Beginning Quilting 101
Instructor – Barbara Raisbeck

Adding Borders to Quilt

1. Measure the length of the quilt top, taking the measurement through the center of the quilt.  DO NOT TAKE MEASUREMENT ON THE SIDES OF THE QUILT.  Cut or piece two borders this exact length from the border strips.
2. Fold one of the strips in half crosswise and crease slightly on edge.  Unfold it and position it right side down along the side of the quilt, with the crease at the midpoint.  Pin at the midpoint and ends first, then along the length of the entire edge.  Sew the border to the side of the quilt.  Press seams toward the borders.  Repeat for the other side border.
3. Measure the width of the quilt, again taking the measurement through the center and including side borders.  Sew to the top and bottom of the quilt in the same manner as Step two.  Press seams toward the borders.
4. If adding additional border, continue repeating steps 2 and 3 above until last border has been applied.

Preparing the Backing for the Quilt

1. Measure finished length and width of quilt, through the middle.  Write down both measurements.
2. The completed quilt back will be 6 inches longer and 6 inches wider than the completed quilt top.
3. Prepare backing material.  Tear a piece from the end of your backing fabric to find the straight grain of the backing fabric.  Measure lengthwise on backing fabric to the measurement of either the width or the length of your quilt top PLUS the 6 inches.  Make a small snip along the selvage and tear across the width of the fabric.  The backing may be pieced EITHER horizontally or vertically, it doesn’t matter.  The only time this matters is if you have a one way design, then you should piece your backing so the design runs the proper way on the back of your quilt.
4. Repeat step 3 until you have enough lengths to cover back of quilt top PLUS the additional 6 inches.
5. Remove both selvages from all lengths. Press all lengths, using steam to remove the center crease.
6. Pin together two of the lengths of fabric.  Sew lengths together.  Press the seams open.  Repeat with 3^rd length if necessary.
7. Measure across the width of the sewn together pieces.  Snip at the necessary measurement.  If the seams will be going crosswise on the back, this measurement will be the width PLUS 6 inches.  Tear down length of fabric.

Quilt Binding

1. The binding for most quilts is cut on the straight grain of the fabric.  If your quilt has curved edges, the strips must be cut on the bias.
2. Measure the quilt length and width and figure total inches around the outside of the quilt top.  Divide this measurement by 40 inches and this is the number of strips across the width of your fabric you will need for your bindings.
3. Cut the required number of strips 2 ½” wide.
4. Join the strips with diagonal seams to make one continuous binding strip.  Trim  the excess fabric, leaving ¼” seam allowances.  Press the seam allowances open.  With wrong sides together, fold the binding strip in half lengthwise and press.
5. Beginning in the center of one side of the quilt, place the binding strip against the right side of the quilt top, aligning the binding strip’s raw edges with the quilt top’s raw edge.  Leaving about a 6” tail, sew through all layers, using a walking foot, with a 3/8” seam allowance.
6. Stop sewing 3/8” from corner of the quilt.  Turn quilt and sew off edge of quilt.  Fold the binding strip upward at a 45 degree angle creating a diagonal fold.
7. Bring the binding strip down in line with the next edge, making a horizontal fold that aligns with the top edge of the quilt. 
8. Continue sewing around quilt, mitering all corners. 
9. About 10 inches before meeting up with “tail” of binding at the beginning, take quilt out from under machine and lay flat on a table with the beginning end of the binding laid along the edge of the quilt.  Bring the ending of the binding up along the edge of the quilt and meet up to the end of the beginning of the binding.  Mark the spot.   Add 2 1/2" OR however wide you cut your binding strips.  Cut on the this line.  Meeting ends of binding strips on a diagonal 45 degree line with ends even, sew at a 45 degree angle.  Trim seam to 1/4" seam.  Press seam open.  Repress the crease.  Pin binding to quilt top and sew the last stretch of your binding.
10. Turn the binding over the edge of the quilt to the back.  Slip stitch the binding to the backing fabric along the seam line.  To make mitered corners on the back, hand stitch the binding up to a corner; and fold a miter in the binding. Sew the corner down and take a couple of stitches on your binding corner, both front and back, and continue sewing around your quilt.