Last week I shared how to match striped fabric strips, using “Elmer’s School Glue”™, with a straight seam. This time I’ll demo matching with a bias/mitered seam. Its the same basic maneuver – glue basting, plus a pressing tip for creating the miter:
• Begin with 2 strips you want to sew together end-to-end, and find a matching pattern on both.
• Turn over one strip and fold back the corner of the end. Press.
• Run a thin line of glue along the pressed crease.
• Lay the “pressed/glued” strip on top of the second strip, glue side down, and carefully match the pattern. Iron in place to dry the glue.
• Then fold the strip you just added on the right, down to expose the inside of the crease and stitch in the crease.
The great thing about using the glue is – if it doesn’t match exactly, even after pressing, simply pull it apart and glue again!
And …
The above technique works great for finishing a “no-end” binding!
• Sew your binding to the quilt, leaving about 8″ open between the beginning and ending tails.
• Fold back the end of the tail on the left at a 45 degree angle and press.
• Run a thin line of glue along this crease.
• Place the tail on the right back evenly on top of the glued crease. Press to dry the glue.
• When the glue is dry, pick up the strip tails, open them to reveal the inside of the crease and stitch in the crease.
Trim the excess tails 1/4″ from the seam and continue sewing the binding to the quilt.
If you prefer to use a double or “French” binding, simply leave yourself a wider opening between the beginning and ending stitches (perhaps 12″), open the strips flat, and connect them as above, folding the strip back in half after it is stitched, and sewing it to the quilt.
I do hope you’ll try this technique. I’ve found it extremely quick and accurate!
An FYI for local quilters –
The Sun Prairie Quilt Show is fast approaching. To enter a quilt in the competition and/or read all about the show click here!