How to Make Continuous Bias Binding

How to make Continuous Bias Binding

Why do you want to use bias binding? Well, if you have a quilt with curved edges, the bias binding will wrap around those edges effortlessly and give you a smoother binding. The other reason, is if you are using a stripe that isn’t printed on the bias, you might want to cut that stripe on the bias to give your quilt a fun, finished edge.

Here’s how to make continuous binding using a square of fabric sewn with 2 simple seams:

1. Calculate yardage needed for your binding. Two times the side measurement of the quilt, PLUS two times the width and add 10″. If we use this sample - 40” x 2 = 80, 40” x 2= 80 then add them together - 80 + 80 = 160+ 10 = 170 total inches needed.

2. Next is to find the area of the binding. Don’t panic, it’s not that hard. Simply multiply 170 by the width of the binding strips you like to use. In our example, we will use 2½” wide strips since this is the most common width of binding suggested. The formula (sorry, quilters math here) is 170 x 2½ = 425 square inches of fabric to make the binding. That seems like a lot, but don’t worry, the next step will help you get the total yardage needed for your binding.

3. The next step is to get the square root of the area so you can know what size of square to cut. DON’T PANIC– this is easy. Using a calculator with a square root function, type in the 425 (or whatever number you came up with for your quilt) and hit the square root function. I don’t have that, so I just used Google. I typed in the square root of 485 and got 20.61. Now, I just need to round UP to the nearest inch, which would be 21” and cut a 21” square. See, it’s not that difficult.

4. Now the fun, cut your square of fabric.

5 The square needs to be cut in half once on the diagonal. Since the square is so large, it’s easier to fold the square in half on the diagonal, making sure the corners are well lined up. Then using a long ruler, place one of the lines on the ruler along the fold and the edge of the ruler at the tip of the points. Carefully cut along the edge of the ruler from the fold to the tip of the triangle.

6. Lay the pieces back down to form a square




7. Take the bottom edge of the triangle on the left and flip it right sides together on top of the triangle on the right. You can probably match up the stripes along the top edge for a more continuous join. Be sure to have just a tiny peak of the point on each corner (see part that is circled) it should be a scant ¼ inch over hang.

8 Using a ¼” seam allowance, stitch the two pieces of fabric right sides together. Feel free to pin this seam so that the stripes stay lined up.

 
9. Press seam open 

 


10. Your fabric should now be a parallelogram. Now draw lines on the wrong side of your fabric in the desired width of your binding strips. Be sure you are following the bias edge of your fabric, this will be the longest edge. We used the Frixion pen to mark our lines, but feel free to use your favorite marking tools.




11. Bring the short edges together to form a tube, with right sides together. Match raw edges, and offset drawn lines by one (otherwise, you will cut rings of fabric and not a continuous strip). Pin to keep your cutting lines in the appropriate position, and sew, right sides together using a ¼ “ seam allowance.

 12. Proceed to cut your binding strips on the lines you drew previously

13. Press seams open then press binding strips in half. Don’t forget to use your Binding Eaze binding tool by Quilted Heartz.

Attach your binding to your quilt using your favorite method.

See, that wasn’t so bad.