how to make double fold binding tape
Looking for how to calculate how much binding tape you’ll need, or how to attach your binding, or how to finish sewing your binding on? You can find those posts here:
HOW TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH BINDING TAPE YOU NEED
In an ideal world, I’d always make my tape right after I cut out all my pieces for a quilt top as I love having it ready to go when I’ve finished my quilt. But more often than not, I’m always scrambling at the end when I’m eager to put this finishing touch to the quilt, trying to remember what fabric I had set aside for the binding (and then figuring out where I put that fabric). Fortunately, making crossgrain binding tape is quick and easy. So let’s dive in!
Materials
Fabric for binding
Ruler with a 45 degree guide
Fabric Pen/Pencil
Rotary Cutter
Cutting Mat
General Sewing Supplies: machine and or hand sewing needles, thread, pins
Optional: an empty thread spool to wind your finished tape around to store
Making Crossgrain Binding Tape Step-by-Step
1. If you’re not following a pattern, figure out how much tape you’ll need (need a refresher? Read how-to here)
2. Cut your width-of-fabric (WOF) strips
3. Trim off one of the selvage edges of each strip (the other end will get trimmed off later: leaving one selvage on makes it easy to identify which end has been marked in case your WOF strips happen to get tangled up!)
4. On the wrong side of the trimmed end of the WOF strips, line up the 45 degree line of your ruler with the bottom edge of your strip, so the ruler intersects the bottom trimmed right angle edge.
5. Mark the diagonal line along the ruler edge.
6. Repeat Steps 4 + 5 with all your strips.
7. Take two WOF strips, lining up the diagonal line end of one strip with the unmarked end of the other. Line up the trimmed end with the edge of the WOF strip so the strips are perpendicular (the corner where the diagonal line intersects the trimmed right angle should be furthest from the untrimmed end of the other WOF strip: this is so that when the seam is pressed, it creates a continuous line of tape)
8. Pin in place
9. Sew along the diagonal line
10. Continue with all your remaining WOF strips
11. Trim all the raggedy ends with a ¼” seam allowance
12. Press all seams to the side
13. Fold your tape wrong sides together in half lengthwise and press
Voila! Now you’ve got your tape, it’s time to attach it to your quilt!