Loading…
Loading…
Join the community
Real quilters, real deadlines. Here's what's open to join.
A step-by-step guide to cutting, attaching, and finishing quilt binding by hand or machine
Binding is the final step of finishing a quilt — the strip of fabric that wraps around the raw edges, securing the three layers and giving the quilt a clean, durable border. A well-applied binding is the mark of a careful quilter.
Quilt binding has been used since the earliest American quilts. Before double-fold binding became standard, quilters used single-fold binding, butted corners, or simply folded the backing to the front. Double-fold (also called French binding) became popular in the 20th century because it wears better — the folded edge resists fraying far longer than a single layer.
The technique of cutting strips on the bias — at a 45-degree angle to the grain — was historically favored for its durability around curved edges. Today, most quilters cut binding on the straight of grain for rectangular quilts, reserving bias cuts for quilts with curved or scalloped edges.
Hand-stitching the binding to the back is considered the traditional finish, though machine binding has become widely accepted in the quilting community for practical everyday quilts. Neither method is wrong — it's a matter of preference and intended use.
Add all four sides of the quilt, plus 12–15 inches extra for mitering corners and joining seams. Divide by the usable fabric width (typically 40 inches) to get the number of strips needed. Cut strips 2.5 inches wide on the straight of grain for a standard double-fold binding.
Layer two strips right sides together at a right angle and draw a diagonal line across the overlap. Sew on the line, trim to 1/4 inch, press open. Joining at 45 degrees distributes bulk and avoids a visible seam.
Fold the long strip in half wrong sides together and press, creating a double-fold strip with all raw edges aligned. Press firmly for crisp results.
Starting in the middle of one side, align raw edges of the binding with raw edges of the quilt front. Leave a 6–8 inch tail and begin sewing with a 1/4 inch seam, backstitching at the start.
Stop sewing 1/4 inch from the corner and backstitch. Fold the binding up at 45 degrees, then fold back down even with the next edge. Resume sewing at the top edge, backstitching at the start.
When you reach the starting tail, leave the needle down 6–8 inches from the start. Trim the finishing end to overlap the starting tail by about 2.5 inches. Open both tails, layer at right angles, sew the diagonal seam, trim, press, and refold. Complete the seam.
Fold the binding to the quilt back so the folded edge just covers the machine stitch line. Pin or clip in place. Hand-stitch with a blind stitch, or machine stitch in the ditch from the front.
Binding can blend in or stand out. A binding that matches the border fabric creates a seamless look. A contrasting binding (dark on a light quilt, or a bold print) frames the quilt dramatically. Many quilters save their favorite fabric for the binding as a finishing flourish.
Ready to pull fabric for this one? These are the retailers we trust.
We may earn a commission on purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
The standard approach for most quilts. Strips cut parallel to the selvage are more economical than bias but equally durable for straight edges.
Strips cut at 45 degrees to the grain. More stretchy, ideal for curved edges and scalloped hems. Uses more fabric and requires more cutting.
Stitch the binding to the front, then fold to the back and stitch from the front in the ditch. Faster than hand binding and very secure.
One layer of fabric rather than two. Uses less fabric but wears faster at the fold. Commonly used for baby quilts.
A queen quilt is typically 90×108 inches. Perimeter = (90+108)×2 = 396 inches plus 15 extra = about 411 inches. At 40 usable inches per strip, you need about 11 strips of 2.5 inches × 40 inches = about 0.75 yards of binding fabric.
Both are correct. Hand stitching gives a traditional invisible finish on the back and is preferred for show quilts or heirlooms. Machine stitching is faster, very durable, and perfectly appropriate for everyday quilts. Many quilters machine bind utility quilts and hand bind special ones.
Mitered corners create a tidy, finished corner that lies flat and wears well. The 45-degree fold distributes the corner's bulk evenly and avoids the raw-edge square corners that would fray over time.
NiftyFifty quilters have been swapping blocks like this one since 1997. Browse our historical archive or join a new swap.
Browse quilt swaps →Pin basting, spray basting, and thread basting — how to hold your quilt sandwich together for quilting
You make a handful of identical blocks and mail them to strangers. They make a handful and mail them to you. By the time the packages stop arriving, you have a quilt's worth of blocks you couldn't have made on your own — and friends in three states you didn't know you needed.
Real quilters, real deadlines. Here's what's open to join.
