Joining the Binding Ends

Do you have problems joining the ends of your binding. Well, one of my favorite tasks of making a quilt is finishing with the binding. My only problem has always been joining the ends of the binding. I always had too much material or lumps but never a smooth finish--until I found the following method. I have wanted to prepare a tutorial, and this is my first quilting tutorial. I have not been able to find a tutorial on this subject on the blogs I follow. My tutorial pictures are not as clean as those on other blogs but here goes.

1. When you begin stitching the binding, start in the middle of one of the sides, leaving an 8" tail. Stitch the binding on all sides of the quilt but stop about 10" from where you began. Remove the quilt from the machine.

2. Working on a flat service, pull the binding ends together to meet in the middle.

3. Crease both ends where they meet, leaving a 1/4" space between the ends.

4. Cut one end off at the crease.

5. Measure and cut the second end the binding width from the crease. My binding is 2 1/4" wide so I cut the second end 2 1/4".

6. Now join the two ends with a diagonal seam careful not to twist.

7. Finish sewing the binding to the quilt.

That is all there is to perfect binding. Hope this tutorial helps with your binding success.