Hand Binding

Part 3 of the Binding Series!

Today I am sharing how to hand bind quilts with this super fun big stitch. This is my favorite method to finish the binding. It is super nice to relax and spend the extra time to hand stitch the binding. It is also fun to watch a movie and hand bind quilts. 🙂

 

What you need:

-Quilt with Binding 1/2 way attached

-Needle

-Thread

-Scissors or Snips

-Wonder Clips/Pins (Optional)

-Thimble (Optional)

-Needle Threader (Optional)

 

 

My favorite needles are Clover Gold Eye Milliners Needles. I prefer to use the size 7. 

The thread I use for my big stitch binding is Perle Cotton 8, it comes in so many colors! One ball costs about $3 and you can bind at least three throw size quilts with it.

I prefer to use a leather thimble but you can use what you have or none at all. 🙂

 

 

If you want all the supplies for hand binding  (or and quilting) I actually sell a kit that has everything you need. Check it out in my Etsy shop!

Starting

Thread your needle and tie a knot at the end. Do not use a double thread, make sure there is a tail. I like to use about my arms length of thread.

Insert your needle in the part of the quilt that will be covered by the binding, your needle will come out where you want  your first stitch to start.

When you pull all the thread through, it should look like this. (The knot is hidden.)

You can usually get about three stitches at a time. Rock your needle back and forth being careful to not stitch through to the other side. You want to catch the batting but don’t go all the way through.

Keep stitching until you reach a corner.

I like to use wonder clips (or pins) to fold down the binding as I go.

Mitered Corners

When you get near a corner, fold the binding as shown. Then fold the other side over.

I like to pin my corner as I stitch up to it. 

To stitch the mitered corner, insert the needle into the folded over part of the fabric.

I like to make at least one stitch in the corner to hold it down really good.

When you finish the corner stitch, you will just continue on as before.

Look how sharp the corners are! 

Tying off your Thread

When your thread starts to get too short, finish the stitch by having the needle come out under the binding. 

Now, tie a knot as close to the fabric as you can. I like to tie a double knot.

You can either trim the tail right now. I like to bring the thread a little away from the knot and then snip it.

Adding a New Thread

Re-thread your needle. Insert the needle in between the last two stitches, being careful not to catch the binding layer. You want to catch the binding layer under the last stitch so your knot hides. 

Your needle will come up where the next stitch starts.

Now, stitch around the whole quilt.

Finishing

When you get around to where you started, hide the knot in the same way as before, it might be a little harder but try your best to tie the knot under the binding.

Insert the needle right next to your knot and make the needle come out about an inch or two away from the knot. 

Give your needle a little tug to hide the knot and then snip the tread!

You can either machine bind the first round to the front or the back of the quilt depending on which side you want your stitches to be. 

In all the pictures, I am hand stitching the binding to the back of this quilt. 

I also love to show the hand stitching on the front of a quilt, on this Irish Chain quilt, I used the same method but hand stitched the binding to the front.

Thanks for reading! 

~Emily Siddall

 

Next in Series: Machine Binding