new one. My favorite for doing binding work is the John James Milliners needles. They are long and thin and I can get a good bit of stitches on before having to pull up the thread. The less I have to pull up the thread, the less it may tangle. The come in various sizes and also have the option of the Gold ‘n Glide coating. I love Gold ‘n Glide! The needles are dipped in a magic solution that makes it glide through the fabric with ease. The eye is also dipped in gold to make it easier to see. Seriously, who are they kidding…I still can’t see it…a needle threader is a must!
Do you have a binding tip that you can share?