French Fold binding is one of the most popular quilt bindings and for good reason. Because the fabric is doubled, French Fold binding creates a durable edge for your quilt. It's particularly good for quilts and quilted items that are going to get a lot of laundering. It's a very simple binding to make. I use it on all my quilt projects. If you want to add a little flair to your French Fold binding, see my tutorial on French Fold with Flange binding.
HOW TO MAKE FRENCH FOLD BINDING
1) DETERMINE THE BINDING LENGTH YOU NEED
EXAMPLE: 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.
If making bias binding, cut your fabric strips on the diagonal before making your binding.
2) DETERMINE THE BINDING WIDTH YOU NEED
Decide on the binding width you need, then refer to the chart below to get the correct overall strip width for that binding. Important Note: When choosing a binding width, keep in mind your batting loft thickness.
3) CALCULATE HOW MANY STRIPS YOU NEED
EXAMPLE: 238" (length of binding needed in inches) ÷ 42" (fabric cross grain width) = 5.6 ≈ 6 strips
4) CALCULATE THE YARDAGE YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE FOR YOUR STRIPS
EXAMPLE: 2.5" (strip width) x 6 (number of strips needed) = 15" + 2" = 17" (2 inches is added to allow for possible uneven edges). Yardage Needed: 17" x 42"
5) MAKE THE BINDING
6) HOW TO ATTACH THE BINDING TO THE QUILT
I use this type of binding all the time. I love it!!
ReplyDeleteThank you !
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tutorial, calculator and such clear instructions! I am a beginner quilter and I found this very helpful :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, great info.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clear instructions.
ReplyDeleteHow do you do the corners and join the ends together when the binding is done?
ReplyDeleteI don't have a tutorial for that yet, but here's a good video on the subject. https://youtu.be/-GVA05MxXTU
DeleteI have a baby quilt that I’ve put off finishing because I couldn’t decide how to bind it. This is the how-to I’ve been looking for! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI believe your calculation is off where you say one needs 6.6 yards of fabric. The person actually needs 6.6 strips of the 36"-wide fabric times the width of each strip to determine the yardage. For a 2" strip the yardage would be 6.6 x 2 which equals 13.2" yards of fabric.
ReplyDeleteThe instructions are for how much binding you will need to bind your quilt. In the example you will need 6.6 yards of binding (not fabric) for your quilt.
DeleteI have always used this method, it is the best
ReplyDelete