Binding Tutorial: Finishing the Second Edge

 This tutorial continues the binding instruction begun 

in "Binding Tutorial: Strip Cutting & Prep"  and Binding Tutorial: Attaching, Miter Corner Turn & Splice posts.

Step 1: Fold the attached binding toward the quilt's back side. Align the unattached fold edge along the stitching that joined the binding to the edge. Fold should barely cover the stitching. Quilt layers and binding raw edges are all enclosed.

Pin or baste the binding in place so that the invisible hand stitching can be completed.

At each corner, re-create the miter fold in the binding on the backside. See how the "approaching" binding portion is folded and basted. The "departing" portion is still "flat". Finger-crease the diagonal fold line at the corner, and note that a new "corner" at binding's edge is created. (In this photo, it can be seen at the top, barely above my right thumb.)

Step 2. Fold new side binding over to bring this "corner" point to meet at the seam lines intersection, where it will meet the already-in-place binding fold edge. Continue to position and baste binding, repeating corner process.










Step 3. Begin the invisible edge stitch to attach the fold edge. Thread hand needle with binding-color matched single thread. Knot the end. To hide the knot and anchor the thread, INSERT needle through the seam allowance layers beneath the binding fold edge and COME UP next to and inside previous permanent stitching. Then bring the needle through bottom edge of binding to EXIT through the fold edge being attached. (This demo is using RED thread for visibility.)

Step 4. Begin the first stitch. PIERCE the seam allowance of quilt layers next to the previous permanent stitching, then COME UP AND OUT through binding lower edge, exiting through the fold of binding. Pull thread through to remove all slack. The needle trajectory is nearly parallel to the  binding edge, angled only slightly. 

Note how this example shows the needle moving right to left and also toward the stitcher as it progresses. This allows the point of entry to be more visible. (Reverse and reposition for left-hand stitching, of course.)

Step 5. Begin the second stitch. INSERT the needle RIGHT NEXT TO the place where thread is exiting the binding fold, piercing the quilt layers' seam allowance next to (or through) permanent stitching. Push needle through on the angle to COME UP through binding fold edge, just as before. Pull needle and thread through.

Distance between insertion points (stitch length, that is) should be about 1/8" or slightly LESS. Thread will wrap over the binding fold edge as visible stitch is formed.

Repeat the stitching until entire fold edge is joined in place. At corners, be sure to tack in place as part of the binding stitching the fold-over corner point that created the miter corner during the basting process.

FOR UTILITY USE QUILT BINDING: Machine stitching the second edge may be better for a quilt that will endure repeating laundering. Best practice for these quilts will be to attach the first binding edge on the BACK of the quilt, then wrap the second binding fold  over raw edges to the FRONT. Baste it in place, including corners as noted in this tutorial, then machine stitch next to fold edge, overlapping stitching to secure ends.