MAKING BINDING STRIPS Quilt binding can be cut on the bias or straight of grain. Use a continuous strip of bias for a quilt that will be used frequently or has scalloped edges and rounded corners. Refer to "How To Make Continuous Bias" for making continuous bias binding. For bias or straight-grain double-fold binding, cut 2 1/2" or 3"-wide strips of fabric and fold in half, wrong sides together. ATTACHING THE BINDING Illustrated Version Beginning near the middle of any side, align binding and quilt raw edges. Sew to the corner and stop stitching 1/4" from the quilt edge; backstitch to secure (an even-feed foot is very helpful). Remove from sewing machine. Fold the binding strip up and back down over itself, aligning raw edges on the second side, and pin in place. Beginning 1/4" from the quilt edge (same point where stitching stopped on the first side), sew binding to second side and stop stitching 1/4" from next corner edge; backstitch. Remove from sewing machine and continue in the same manner. After sewing all sides, finish using the technique of your choice. Wrap binding around to the back side, using your fingers to manipulate each corner to achieve a miter on both front and back sides. Pin and blind stitch in place. FABRIC MARKING & CUTTING Position fabric wrong side up, and place the template on the fabric. With a marker or well-sharpened pencil, trace around the template and mark match points. For hand-piecing templates, allow enough space for 1/4" seam allowances to be added. For machine-piecing templates, cut along the drawn line. For hand-piecing, cut 1/4" beyond the drawn line. For rotary cutting instructions link to the Rotary Cutting page. Whenever possible purchase enough fabric to cut borders on the lengthwise grain (parallel to the selvage edge). When you must piece sashing, borders, or binding strips, sew together with a 45 degree angled seam. The diagonal seam will be less noticeable than a straight seam. FABRIC PREPARATION Pre-wash fabric to remove excess dye and minimize shrinking of completed project. Machine wash gently in warm water, dry on warm setting, and press. Immerse a swatch of fabric in a clear glass of water to test colorfastness; if dye appears, soak fabric in equal parts of white vinegar and water. Rinse and dry fabric; test another swatch. If dye still appears, do not use the fabric.