Yesterday on QUILTsocial we learned 3 ways to applique circles onto a quilt. My art quilt featuring Northcott Stonehenge Elements fabrics is looking awesome! I’ve already trimmed all of the edges of the quilt so today I’m going to give you some tips for sewing a flanged binding onto your quilt which will make it look like you’ve spent hours sewing a narrow piping under your binding.
The extra batting and backing are trimmed away from the quilt
Magic binding
Last year at my quilt guild meeting one of the members demonstrated “magic binding”. I thought it was a neat technique but when I got around to actually doing it I couldn’t remember how. I did some research and found this tutorial on YouTube:
Aunt Marti’s 52 Quilts – Susie’s Magic Binding Tutorial
Making my binding
For my quilt I wanted to have a light colored binding with a dark colored flange or accent color. I needed four strips the width of fabric for each color for the binding. The accent fabric strips are cut 1½” wide and the main color fabric strips are cut 1¼” wide.
The two strips for the flanged binding
The two different colored binding strips are sewn end to end using a mitered join. Once the strips are all sewn, the seams are pressed open.
The binding strips are joined end to end using a mitered join and the seams are pressed open
I sewed the two long strips together along the long sides and then pressed the seam towards the main fabric (the beige).
Press the seam towards the main binding fabric
The binding strip was them pressed in half lengthwise aligning the two raw edges. As you can see, since the accent fabric strips are wider they show a little bit on the other side.This will be the “flange” when it’s folded over to the front of the quilt.
Press the binding in half lengthwise and the flange appears on the one edge of the binding
The binding is sewn to the BACK of the quilt with the accent fabric (darker fabric) facing up. For more detailed instructions on sewing binding to quilts, you can check out my QUILTsocial post from June 2014.
The binding is sewn to the BACK of the quilt with the accent color facing up
Once the binding is sewn all the way around the quilt, it’s flipped around to the front of the quilt. The narrow strip of the darker fabric shows on the front side and then I top stitched along the seam between the dark and light fabrics.
The binding is flipped around to the front of the quilt
Topstitching along the seam between the main and accent colors
The art quilt is all finished!
My art quilt is looking great and I’m so pleased with the flanged binding. What an easy and impressive way to bind a quilt! Tomorrow is my last day for this week, so we’re going to talk about hanging quilts and I’m going to show you a SUPER easy way to label your quilts. Thanks for joining me today and hopefully after seeing this tutorial you’ll want to try sewing a flanged binding onto your next quilt.
The finished quilt
This is part 4 of 5 in this series.
Go back to part 3: 3 ways to machine applique circles onto a quilt
Go to part 5: Making a fast and easy permanent label for your quilt
40 comments
Great tutorial, thank you. I can’t wait to give this a try.
Love the flanged binding- I have done it once- and it really makes the color pop. Thanks for a careful and complete set of instructions.
Christine, in your tutorial near the top you state that the main fabric strips are cut 1.5 inches wide and the accent color fabric strips are cut 1.25 inches wide. Later on you state that since the accent fabric strips are wider that they show a little bit when they are folded in half lengthwise.
These two statements seem to contradict each other and I believe that the second one is correct. The main fabric in your tutorial seems to be the beige. The accent seems to be the dark blue flange. The flange fabric would need to be cut wider than the beige and that seems to me what your pictures depict. I think you might have reversed your measurements without intending to.
I plan to try this on a pillowcase soon.
Denver
Hi Denver,
You are totally right!! The accent fabric is the darker fabric and it needs to be cut wider than the “main” fabric which is the lighter colour. Thanks so much for pointing that out, I’m going to fix it right now!
Christine
This would be perfect for my latest project that I am hoping to finish and give as a Christmas gift!
Wow! You make that look so simple! Can’t wait to try it out!
I love the flanged binding and this method makes it so precise. The machine sewing technique makes it quick as well.
Love that binding! Thanks for the tutorial.
Thanks for this. Can’t wait to try it.
You’re welcome!
Perfect timing – I’m giving this a try today!
I bet it turned out awesome!
I have been wanting to try a flanged binding, but I am also not a fan of machine stitching on the second side of the binding. With this method you can stitch in the ditch so it at least wont show on the front side, I may have to try this
I hope you do try it! I like the look of binding that is hand stitched to the back but I love using this method on quilts that you want to get done quickly!
Thanks so much for this tutorial. I have been wanting too try a flange binding and your directions and clear and concise. Thank you!!
You’re welcome! I’m glad that you found them easy to understand.
Great Tutorial, I am anxious to try this.
I’m sure you’ll love it!
What a great tutorial! Thanks so much! This has helped me problem solve regarding binding!
I’m so glad Nicole!! Have fun binding!
Thanks for the wonderful tutorial. Will try out this very effective binding soon! Thanks for all your giveaways and the new e-mag! Yippee.
You’re welcome!!
Great tutorial for a wonderful new binding technique.
Thanks Carol!
I can’t wait to try this binding!
I have never tried this kind of binding.
I recently tried a flange binding on a baby quilt and I loved it! It’s so easy and looks so good! BTW…I love your quilt. I’m not usually a modern quilt fan, but yours is awesome!
Thank you so much!
So much good information!
Thank you!
You make it look so easy that I will have to try it. Thanks for the tutorial.
You’re welcome – I’m glad you found it informative.
I’ve never done this but have wanted to. Thanks for the great tutorial. Now I think I can sew it too.
You have to try it! I’ve used this a few times and have always been pleased with the result.
What a neat binding! And to have such detailed visuals is such a bonus. thanks!
You’re welcome!
Beautiful!
Thanks!
Even this wasn’t my favorite colors I would still love it your quilt is wonderful
Thank you so much!