How To Make Continuous Bias Binding From A Rectangle
When binding edges, for example on a quilt, you will need to make bias binding. There are many ways to cut the binding on a bias. Two of the most common are cutting from a square or a rectangle to make a continuous binding or cutting strips from fabric for the binding.
Since binding is mostly done on quilts and quilters use a lot of square fabric, most people know how to make continuous binding from squares. There are a few people using rectangles, although it is just as easy.
How Do You Make Continuous Binding From A Rectangle?
You will need ½ yards of fabric opened up so that you have a rectangle. Mark a 45-degree angle line on the fabric starting from the left-hand side. Make other lines similar to this one across the fabric 1 inch apart.
Cut along the very first line that you made to remove the corner and do the same for the other corner. Your fabric is now in the shape of a parallelogram. Fold your fabric with the right sides together making sure that the lines you drew stay together. Use pins to mark where the lines meet and then sew.
When you have sewn, turn the fabric right side up. You will see that the lines you made are visible. Start cutting from the top following the lines to the end of the fabric.
You have made a long continuous binding strip from a rectangle.
Step 1. To make a continuous binding with a rectangle fabric you will need a ½ yard fabric, a fabric ruler, a pencil, a sewing machine, a rotary cutter, and scissors.
You will start by laying and opening up your ½ yard fabric on your working surface. Your fabric will form a rectangle with one side longer than the other.
If all you have is square fabric, you can turn it into a rectangle. Cutting along the bias, cut the square into two pieces. Sew these two pieces together to form a rectangle fabric.
Step 2. Place your ruler on the fabric and draw a 45-degree line. The line will be diagonal and fall a few inches away from the corner. You will draw this line from the top left corner of the fabric. This line is known as the cross-grain or bias line of your fabric.
Step 3. Measure about 1 inch from this line and draw as many lines at this interval across the whole fabric. You can determine the distance between the lines based on how wide you want your binding to be.
Depending on the type of project that needs a binding, you will need to consider an allowance for extra fabric. On the 1 inch gap you make between the lines, add ¼ inches. This will be an allowance for any extra layers on your project. For example, in a quilt, the allowance will make it possible to bind a quilt with a thick batting.
Step 4. When you get to the last 45-degree line you can make from one to the other on the fabric, cut the corner of the fabric with a rotary cutter. Keep the cut corner as you may use it in another project.
Step 5. Pick one corner from the side of the fabric you have cut. Fold it to the other edge of the fabric so that the right sides of the fabric are touching. This is the side that you have drawn lines on. Make sure that the line on this corner touches the end of the line when you fold.
Step 6. Go along the folded edge of the fabric making sure that the edges of all the other lines touch. Place pins where the lines touch on the fabric. When you have finished doing this for all the lines, the fabric will have a tube-like shape.
Step 7. Bring this fabric to the sewing machine. Sew along the pinned edge with a straight seam. Remember to pull out the pins from the fabric as you sew. This prevents you from breaking your pins and sewing machine needle. Sew along the pinned line to its end although it has an odd shape. Make sure to curve while you sew as the fabric curves. You will not be sewing on a straight line. You are sewing a tube-like structure on the fabric.
Step 8. When you finish sewing along this line, bring your fabric back to the working area. Turn the fabric inside out, bring the right side up.
Step 9. With the right side up, look for the line at the point where you folded your fabric. Take your scissors and start cutting from this point. Follow the line as it is marked on the fabric. You will find that you are just moving along the fabric as you cut. Cut until you have the end of the last line you marked on the fabric.
Hold the fabric firmly as you cut. Make sure you have ample light in your working area so that you can see the marked lines. For enhanced accuracy when cutting, you can use a rotary cutter.
Step 10. The piece of fabric that you cut from this fabric is a long continuous strip that you will use as a binding for your quilt or any other project. For a ½ yard of fabric, you can expect to get about 80 inches of continuous binding for your project. This is sufficient binding for any size of the project you may have that needs a binding.
When you use a rectangle fabric to make your continuous bias, you will make a longer binding than when you use a square fabric. The use of squares in making bindings is more popular than rectangles. Since most quilters make the bindings and quilting use fat quarters that are more squares than rectangles.
How To Bind A Quilt With Continuous Binding?
To bind your quilt, the first thing you need to do is to identify how long a binding you need. To do this, measure the perimeter of your quilt. You can add up measurements on all sides for a simple and quick calculation method. Then add about 10-12 inches on the perimeter to allow for seams and corners on the quilt.
Before you bring your binding to the quilt, make sure to clean and iron it. This prevents the binding from shrinking after washing and damaging your quilt. When your binding is ready, trim any excess batting on the quilt and fix your binding along with the quilt with pins.
Bring your quilt to the sewing machine ready to fix the binding. Sew the binding onto the front part of the quilt, around the edges. When sewing, leave a ¼ inch seam allowance. Make sure that you have on your sewing machine an appropriate walking foot.
When sewing the binding on. When you reach the corners of the quilt, stop sewing ¼ inches away. Then, fold your corners so that they make a miter at the corner. Start sewing on the other side where the miter starts.
At your starting point, leave about 6 inches of binding on both sides. This allows the fabrics to overlap each other. Open the end of the binding and place the opening tail into the ending tail and sew the binding shut on the quilt.
How To Make A Quilt?
Making a quilt is not an easy task. It will take you a lot of time especially if you are working on a large quilt.
To start you will need to get all the supplies you need to make a quilt. This includes fabric, thread choices, cutting tools, backing and batting for your quilt, and any other tool you may require.
When you have the tools ready, prepare your fabric. This means that you have to wash and iron your fabric to remove any wrinkles on it. Then determine how long you want your quilt to be and cut your fabric to size.
With the quilting fabric ready, you now need to have your quilting blocks ready. Layout your blocks in the way you want the rows and columns on your quilt to look. Lay the blocks on your working surface or floor if they are large. Play around with them to get an ideal pattern.
Now take your quilting blocks and sew them together, row by row. Iron the already sewn together rows of quilting blocks. Now, sew all the rows together. Then press them again.
Take your sewed together rows and now sew them on your chosen fabric for batting. Baste or pin the rows on your fabric then bring it to your sewing machine and fix these layers of the quilt together.
The last thing you will do is to bind the quilt. Get your binding and follow the steps above on how to bind your quilt.
Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years.
I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills.
It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.
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