Joined Binding Tails

I’m thrilled to share with you this quilting hack because it looks awesome and others will think you’re a quilt binding expert! The first time I tried it, my friends and family asked me how did I finish the edge of the quilt without seams? To the untrained eye, the binding was a continuous piece with no ending or beginning. After I finished the invisible join and moved the quilt around, the final diagonal seam was invisible to me too!

In this quilt binding method, the binding is machine sewn to the front of the quilt and folded to the back of the quilt. Then the binding is sewn to the back of the quilt by machine or by hand sewing.

Tip: Hand sewing the binding to the back of the quilt enhances the invisible binding join because it avoids the distraction of extra stitches on the quilt front. It is more work, but the look is amazing!

The invisible binding join is a custom diagonal seam that is accomplished in 5 steps. The steps are:

• trimming the binding tails
• joining the tails
• sewing a diagonal seam
• trimming that diagonal seam
• laying the sewn binding flat on the quilt

I’ll show you the easiest way to do these steps with no special binding tools. Let’s get started on your expert quilt binding journey! Believe me, once you try this method, you may never use a different way to join the binding ends on a quilt again. Ask me how I know this!

Get prepared for this project. See “Supplies”, “Fabric” and “Getting Ready To Sew”.

Your favorite open-toe presser foot with a center marking

• Coordinating Cotton Thread
• Quilting Flower Pins
• Heat Erasable Marking Pens
• Sewing Snips
• 5.5-inch or smaller quilting ruler

                                                                                          Close-up of supplies

Add 18-inches extra to the binding length of your current quilt project.

Tip: You can create a rectangle practice quilt sandwich with a 12-inch gap on the longest sides. This will give you two opportunities to practice the invisible binding join. (Make sure the longest side is at least 24-inches.)

Use your favorite way to prep for a new project or try my proven, stress-free method. See “Getting Ready To Quilt-The Ultimate Checklist”.

                                                                                  Red And Blue Binding Tails

There are a few things you need to do before trimming the binding tails.

• You will need to extend the length of the beginning and ending binding tail to 9-inches.
• You will need at least 12-inches of space to create the invisible join, therefore make sure that you leave a 12-inch space of unsewn binding.

To avoid confusion between the ending and beginning binding tails, the binding used to illustrate this method has two different colors: blue and red. The beginning binding tail is red and the ending binding is blue.

Tip: Enhance the illusion of the invisible binding join by matching your quilt binding fabric with the final quilt border fabric. The eye will see the binding as an extension of the final border instead of a stand-alone part of the quilt.

1. Position the quilt so that the binding is closest to you and the bulk of the quilt is supported on a surface that is facing away from you.

                                                                          Red and Blue Binding Tails Folded Back

Fold back the blue binding tail to your right and the red binding tail to your left. This will result in exposing the 12-inch unsewn gap.

                                                                Blue Binding Tail Placed On The 12-inch Unsewn Ga

2. Lay the blue binding tail down on the 12-inch unsewn gap.

                                                                      Close-up Of Cut Blue Binding Tail With Pin

3. Cut the blue binding tail at the midpoint of the gap. Place a pin at the cut edge of the blue binding tail. The pin should be positioned at the 6-inch measurement. Do not discard the blue binding scrap. You’ll be using it soon for the important binding tails overlap measurement.

                                                                      Red Binding Tail On Top Of Blue Binding Tail

4. Place the red binding tail on top of the blue binding tail.

                                                                      Close-up Of Marking The Red Binding Tail

The binding tails should overlap. Measure the overlap by opening the blue binding scrap and placing the width of the binding scrap on top of binding tails. The left edge of the blue binding scrap should align with the pin. Mark the right edge of the blue binding scrap by using an erasable marking pen to draw a line on the red binding.

Tip: The width of your binding scrap is the width of your binding. By using the binding scrap there is no need to use a ruler or special binding tool to measure the width of your binding. For example, if your binding is 2.5-inches wide, then the width of your binding scrap is 2.5-inches. If your binding is 2.25-inches wide, then the width of your binding scrap is 2.25-inches wide.

                                                                                      Trimmed Red Binding Tail

5. Use the drawn line to trim the red binding tail. (For a snug fit, you can cut the binding tail 1/8-inch to the left of the drawn line.)

