Big Stitch Binding Tutorial

Here's how to sew Big Stitch Binding.

Begin by sewing your binding on as you usually would with a machine, but sew it to the back of the quilt so the binding rolls to the front of the quilt.

Thread a length of perle cotton in a coordinating color and tie a knot at the end. (We used size 5 perle cotton and a size 7 embroidery needle, but choose a weight and needle that works for your project.)

1. From the back of the binding, bring the needle up between the binding layers and through the folded edge at a 45-degree angle that backtracks from where you plan to begin.
2. Pull through as shown. Stitch should not show on the front of the binding.
3. Bring the needle down into the first layer of the quilt and batting even to where the thread comes out of the binding right at or just inside of the folded edge. Bring the needle up through the quilt and binding about 1/8th from the folded binding edge. Pull until small stitch isn't visible. Stitch should not show on the back of the quilt.
4. Take a running stitch the size you'd like (mine were about 3/8") through the binding, the quilt top and batting. You can create different effects by taking even stitches, long stitches with small gaps and so on. Repeat this step as desired.

5. If you'd like to add a decorative knot every so often to break up the line of stitches, tie an overhand knot, place the needle into the loop right over where the thread comes out of the binding. While holding the needle secure with one hand, slowly pull the knot tight until it is tight around the needle. Remove the needle.

6. Bring the needle down in the same spot it came up to make the knot and begin stitching again. You can make a knot every five big stitches to add interest to your binding.

7. At the corners, take a tiny stitch through the fold of the mitered corner top. You can do this even closer to the inner corner.

8. Bring the needle down through mitered corner bottom at the same point and out a stitch length away.

9. To tie off, finish a big stitch into the quilt, but don't bring the needle back up into the binding.

10.Tie off using your preferred method, the important thing is to do it to the inside of the binding. Tie off method shown here is accomplished by taking a small stitch and putting the thread through the loop to create a knot, and repeated once for security.

11. To start a new length of thread after tying off, start as we began, but place the knot next to the tie off.

12. Take the small invisible stitch inside the "gap" between stitches, and pay attention to where you bring the needle up to take the first big stitch so the line of stitches look uninterrupted. Repeat until the quilt or project is bound!