Putting on the binding

I was putting on a binding this morning and thought I would share this with you.  I wasn't taught this by anyone although I did pick up part of the tip while I was working in a quilt shop here in Town.  After I have measured, I then cut and sew my binding together.  Then I head off to the ironing board with my can of spray starch.  I give the WRONG side of the binding a spritz of spray starch and then press wrong sides together.  I do this for the entire length of the binding.

Once I have sewn the binding onto the quilt top using a regular straight stitch, I overcast the entire side of the binding.

I set my machine at a 7 length and a 6 width.  You will have to find the right setting for your machine.  This is not the widest or the longest stitch length, but it does the job for me. 

While I'm sewing on the binding, I also sew down the label.  Sometimes I put it in the middle of the backing and other times I place it in a corner.  It depends on the backing that I have made.  It is always a judgment call for me.  Do I want to cover up the backing?  Sometimes it just doesn't matter, other times it does.

This time, I used the same backing fabric and fit it in between the orange squares that I used.

All that is left to do is now sew the binding down by hand.  I'm leaving that little task until after the new year.  I have to keep my fingers occupied so they don't keep travelling to the candy dish.