Narrow piping inserted along the edge of your binding can be the perfect finish for certain projects. Best of all, you can make and finish this binding completely on the sewing machine.

Supplies
Fabric to make 2½"-wide binding
Fabric to make 1"-wide continuous fabric strip to cover yarn piping filler
Rug-weight acrylic yarn
Zipper foot or piping foot for sewing machine
Clear monofilament nylon thread
Glue Stick

1. Begin by measuring around the perimeter of your quilt; add 20" to this measurement to allow for mitering corners of binding and finishing the ends. From binding fabric, make 21/2"-wide straight-grain binding this length. From piping cover fabric, make 1"-wide straight-grain strip this length.

2. Insert the yarn in the piping cover strip; loosely baste fabric over yarn piping, using zipper or cording foot (Photo A).

3. To mark the center of the binding strip, fold it in half, wrong sides facing, and press. Open binding back out so it is flat press lightly if desired.

4. Using zipper or cording foot, baste piping to center fold line of binding (Photo B). Fold binding in half with wrong sides facing.

TIP:
Use a glue stick to “baste” piping to center fold of binding before stitching. — Marianne

5. Trim excess batting and quilt back so ditch between piping and binding will align with first binding stitching when binding is sewn to quilt.

6. Working from the quilt back, align raw edge of binding with raw edge of quilt back. Piping fabric will be on top of binding fabric. Stitch binding to quilt (Photo C). Miter corners and join the ends just as when applying regular binding.

TIP:
I use my “Liz’s Lumpless Binding” technique (May/June 2002 issue of Love of Quilting) to join the ends of the binding. — Liz

7. Bring binding over edge of quilt to front. Use clear monofilament thread (or thread that matches the piping cover fabric) and a zipper or cording foot to topstitch through all layers in the ditch between the piping and the binding (Photo D).

Photo A

Photo B

Photo C

Photo D