Tutorial: How to Glue Baste and Machine Finish Binding (with video)

Hey there Quilty friends!  Let’s finish that quilt today and talk about glue basting and machine finishing your binding.

Whether you’re on team machine binding or team hand binding, there are definitely some times when it makes sense to machine finish your quilt.  Maybe you’re gifting it to a little one who might drag it all over the house, or maybe you needed to have the quilt finished yesterday so you don’t really have the time to hand finish the binding, or maybe you just prefer to machine stitch your binding (raise your hands if you’re with me!).

This blog post is the third in a series all about quilt binding.  

• Part 1 is all about how to make quilt binding.
• Part 2 talks about how to attach your quilt binding to your quilt.

Now, let’s take a moment to recognize the work you've completed.  You made a quilt top - it’s quilted - you made your binding - attached it - and have this final step before you can begin using your quilt!!  Let's do it!

(psst…there’s a video demonstration further down in this blog post.)

Glue Basting

All you need to glue baste your binding is a bottle of Elmer’s Washable school glue.  This glue will wash out of your quilt when you wash it.  There are a few thin glue tip options on the market.  These are optional and not required to glue baste your binding. I do use Pen and Paper Pattern’s Fineline glue tips.

Let’s get started at the ironing board.  Begin by pulling on the binding; you can also use an iron to make sure it is nice and flat.  Then squeeze a thin bead of glue along the top edge of your quilt. You don’t need much glue, a little goes a long way!

Fold over the quilt binding into the glue and use your iron to give it a quick set. If you having binding clips you may want to place binding clips every several inches to help secure the binding as you will repeat these steps all the way around your quilt.

When you arrive at a corner, glue one side down first then turn your quilt and work on the second side to give you a nice mitered corner (this is demonstrated in the video). 

Sew the Binding

At this point, you can either machine finish or hand finish your binding.  This blog post demonstrates how you can machine finish your binding…and fast.  It is literally all downhill from here!

Take your quilt over to your machine - check your settings to make sure you have the stitch length you prefer for your binding (I tend to use larger stitches for this step to give a nice, polished look). Also be sure to check your bobbin.  If it is low, you might want to swap it out with a new one so that you can sew all the way around your quilt without needing to switch it out.

If your machine has a clear foot like the one pictured below, it will help give you visibility to make sure you are sewing close to the edge and sewing a nice straight line (If you don’t have a clear foot, any foot will work just be sure to watch where you are sewing to make sure you are sewing a straight line).

Let’s begin sewing. Pick a location on your quilt to start - I tend to start near a corner on the bottom. Then line up the sewing needle near the edge of the quilt binding and begin sewing.

When you near a corner, slow down and sew just until there is a stitch in that mitered corner that picks up both sides of the binding. Then, make sure the needle in down in your quilt, lift the presser foot, and turn the quilt 90 degrees so that you are lined up for the next side, lower the presser foot and begin sewing again.

Repeat these steps until you have sewn completely around your quilt and meet back up with your stitching.  Then, back stitch a couple of times to secure the threads and you are finished!!

Celebrate!

Check out that beautiful quilt you just finished!  Will you be throwing it in the washing machine right away so that it will crinkle up and get snuggly - or are you thinking of snapping a few pictures of it first?  Either way, it’s time to start enjoying that work of art you created!!

Looking for the Claremont Quilt pattern?