Happy Endings: Finishing the Edges of Your Quilt (33 page)

Use a single thread; double thread tends to twist and weaken the stitches.

Match the thread to the binding if your binding is a different color than your quilt.

Match the thread to the front of the quilt when sewing the front and back together.

Match the thread to the back of the quilt when finishing prairie points, ruffles, lace, and cording.

Blind Stitch or Appliqué Stitch

A blind stitch is appropriate to use on all areas of the binding. It is used when you make your own binding or when you use the quilt backing to finish the edges. This stitch can also be used to sew the back of the quilt to prairie points, ruffles, lace, or cording. The blind stitch is a good stitch to use on details such as folded mitered corners or at the end of the binding. It is traditionally used to sew appliqués to background fabric.

M
IMI
’
S
F
AVORITE

I love the blind stitch! It’s really the traditional appliqué stitch. I love to finish the binding cuddled up with the quilt in my favorite chair, with my favorite bright light and a cup of tea.

1.
Bring your needle up through the edge of the binding, as close as possible to the folded edge.

2.
Make a very small stitch by moving the needle straight off the edge of the binding and into the quilt. This stitch should be taken just past the machine stitches that were used to apply the binding to the quilt. When the binding is finished, these machine stitches will be covered.

3.
Slide your needle under the top layer of the quilt, guiding it through the batting for approximately ⅛" to ¼". These stitches should not go all the way through to the other side of the quilt. Bring the needle back up through the quilt and the folded edge of the binding, picking up only one or two threads from the fold.

4.
Continue this process, pulling the thread slightly after every four or five stitches. The stitches should disappear into the seam.

5.
When you get to a folded mitered corner, you may want to secure the miter by stitching the folds closed. Pin the miter folds so that they are neat, using the needle or a long straight pin to tuck the folds in place evenly. Stitch the miter on the back side of the quilt, using four or five blind stitches.

Happy Ending Hint

As you finish your quilt, don’t pin the binding around the entire quilt. All you need is four or five straight pins or binding clips. Pin or clip just a few inches at a time as you sew by hand. Before long, those pins will travel around the whole quilt. As a bonus, the quilt will not stick you if you curl up in it to complete your last stitches.