Hi ladies,
is there a way to calculate how much fabric I need to buy for binding? I am pretty sure somebody came up with a formula or smething.
Thanks
Isabella
isabella, measure the four sides of your quilt to get the circumference
divide that by 42 ( that's how wide your fabric is from selvedge to selvedge). this gives you how many strips you need to go around your quilt.
take that number, times how wide you are cutting your binding. add a little extra for the loss from evening uot your fabric.
so, if you have a quilt that is 60 inches on each side. times the 4 sides that is 240",
divide that by 42 and you come up with about 5 and a half. that is the number of strips you will need to go around your quilt. when i have a fraction i round up. so you will actually need. 6 strips
if you are cutting 3 inch wide strips for your binding. take 3 x 6 ( the number of strips you need). you need an 18 inch piece of fabric to cut your strips. but the fabric has to be squared up first, before you cut the strips. some fabric will be off several inches on either end of the fabric, so you need to allow for that. you will need at least a 24 inch piece of material.
this is if you want to make binding cut from selvedge to selvedge. if you want bias bindings i'm not up to that math. i usually get two yards, which is enough to make a binding for a queen quilt gini
gini in north idaho
Hi Gini,
I knew you had the answer from now on I do rename you Quiltypedia!!!!!!
I need help. How do I join the end of my binding to finish off my quilt? I have ripped it out three times just about to give up. I have done it before but I guess when I turned 51 my mind went right the window. Help PLease!!!
Lorraine
Lorraine Jinks
there is a great video on Youtube...I use the binding tool by Fons and Porter..it makes life easier
Ontario, Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgX_gGJYEac here is the link
The Fons and Porter Quilter's Complete Guide book has pictures and instructions on page 97.
There is also a video on YouTube by Bailey's Quilting "How to Attach a Continuous Quilt Binding" that is also good.
If you type in Bailey's Quilting on Google it will bring up her various quilting videos.
I hope this helps.
Good videos!
North of Boston MA
Isabella:I knew you had the answer from now on I do rename you Quiltypedia!!!!!!
is this a new way to say smarty pants? i'm just old, i've made most of the mistakes and miscuts you can make many times over. i said most, because i'm sure i can find some new ones without even trying : ) gini
lorraine, there is a really easy way to do it. (so easy i have to look at the instructions every time i do it?, it's just me and my back brained thinking). it makes a perfect mitred seam. i'll look up the website when i get to the studio gini
gini:is this a new way to say smarty pants? i'm just old, i've made most of the mistakes and miscuts you can make many times over. i said most, because i'm sure i can find some new ones without even trying : ) gini
Miscuts! I was thinking about putting a giant black board behind my cutting table so I can write notes on there for myself. Such as: "Hey, stupid, you are now cutting 13.5" strips." So I cut 13.5, 13.5, 13.5. 12.5. 13.5, 13.5 til I am out of fabric. Pick them all up and one is 1" too short. How do I do that??????? I can almost guarantee that one strip will be an entirely wrong measurement. My brain just gets up and goes for a walk or something and leaves me behind.
to do the end of the binding - take both pieces - fold them back where they meet - crease them really well... then open up - put one piece straight out from left of needle to needle - take other piece and lay over it from bottom to top - match up those crosses... the one that you had creased to begin with and the new crease that you made... pin and sew diagonally - hold out straight and should work perfectly...
If you go to my binding pictoral - I show you exactly what I am talking about...
when I sew the pieces together i always sew them the same way so when I sew that last seam together it is the same way...
binding
the above is the link to my pictoral - I hope it helps you... I never have a problem doing my bindings anymore.
gini:is this a new way to say smarty pants?
I will never call you smarty pants...it is just that you have all the answers!!!
Isabella:I will never call you smarty pants...
i was teasing isabella, i think you're very nice and know you weren't really calling me smarty pants. unfortunately i have a smart mouth and type before i think sometimes. well, actually, not a lot of thinking goes on up there, it's mostly chaos, at least that's my theory. gini
OMG Althea, I did it you can't tell where the end is on my binding. I have bookmarked the page so I can go back to the page next time. I will post a picture as soon as I finish the hem. Thank you all for your help and Althea thanks for taking the time to put up the lesson. It really helped me a lot. Again Thank you!!!
Your Quilting Friend