Quilting Knowledge

SANDWICHING

Just like a sandwich, you have a top, bottom and middle. In our case the top is the quilt top, the bottom is backing fabric and the middle is batting. I love cotton batting so it was my choice. Starch and press the backing fabric and place face down (I use my floor since I need a bunch of space). Next lay your batting on top. Fold back batting ½” way and use a fabric spray adhesive like Basting Spray to adhere the layers together. Now peel back other half and do the same thing. You now have the backing and batting attached together with the adhesive spray. Next, place the quilt top, face up, on top of this combination. Peel back and spray with adhesive spray just like you just did until it’s secure. It’s time to pin! Using safety pins, tack down around the perimeter then the inner area of the sandwich. We’re ready to quilt now!! NOTE: look in the quilting section at your local store and see if they have the curved safety pins… these work great!!

 

QUILTING

The reason for quilting is because if we don’t the batting may sag and cause a droop in the wall-hanging. ICK! We add some inside stitches to secure it from doing that. In the “old days” and sometime still today, yarn/ribbon were used by sewing through layers and tying into knots. The string ends would be on top. I choose “stitch-in-the-ditch” since it’s so darn easy! Feel free to use your preference. Stitch-in-the-ditch is basically sewing in between to seams. I decided to use an invisible thread on top and for the bobbin, one that matches my background fabric. I use about a 2.5 - 3 stitch length. Start down the center then branch out doing the border seams last. This will help you to avoid fabric puckers on the back. Position needle in “ditch”, place hands flat to steer the sewing and go SLOW! Don’t trim down until AFTER the binding is machine sewed on. I zig zag the edge of the quilt to secure the edging. Now stitch on binding then trim along edge.



HOW TO FIGURE BINDING

This is an example of how to figure 2” wide binding. Be sure to plug your own numbers into the equation below.

 

 

Calculate total inches of binding needed:

length + width x 2 = total inches
Add at least 10" extra to that number. 

Example: 25” + 25” X 2 = 100” + 10” = 110 total inches

Divide by inches of usable fabric width (say your fabric you’re cutting binding from is 40” wide)

Example: 110 total inches / 40 = 2.75

2.75 is the number of strips needed. Now, multiply that by the width of strip cut and this equals the number of inches of fabric needed for binding

Example: 110 total inches / 40” wide fabric = 2.75 strips x 2 inch wide binding = 5.5 inches of fabric
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