Save Fabric with This Magic Way to Make Bias Binding

Featured quilt is Inner Circle by Kadee Porter, which is featured in the June 2020 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting.

Click here to download a chart of the amount of continuous binding you can cut from various size squares.

Here's how to figure out what size to cut your square:

Find the total inches of bias binding you need by multiplying length x width.

Ex: My quilt needs 135" of bias binding, 2-1/2" wide. 135 x 2-1/2 = 337.5

Find the square root of that number, and round up to the next whole number.

Ex: The square root of 337.5 is 18.37. Round up to 19.

Add 3" for seaming the strips together.

Sample: 19 + 3 = 22.

You need a 22" square of fabric for your bias binding.

Hi, I'm Lindsay with American Patchwork & Quilting magazine, and this video is brought to you by Baby Lock.

If you're finishing a quilt that has curves or scalloped edges, or want to emphasize a fabric's design like a stripe, you may want to use bias binding. Bias binding refers to binding cut diagonally across your fabric. It's also the type of binding that takes the most yardage. But we have a fun trick to share with you today – how to cut one length of bias binding using a single square of fabric to prevent any fabric waste.

First, you'll need to figure out what size square to cut for your binding. We have a handy download of the math for you in the video description! We're using a 18" square for this demonstration, which will give us enough bias binding for a table topper size quilt.

Cut the square in half diagonally to form two triangles.

With right sides together, align two short triangle edges. Sew the triangles together with a 1/4" seam allowance to make a parallelogram. Press the seam allowances open.

Use a fabric marker or pencil and a ruler to draw lines parallel to the long bias edges, spacing the lines the desired width of the binding strip. (For example, space the lines 2-1/2" apart for a 2-1/2"-wide binding strip.)

With right sides together, bring the straight-grain edges together and align the raw edges to create a tube. Offset the edges by shifting one down so that the top of one edge aligns with the first marked line of the opposite edge.

Holding the fabric in this position with pins, sew the bias edges together with a 1/4" seam allowance. Press the seam allowances open.

Begin cutting on the top marked line and cut in a continuous spiral. Each time you cut across the seam, you'll be moving down one marked line.

One your binding is complete, you'll prep it just like you would your normal binding, then sew it to the quilt! One tip: since bias binding is stretchy, avoid pulling it too tightly when you're sewing it to the quilt. Ease it in gently, so the fabric can stretch around the curves and lay flat!

We hope this tip saves you fabric and gives you success the next time you use bias binding to finish a quilt.