While manning the SAQA table at the Denver National Quilt show, I was asked by a former student my opinion on the finishing of her quilt. We talked about doing a simple “Artist’s” binding or facing. To illustrate what I was talking about, I walked over to a quilt in the show by my friend Dorothy Raymond and promptly turned up a corner. It is amazing how quickly the ladies in white gloves descend on you when you break the rules!
We moved down the way to my quilt to continue the discussion, but I also promised to write a post on how I do a binding/facing. So here goes.
1. Cut strips of fabric to match the length and width of your quilt. To keep things simple I use a 3-inch-wide ruler to cut the strips to 3 inches. You can make the strips wider or narrower to suit your taste. Press these strips in half, lengthwise.
2. Cut 4 corner squares. I make mine 4 inches. If your strips are wider, adjust the size of you square also. Press these into half-square triangles.
3. With your quilt face up, place a triangle in the corner and a strip along the edge with raw edges together. Be sure the strip overlaps the triangle so that the ends will be covered when it is finished. Stitch with a ¼-inch seam.
4. Press the facing to the seam allowance and top-stitch. Be sure to catch the seam allowance. Trim the corners of excess bulk.
5. Turn facing and corners to the back and press. You want to see just a little of the front of the quilt.
6. Cut fusible in strips and place between the facing and the back of the quilt. This is where I use up my smaller scraps of fusible. Press to fuse in place.
7. Hand-sew the edge of the facing to the quilt.
You have just finished your quilt with a nice stable edge that does not distract from the art happening on the front.
Bits and pieces of the process came from many different sources. I think that is the best part about the quilt world. You can piece together techniques from many sources to come up with what works best for you.
What is your favorite way to finish an edge?