Joining the binding tails is the most important step in the whole process. I’ll show you the easiest way to do it.

                                                                      Red Binding Tail With Finger Pressed Crease

1. Take the red binding tail and open it so that the wrong side is facing you. Fold back the end of the tail by 2.5-inches. Finger press to mark the crease of this fold on the binding tail. Bring the edges of the quilt together to make room for the next step.

                                                              Red Binding Tail With Folded Crease Positioned Right

2. Orient the red binding tail so that the folded crease is to the right and the raw edge is to the left.

                              Blue Binding Tail On Top Of Red Binding Tail With Raw Edges Together And Corners Aligned

3. Flip the blue binding tail 90-degrees and place it on top of the raw edge of the creased red binding tail. Make sure the raw edges and corners are aligned.

                                                          Close-up Of Blue Binding Tail With Top Corner Folded Back

4. Fold back the top corner of the blue binding tail and mark the exposed corner with a heat-erasable pen.

                                                                              Aligned And Pinned Binding Tails

5. Grab the marked blue binding tail corner and the red binding tail corner beneath it. Keep them aligned. Unfold the blue binding and align the left and bottom raw edges with the red binding tail beneath it. Check to make sure the binding tails are lying flat. Pin the bottom and side.

You are ready to mark the diagonal sewing line.

If you are familiar with joining binding strips to make quilt binding, then this step will be familiar to you.

If this step is new to you, then get ready to acquire a very useful method for joining binding tails and binding strips.

                                                                Drawn Diagonal Line On The Aligned Binding Tails

Draw a diagonal line from the bottom right corner to the upper left corner of the aligned binding.

Tip: Does the positioning look familiar? It is the positioning used to join binding strips.

You can do a fit test of the invisible binding join by pinning along the diagonal line and positioning the unfolded binding on the quilt.

Tip: A fit test checks the alignment of the binding. It should not be twisted. It should lay flat. Note: If it is too loose the binding will also not lay flat.

Two things that guarantee the success of the invisible binding join method:

1. An untwisted binding join.
2. The correct binding tails overlap.

If you did not perfect the invisible binding join the first time, there is no need to worry. Here’s how to troubleshoot it:

• If the binding is twisted, then go back to the 90-degree positioning of the blue binding tail. Check the 90-degree blue binding tail flip. And confirm that all the binding raw edges are aligned. (See Picture 12)
• If the binding is super loose, then check the overlap of the binding tails width. (See Picture 8) The overlap width should match the width of your binding. A snug fit is preferred.

If you approve of the fit, then sew along the diagonal line.

Trim the diagonal seam to a scant ¼-inch seam allowance.

Tip: A scant ¼-inch seam allowance is a width slightly narrower than a ¼-inch. Move your sewing machine needle to the right one position to achieve the scant ¼-inch seam.

1. Finger press the trimmed diagonal seam open.
2. Positioned the binding flat against the quilt top.
3. Finish sewing the binding to the quilt.

Stand back and admire your excellent work! You are officially a binding genius!

                                                    Actual And Practice Quilt Binding With A Diagonal Invisible Join

Well done! You have achieved the skill of creating an invisible quilt binding join by mastering the 5 steps of trimming the binding tails, joining the tails, sewing a diagonal seam, trimming that diagonal seam and laying the sewn binding flat on the quilt. We have many more tutorials on different quilting techniques both for beginners and more advanced quilters on the MadamSew Quilting Blog.  

You can also use your genius binding skills on some of these lovely Madam Sew Quilting Projects:

• How To Use The Walking Foot To Make A Quilt In A Day
• Quilted Table Runner
• Quilted Wall Hanging With Fall Embroidery Design
• Slash Your Stash Nine Patch Quilt - Part 3

May your quilting always bring you joy!

Ernie Grant
Guest Blogger For Madam Sew

Ernestine “Ernie” Grant is an avid quilter with over 17 years experience and is the owner of the custom baby quilt business www.kalibabyquilts.com. As an African American living in Harlem, NY her view of quilting is shaped by her heritage and the elders who taught her–Quilting is not just thread, fabric and stitches. It is art, it is love, it is community.