How To Bind A Quilt Using The Backing Fabric
Quilting is a common sewing technique used to reinforce fabrics by adding two or more layers of fabric together to make a thicker padded material. You can’t make a quilt without binding it; else, your fabric runs the risk of unfolding.
There are a couple of factors that determine how your quilt design will come out, from choosing the right colour for your design to deciding on how large you want your finished binding to be and, more importantly, stitching it using a method that fits you and your quilt. One approach is self-binding; this involves the use of the backing fabric to cover the raw edges and topstitch it in place.
How To Bind A Quilt Using The Backing Fabric
Contents
Once you are done quilting your fabric, trim the batting to contain the quilt top by sliding by a cutting mat in-between the batting and the backing. Trim the batting appropriately and press the binding. Using a zigzag stitch, sew around the combination of the binding and quilt top. For straight stitches, sew at the edge, then leave an allowance of 1/4 –inch when at the corners. The backstitch for finishing
Step-by-Step to Bind a Quilt Using the Backing Fabric
Locking frames are the sides of a quilt. It typically consists of a strip of cloth, generally double-folded, which is wound around the raw edges of the quilt.
Binding is typically bound to the quilt by machine, and then the folded edge is sewn into place by machine or hand stitching. The steps for implementing these two options are covered in this article.
The quilt is sandwiched between the top fabric and the backing; the binding serves to keep them in place. Typically, the fabric backing is a solid piece of fabric and can be white, coloured or patterned to match the top. The filling for the padding could be a mixture of polyester fibre lining or other batting material. A well-designed quilt beautifies the environment in which it is used.
To design a reinforced quilt, you need the following accessories at your disposal;
- Measuring tape
- Quilting thread and needle
- Thimble
- Iron (optional)
Before commencing this project, ensure that none of your stitches are into the batting. Start and stop all the quilt stitches on the top of the quilt and the back of the quilt.
Step 1
You should size the back of the fabric painstakingly before you start quilting. Since you are using the back fabric for binding, you must measure 2 to 4 inches wider than around the top.
Proceed to quilt the pieces together, but avoid quilting 1/2 inch from the edges of the quilt cover.
Step 2
Then trim the fabric top and fill it, so the edges are equal. After this, you can now pull the back cover over the top of the quilt. Turn under 1/4-inch and slide the folded fabric to the top of the quilt. You may want to press a 1/4-inch fold in place with your fingers or use an iron.
Step 3
Stitch the corner to a 1/4-inch allowance. The material fold on that side should have some space. Fold the adjacent side of the backing fabric to the top of the quilt as before. The material in the corner should be folded at a 45-degree angle and whip or slip it in place to create a joint corner. Continue stitching around the quilt, joining the seam with each edge.
Step 4
Be careful not to distort the corners while using your zigzag or straight stitch. Finally, backstitch the beginning and the end of your seam.
Before commencing any quilting project, you should choose the most suitable width for the binding. The regular option is 2 1/4 “or 2 1/2” depending on how large you want to see your finished binding. They are both attached in the same way. Consider the thickness or loft of your quilt, as this will affect the finished look of the binding. This will determine the final product of your quilted fabric.
How To Bind A Quilt Using A Fleece Backing
Using your backing fabric to quilt makes your fabric more reinforced and sturdy. But the fabric materials also determines how strong your quilt will be. The commonly used backing for quilting is cotton, but utilizing a fleece backing helps to provide more warmth and comfort. Using a fleece backing as it’s own disadvantage because of the stretchy nature. To cover for this, the tying technique is mostly adopted when quilting with a fleece backing.
How To Use A Fleece Backing
You need a fabric maker,
- Quilt top
- Fleece fabric, slightly larger than the batting
- Safety pins
- Embroidery floss, pearl cotton thread or yarn
- Large-eyed, sharp needle
- Embroidery scissors
- Lay the fabric out smoothly to remove any wrinkles. Avoid stretching the fabric. Lay the batting over the back of the fleece and smooth it out. Place the quilt on top, on the right side and over the batting. Center the layers on top of each other.
- Join the three layers with the safety pins with a spacing of about 5 to 10 inches over the top of the quilt. Pin from the middle and work on the edges, ensure all three layers are pinned appropriately without stretching the fleece in the process.
- Thread the length of the arm of the embroidery floss of the cotton thread or the yarn through a small, large-eyed needle. Leave the knot at the end of the thread intact.
- Place the needle in the center of the quilt into all three layers of fabric on specified points on the patchwork pattern. Pull the needle to the underside with your other hand so that the tail of the 3-inch thread remains on the right side of the quilt. Put the needle back up from the bottom to the right, about 1/4-inch from the first stitch. Pull a taut thread.
- Cut out the excess from longer end of the thread so that you’ve got two 3-inch tails. Lock these tails in a double knot and repeat the tying process for the quilt moving from the center of the quilt to the edges, until you have tied a thread knot at every indicated point of the patchwork pattern.
- Remove the pins and bind the edges of the quilt as indicated in the above steps. You can wear a timble is the tying process is hard on your fingers.
The technique highlighted above is preferable when the quilt is meant for your kids as it gives a cozy and warm feeling. You can quilt with a fleece backing by hand or using a sewing machine.
Different Types Of Quilting Techniques
There are 4 major quilting techniques adopted by professional embroiders. Each method has its unique feature and design pattern.
Below is a list of the various quilting methods you can adopt for your fabrics;
- Applique: This is used to decorate the top of the quilt. This can be flat or have a dimension, and there are several different ways to make appliques on a quilt. It has freezer paper applique, fusible applique, reverse applique, and other types.
- Block and Patchwork Quilt Techniques: These techniques use blocks and patches to construct designs. The blocks will be squares or half-square triangles. The blocks are sewn together and then joined to make a quilt. The patchwork may be triangles, lines, or other shapes sewn together to make either triangles or quilts.
- English Paper Piecing: Often referred to as paper piecing, this is a method that allows you to stitch the fabric onto paper pieces in any form to make quilting preparation and project easier. You can buy the paper shapes or cut one out yourself. You can use this quilt for pillows and more.
- Trapunto Quilting: Trapunto quilting is also called a “stuffed” quilting technique. Trapunto is an Italian word for “to quilt” and includes a top quilt layer and a bottom, but each stitched design is stuffed with padding, which creates a dimension.
Each of these techniques beautifies your quilted fabric and gives it an added layer of protection. Selecting any of these methods is solely dependent on your needs.
Related Questions
Can I use flannel for quilt backing?
Yes, you can, flannel is good as a quilt back because it’s soft and cuddly, and it’s more breathable than Minky because it’s made of cotton.
Can you mix fabric types in a quilt?
It is a common practice to mix fabric types for quilting. The best way to go about this is to create a two-tone quilt. One of the colours can be similar to only one fabric, and the other can be made up of several choices.
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