My intent was to extend a long (but not long enough) hunk of the brown stripe binding by cutting up the last triangle of that fabric as far as I could. I didn't pay attention to direction, my personality won't allow a join of incorrect stripe directions, and it turns out there wasn't enough to go around the quilt anyway. I was still short by several inches.
So this cutting error gave inspiration for an elegant and easy solution: make the corners from a different fabric, effectively separating each side's binding so the "wrong" stripe will never be noticed, and extending the overall length of the binding so there'd be enough of the original hunk to go around the remaining 3 sides. There's a bit more stop-'n'-go sewing using this method, but it's worth it.
To determine how long I needed to make each contrasting corner, I held the "wrong" strip of binding up to the side it was to cover: it was short by 16". There ya go: each corner would need at least 17" of binding (I like to cut a bit generously), sewn down so an equal amount would extend from the corner itself.
Because of the busy-ness of the top, I wanted to keep the binding neutral so I went with a 1/2 yard of tan. Cut on the diagonal, it would give me more than enough length. Other than trimming up the ends of the 4 bias strips, I didn't cut them down to the "required" 17 inches, but I did stack and trim them together so they'd all be the same length.
After pressing each strip in half lengthwise, press them in half again to find the center of the strip. I sewed 3 of the corner pieces to the main binding: one onto the "wrong" strip, and one to each end of the long hunk. It's so much easier to make as many joins as possible before they're on the quilt.
Time now to establish the corner. Placing the midway crease at the edge of the fabric will center the binding on the corner. (My first inclination was to place the crease 1/4" in from the edge, but a quick finger-held manipulation disproved that theory.) Once the center is pinned down, secure the beginning of the strip 8" in from the cut end (not 8" from the corner!) I've found that gives enough play to comfortably manipulate the quilt and binding when it comes time to join the ends. (If starting with a corner piece that's unattached to any of the main binding, also pin 8" from the other uncut edge so you know when to stop sewing.)
Remove the beast, reminding him just who among you owns the opposable thumbs when he gives you That Look, and take the quilt to the sewing machine.
For those corners that had the main binding sewn on, I kept sewing a little bit past the corner piece. I didn't sew all the way to the next corner though, because without all 4 corners being sewn on first, I wouldn't know when/where to stop stitching.
Once all 4 corners have been sewn on, finish each side by marking a stopping point with a pin 8" from the end of the corner binding. Sew the main binding to that point.
There are many ways to join ends when finishing binding, and I've tried a few, but what follows is the way I've done it for years.
Once you've sewn to the pin-marked 8" stopping point, remove the quilt from the machine and lay it flat. Open and gently smooth the main binding along the quilt edge, taking care not to stretch it, and secure with pins. Then open and lay the corner binding on top of the main binding.
Mark the line made by the end of the corner binding. I use pins at each end, because I don't want the chance of any drawn marks showing through.
To this establishing line, add 1/2". You'll be extending the length of the main binding 1/2" toward the corner. It is so very very easy to go the wrong way and wind up shorting yourself by an inch. (Thank you, Experience. I'll take it from here.)
I sometimes use a ruler to mark my cutting line
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| Adding 1/2" |
Mark along the left edge for your cutting line (sorry about the blurry picture).
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| Having a clear stripe on the binding fabric does make it easier to tell if you've got a true diagonal marked! |
Lay the pieces out once more to ensure there'll be a 1/2" overlap (and not a 1" gap) and your line is running parallel to the corner binding cut edge. If all is correct, cut the main binding along the line you drew.
Although I loosely pin the ends before setting up at the machine again, I like to confirm one more time that nothing got twisted and everything will lie smoothly once the ends are sewn together.
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| Forearm poison plant rash clearing up nicely, thank you. |
Folding the quilt over on itself gives the full benefit of those 16" of maneuverability, so the ends can be joined (1/4" seam) with a minimum of hassle.
Finger-press the seam open (if you're an open-seamer with your binding), trim the dogears, and sew the completed section to the quilt. Repeat 3 more times.
(5 Oct 2019 find on the interwebs: what she does!)
Another advantage to having a planned corner is that there are no seams landing inconveniently in the mitered corner area, adding unwanted bulk to an already-fiddly binding spot.
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| Gratuitous Wraith shot |
There's no way to tell that one of these sides started out "wrong".
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