Moonlight Quilters
Tip of the Needle
If you have a tip to share with the guild members, submit it to the webmaster using the email link below.
(Yes, this means no hand sewing!)
Cut two coordinated but contrasting pieces of binding for your quilt. One will be 1/4-3/8" wider than the other. This is the color you want to show the least. It will appear to be piping. You may vary the cut width depending on how much of it you would like to show.
Determine the width of the strips by deciding how wide a binding you will want to see when it is folded in half. My preference is to cut fabrics 1 1/2" and 1 3/4" as this makes a good looking binding that is easy to sew onto the quilt. For a narrower binding try
1 1/4" and 1 1/2"
Sew the lengths of one color together at the small end, then join lengths of the other color. Sew the sets together the long way using a 1/4" seam allowance. Press seam allowance to the narrower piece. Fold in half and press a nice crease. The wider side will create a lip, or what looks like a piping. This is the side that will be inside, NOT SHOWING, with only the piped lip showing on the front of your quilt.
Sew the binding by machine onto the BACK SIDE of your quilt.
Fold over the edge and to the front side. (back side shown below)
Stitch in the ditch where the lip has been created. (Shown prepared for final stitch in the ditch)
This creates a very secure binding and is good for a quilt that will be used, washed, and loved much.
Marilynn D. R.
Two-Piece Binding with Small Piping
Cut your binding the width you like, such as 2 1/2". Join strips; fold in half and press. Cut and join pieced for another contrasting narrow binding, approximately 3/4" wide. Fold this strip in half and press. Now take the wider strip and open it up. Place the narrower strip with the 1/4" raw edge to the right of your machine needle and stitch the entire length of the binding. Fold the wider strip in half again. Sew binding on the back side and roll to show the piping. Stitch in the ditch of the piping.