Community Giving Binding and Tutorial

 

This is a combination of a post about getting the quilt binding done for the BAMQ Community Giving quilt AND a tutorial on how to join the ends of the binding using the The Binding Tool by TQM. This is mostly for me, so that I don't have to go watch the instruction video each time. I'm pretty sure I picked this tool up on the Free Table at a BAMQ Sew Day.

You sew on a 2.5" wide quilt binding leaving a 12" gap between your starting and ending points. And I mean as close to exactly 12" as possible. (this is one point I wasn't always the best at). If you don't measure this, it's hit or miss on whether the binding will end up being the right length.

The printing on the tool is ALWAYS face-up. The square end of the tool butts up against the spot where the stitching ends on the left, and you mark the binding with the "MARK HERE" line on the tool.

Unfold and open up the binding flat, right-side up, place the tool on the binding and align the "MARK HERE" line with the line you've marked. The binding fabric they use in the tutorial is a solid, so it's a little hard to tell which side is up so I wanted to note that mainly for myself.

Trim the binding using the angled side of the ruler. Okay, that's the left-hand side of the binding cut and ready to sew together, now moving on to the right-hand side.

Turn the ruler around, but don't turn it over, **Remember it stays Printed Side up**. Butt up the square end of the ruler to the stitching ending point. Mark the binding using the "Mark Here" line.

Spread open the binding, right side up. This is the point I've messed up so pay attention: Align the small angled edge of the ruler with the line you've marked.

Trim off using the angle of the ruler. 

It's pretty standard from here out, pin the two ends together, aligning the snub nosed ends.

Sew with a 1/4" seam. Press open.

Sew down the binding over the 12" gap you had left. You're done/

And then, when you flip over the binding, if you've got a label, don't forget to add it in. For a quilt that's going to be used and washed a lot, I don't hand-sew the binding.

There it is, all done! No gaps, no lumps, no tears or un-sewing.

I made the binding out of some of the quilt's own excess backing fabric (the green one) and a piece of fabric left from the backing of one of my quilts (the yellow one).

I hope that tutorial helps me in the future, and maybe you too if you happen to have this tool in your ruler stash.

Metro Twist Finish

 

Finishing up the binding on Metro Twist. Sewing it down from the front.

It's working out pretty well.

And there it is, all done -- Metro Twist.

I like how the binding looks.

I'm really glad I made this quilt, and I'm grateful to Amy for the lessons on how to use the Quick Curve Ruler.

This is another one to check off of my 2025 UFO Challenges list.

Many Bindings Day

 

Today at Sew Day, I spent my time making binding, lots and lots of binding. For the City Sampler and the Bohemian Wife quilts. Both soon to be going to a long-armer for quilting.

And then the binding for Metro Twist.

I only did the first step of sewing the binding on as I didn't have the matching blue thread to final stitch it down. So close to done with this one.  That was a lot of binding for one day's work, phew, glad it's made.

Green Giving

 

Adding binding to one of the BAMQ community giving quilts. The front and back of this one was made by friend Jaye, not sure who quilted it. The quilting is very nicely done.

First I stitched around the outside of the quilt edge before trimming the excess backing and binding.

Went on pretty easily, now to either hand stitch while watching the 49ers game or maybe machine stitch it with some green thread in the top and bobbin.

X's & O's

 

I hadn't shared a picture of the finished quilt that I worked on for BAMQ Community Giving. I did the quilting and the binding on this lovely design. I really loved these fabric choices and this great quilt design. I hope whoever receives the quilt enjoys it too.

As this is a lap quilt, I did fairly minimal quilting in the white sections, the triangles & squares, as well as the border. I like dense quilting for wall quilts, but not for something that's going to be on or near a body, I think that's just too stiff and not drape able to be pleasant. 

I also did my best at doing a self-border. I will confess that it is not up to competition standards shall we say? So, I hope that's okay, it's sturdy and will hold up to many many machine washings.  The backing fabric I got off the free table is so cute and I thought the yellow of it matched the bits of yellow in the other fabrics well enough.