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Sewing a flanged binding onto your quilt

by Christine Baker

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

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

The EASIEST and FASTEST way to bind your quilt- Susie’s Magic Binding, taught by Your Aunt Marti from 52 Quilts in 52 Weeks. Learn the simplest, fastest, and…

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 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 mitred join and 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

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

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

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 and the flange of the accent color is exposed

The binding is flipped around to the front of the quilt

Topstitching along the seam between the main and accent colors of the flanged binding

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 Stonehenge Elements curve pieced 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

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40 comments

Diane H October 29, 2019 - 8:40 pm

Great tutorial, thank you. I can’t wait to give this a try.

Reply
Helen Gress March 28, 2019 - 10:39 am

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.

Reply
Denver January 14, 2018 - 8:57 am

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

Reply
Christine Baker January 16, 2018 - 12:27 pm

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

Reply
Lissa Crane November 20, 2016 - 9:55 am

This would be perfect for my latest project that I am hoping to finish and give as a Christmas gift!

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allison pogany November 18, 2016 - 12:21 pm

Wow! You make that look so simple! Can’t wait to try it out!

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Melissa Marginet November 16, 2016 - 1:17 pm

I love the flanged binding and this method makes it so precise. The machine sewing technique makes it quick as well.

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Lorraine November 15, 2016 - 10:56 pm

Love that binding! Thanks for the tutorial.

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Rose Lefler November 13, 2016 - 4:32 pm

Thanks for this. Can’t wait to try it.

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Christine Baker November 13, 2016 - 8:52 pm

You’re welcome!

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Melody Lutz November 13, 2016 - 1:34 pm

Perfect timing – I’m giving this a try today!

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Christine Baker November 13, 2016 - 8:53 pm

I bet it turned out awesome!

Reply
Kathy Davey November 13, 2016 - 9:48 am

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

Reply
Christine Baker November 13, 2016 - 8:55 pm

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!

Reply
Debra T. November 13, 2016 - 8:39 am

Thanks so much for this tutorial. I have been wanting too try a flange binding and your directions and clear and concise. Thank you!!

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Christine Baker November 13, 2016 - 8:56 pm

You’re welcome! I’m glad that you found them easy to understand.

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Kathy November 13, 2016 - 8:08 am

Great Tutorial, I am anxious to try this.

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Christine Baker November 13, 2016 - 8:56 pm

I’m sure you’ll love it!

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Nicole Sender November 13, 2016 - 1:35 am

What a great tutorial! Thanks so much! This has helped me problem solve regarding binding!

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Christine Baker November 13, 2016 - 8:59 pm

I’m so glad Nicole!! Have fun binding!

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Laura Manning November 12, 2016 - 9:05 pm

Thanks for the wonderful tutorial. Will try out this very effective binding soon! Thanks for all your giveaways and the new e-mag! Yippee.

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Christine Baker November 13, 2016 - 9:01 pm

You’re welcome!!

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Carol November 12, 2016 - 7:16 pm

Great tutorial for a wonderful new binding technique.

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Christine Baker November 13, 2016 - 9:05 pm

Thanks Carol!

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Lauren November 12, 2016 - 7:03 pm

I can’t wait to try this binding!

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Julie B November 12, 2016 - 6:35 pm

I have never tried this kind of binding.

Reply
Bec November 12, 2016 - 12:48 pm

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!

Reply
Christine Baker November 12, 2016 - 5:40 pm

Thank you so much!

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Dorothy Lawson November 12, 2016 - 12:04 pm

So much good information!

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Christine Baker November 12, 2016 - 5:41 pm

Thank you!

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Karen Thurn November 12, 2016 - 11:08 am

You make it look so easy that I will have to try it. Thanks for the tutorial.

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Christine Baker November 12, 2016 - 5:46 pm

You’re welcome – I’m glad you found it informative.

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Karen Thurn November 12, 2016 - 4:41 am

I’ve never done this but have wanted to. Thanks for the great tutorial. Now I think I can sew it too.

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Christine Baker November 12, 2016 - 5:47 pm

You have to try it! I’ve used this a few times and have always been pleased with the result.

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Carol M November 11, 2016 - 11:39 pm

What a neat binding! And to have such detailed visuals is such a bonus. thanks!

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Christine Baker November 12, 2016 - 5:47 pm

You’re welcome!

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Nicole Lirette November 10, 2016 - 9:23 pm

Beautiful!

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Christine Baker November 11, 2016 - 9:04 pm

Thanks!

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jean November 10, 2016 - 7:21 am

Even this wasn’t my favorite colors I would still love it your quilt is wonderful

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Christine Baker November 11, 2016 - 9:05 pm

Thank you so much!

Reply

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