Binding....

I am pretty much a 

self-taught quilter....

.... began sewing at eight years old

but have been quilting for only 11 years.

I am always excited to learn something

that makes an aspect of quilting 

easier or nicer looking.

This was true for this technique to finish binding.

I had always overlapped the binding

where the ends came together;

which resulted in a large lump

and an unattractive finish.

Then I learned this technique:

 Begin stitching the binding down, leaving the

first few inches of binding loose.

(Begin stitching at the pins.)

  Sew binding down all around the quilt.

When you come to the fourth side, end the 

stitching about 10" from where you began stitching.

 Place a pin at the starting end of the binding.

 (You began stitching a few inches from this point.)

 Here is the beginning of the binding piece (you began stitching
a few inches from the pin) and
where you stopped stitching the binding down
on the first side of the quilt.

 Pull the end of the binding from the left over the edge
where the binding begins and place

another pin where the two pieces meet.

 From these pins,

measure the width of the binding minus 1/4".

I made this binding 2 1/4" wide, so I measured 2" 

from the pin. Cut the end of the binding here.

 Open both ends of the binding and pin to each other

at a right angle, as if sewing binding strips together.

 Stitch a line from corner to corner.

 Trim excess fabric.

 Press seam allowance on one direction.

 Fold binding in half and press again.

Finish stitching the binding to the
quilt. Turn the binding to the back and
stitch down.

This technique gives the quilt a smooth, uninterrupted binding

with no bumps or gaps.

I hope this isn't too confusing!  AND I hope I am not the
Last person to learn this technique!
:)