I love flange quilt binding. It gives quilts an elegant and finished look. I don't use it on all my projects, but sometimes a quilt needs that extra pop. Flange binding takes a little extra work, but it's well worth the effort when you see the finished result. I made the following tutorial as comprehensive as possible and hope it will help you give flange binding a try.
INSTRUCTIONS
1) CALCULATE THE LENGTH OF BINDING YOU WILL NEED FOR YOUR QUILT
EXAMPLE:
Finished quilt size = 54" × 60"
Finished quilt size = 54" × 60"
- (54" × 2) + (60" × 2) + 10" = 238" (10" extra is added for finishing the binding).
- (238" ÷ 36") = 6.6 yards
- You will need 6.6 ≈ 7 yards of binding for a 54" × 60" finished quilt.
2) WIDTHS TO CUT FOR FLANGE AND MAIN COLOUR STRIPS
- Decide on a binding width you need.
- Use the chart below to get the widths to cut the strips for main colour and the flange.
3) ASSEMBLING & ATTACHING BINDING
- Sew both strips together lengthwise with a 1/4" seam allowance.
Press the seam towards the main colour strip.
- Fold the strips over lengthwise (wrong sides facing), line up the top edges and press.
- With right side of quilt down, stitch binding around the edge of the quilt
with a ¼ seam allowance.
- Fold binding to the front of the quilt and stitch-in-the-ditch between the
flange and the main colour.
DETERMINE YARDAGE NEEDED FOR BINDING STRIPS
1. CALCULATE NUMER OF STRIPS TO CUT BASED ON YOUR FABRIC WIDTH
EXAMPLE: 238" (length of binding in inches) ÷ 42" (fabric cross grain width) = 5.6 ≈ 6 strips
MAIN STRIPS
2. CALCULATE THE YARDAGE NEEDED FOR YOUR STRIPS
EXAMPLE
- 1.25" x 6 (number of strips needed) = 7.5" + 2" = 9.5" (2" added for uneven edges).
- Yardage needed for main colour strips: 9.5" x 42"
EXAMPLE
- 1.5" x 6 (number of strips needed) = 9" + 2" = 11" (2" added for uneven edges).
- Yardage needed for flange strips: 11" x 42"
Wow, you really made me get out the calculator when I saw that you said you need 7 yards for the binding. Not so. When you measure your quilt sides, double that length and add 10" you get 228". But then you divide by 40" as these strips will be cut across the grain of the fabric. You will need 6 strips for each of the two strips. If you multiply 2.5" X 6 for the larger strip you will need 15" (I would get 1/2 yard). Do the same calculations for the smaller strip. I've made many quilts using this formula and it has never failed!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. To clarify, (54 + 60) x 2 = 228" + 10" = 238". My cross grain width is 42", so I used that width to calculate the number of strips I'll need (238" divided by 42" = 5.6 or 6 strips). If you look at the chart, you'll see that if you want an overall strip width of 2.5", the flange (larger strip) is 1.5" and the main colour strip is 1.25". You would divide these widths by 6 to get the yardage needed for these strips. We are both doing the same thing, just using different numbers. It's very important to get the binding length correct at the beginning or it will through everything off.
DeleteTo be clear - Monica's calculation is for the yards of binding required for that particular sized quilt ie 7 yards. Fauntie's calculation is for the amount of fabric required to make that amount of binding ie 1/2 yard.
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