A Tutorial: French Binding...Ooh,la,la!

There are many options when adding binding to your quilt....I have had a lot of success using a French Binding and here is the method I use.

To begin I measure the perimeter of my quilt top and add 10 inches to that measurement...that will be the amount of binding I will need to cover the quilt top.

I cut my strips 2.5 inches (from selvedge edge to selvedge edge)... 

Sew the strips together by placing two strips perpendicular to each other and right sides facing...draw a line from the top left corner to the lower right corner.

  

Stitch on the drawn line....and trim away the excess fabric....

 

 

Stitch all strips end to end in the same manner.

Once all the strips are stitched together - press lengthwise wrong sides together....

Open the strip up and...

Take the top right hand corner of your binding strip and bring the corner down to meet the bottom of the strip...

Fold the strip together again...this will become a pocket a little later.  You will begin and end stitching at this point.

 

I usually begin adding the binding to the quilt top about 1/3rd. of the way in on one side of the quilt.  Place the raw edge of the binding strip to the raw edge of the quilt top...

  

Begin sewing (1/4 inch seam allowance) with the binding open.  Mark with a pin 1 inch past where the bottom of the folded corner meets the binding strip.  Stitch from the top of the binding to the pin - which is marking the 1 inch mark.

Now fold the binding together again and begin stitching again at the point where you ended stitching at the 1 inch mark....

Now you have created the pocket where the end of the quilt will be tucked in!

Continue stitching until you are a 1/4 inch from the corner of the quilt...then stop and take the quilt out of the machine.  Fold the binding straight up....

Then fold the binding back down.  Start stitching again a scant 1/4 inch from the corner.  Now the binding will be added to the next side of the quilt.

 

Repeat this for all four corners of the quilt.

Once the 4th corner is complete....and you are nearing the pocket ( beginning of the binding)...line the remainder of the binding up with the point where you began stitching the binding (both layers of binding)....

 

Cut the excess tail of binding to this point....now slip the tail into the pocket...

Stitch from the where you stopped to the point where the binding is stitched together with both layers....fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and stitch by hand.

  

I hope this is clear...and helpful....just drop me a line if you have any questions :)

Mary