Jazz Up Your Binding!

Binding is either your favorite or least favorite part of a quilt. For me, it is my least favorite! I am usually over the project by the time it gets back from the quilter. I've developed a fun little trick to get myself excited about this last and dreaded step of quilting making - add a little pizzazz to the binding!

Chunky Stripes

Thick stripes are one of my favorite go-tos for bindings. I particularly love this black and white stripe on this Diamond Detour quilt featuring black and white prints with a solid gold-yellow background. (Label tutorial here!)

Diamond Detour featuring Black & White Prints

Thin Stripes

Much like chunky stripes, I love me some thin stripes for bindings, especially on smaller projects like this Arcadia Avenue table topper. We used a thin black and white stripe that mimics the black and white in the project.

Arcadia Avenue Table Toppers

Contrasting Color

Pull a color from the opposite side of the color wheel to use as a pop on the edge of your quilt. This Canyon Boulevard quilt featured a minty aqua background, so we added a coral binding to add some contrast. 

Canyon Boulevard in Ink & Arrow

Colored Corner

Throwing in a pop of color to wrap a corner is a fun way to add some movement to a quilt. The addition of a chartreuse solid on the corner of this One Way quilt, draws the eye through the entire quilt. 

One Way in Black & Whites

Scrap It Up

I love using the leftover scraps from a project to create a binding and add a little something to the backing. This Churndash Court features extra strips pieced together to create a dynamic scrappy binding. 

Churndash Court in Miss Kate

Focus Fabrics

Occasionally a pattern will have a distinctly beautiful set of fabrics and it can be fun to pull them back into the binding. This Diamond Detour features small snippets of the colors used with the background separating them. 

New Pattern - Diamond Detour

Add an Accent

Pulling a color that is used briefly in the quilt is a fun way to add a little something extra to the binding. This Mini Lantern Lane has a little lime chunk on the side that draws your eye to the lime throughout the quilt.

Mini Lantern Lane by Sassafras Lane Designs

Do the Unexpected

Sometimes adding a little corner of a black and white stripe like on this Patchwork Pineapple is the perfect way to give your quilt the little bit of attitude it needs!

Free Pineapple Mini Quilt Pattern

Well, we hope we inspired you to add a little something extra to your next binding to take your quilt to the next level! Now we need to get back to sewing our block 2's for the Paradox Point QAL. Happy Monday!

Comments

Debbie

Debbie said:

What a great post – thanks for sharing! I love ‘playing’ with binding choices!

Barb P

Barb P said:

Thanks for the inspiration. I will surely use these ideas in the near future. I have some black and white stripe just waiting to be used!

Carmen

Carmen said:

Great post and ideas for my future bindings. Love the binding part of quilting.

Leave a comment

Please note: comments must be approved before they are published.