Binding a quilt is the final step in completing your quilt project. Here's a general guide on how to bind a quilt:
1. **Prepare the Binding Strips**: Cut your fabric into binding strips. The width of the strips depends on personal preference, but common sizes are 2.25" or 2.5" wide. Sew the strips together at an angle to create one long continuous strip.
2. **Prepare the Quilt Edges**: Trim the excess batting and backing fabric from around the edges of your quilt so that they are even with the quilt top.
3. **Attach the Binding to the Quilt**: Starting along one edge of the quilt (not in a corner), leave a tail of binding strip about 6-8 inches long, and align the raw edges of the binding strip with the raw edge of the quilt. Begin sewing the binding to the quilt using a ¼" seam allowance, stopping about ¼" from the corner.
4. **Miter the Corners**: When you approach a corner, stop sewing ¼" from the edge. Fold the binding strip up and away from the quilt top, creating a diagonal fold that aligns with the next side of the quilt. Then fold the binding strip back down along the adjacent edge of the quilt. Continue sewing from the edge, starting ¼" from the corner. This will create a mitered corner.
5. **Finish Attaching the Binding**: Continue sewing the binding to the quilt, mitering the corners as you reach them and stopping about 6-8 inches from where you started. Backstitch to secure the ends.
6. **Join the Binding Ends**: Trim the excess binding strip, leaving about 6-8 inches overlapping the starting point. Open up the ends of both binding strips and place them right sides together. Sew diagonally across the strips from corner to corner. Trim the excess fabric, leaving a ¼" seam allowance. Press the seam open.
7. **Finish Attaching the Binding**: Fold the binding strip over to the back of the quilt and hand stitch it in place using a blind stitch or ladder stitch. Take care to hide the stitches in the fold of the binding for a neat finish.
8. **Complete the Corners**: As you approach each corner while hand stitching the binding to the back of the quilt, fold the corners neatly and securely.
9. **Press the Binding**: Once the binding is stitched in place, press the entire binding to set the stitches and create a crisp finish.
10. **Enjoy Your Quilt**: Your quilt is now bound and ready to use or display!
Remember to take your time and work carefully, especially when hand stitching the binding to the back of the quilt, as this step can significantly affect the final appearance of your quilt.