Binding a Quilt With Selvage in the Binding Strip

When things get tights when binding your quilt, can you use a strip that has selvage showing on it? Find out how you can make it work and not have it show!

Sometimes it’s tight when it comes to making your binding strips.

I have found myself multiple times a little tight on the fabric needed for the binding. This isn’t the best option, but when you are in a pinch and really are struggling with finishing the binding strips– leaving bits of the selvage in the binding is ok.

There will be some quilt police out there that will highly disagree with me, I’m sure. But for my scenario and what I needed to complete- having the selvage in the binding strips wasn’t a big deal.

It doesn’t show, and won’t hurt anyone. In fact- you are going to be the only one who will know it’s hidden in there!!

Trick for Binding a Quilt with Selvage in the strips

The biggest and most important part of this is—- where the selvage area is placed when you are sewing your binding onto the quilt.

You’ll want to make sure it’s facing up – so you can see it.

What happens is, you’ll be folding the binding strip over the top of it, and then taking the binding to the opposite side of the quilt. The selvage will be completely hidden under that fold and will not show at all.

Selvage on your binding strip

1- Cut your strips as usual to the width of your choosing for the binding. Mine are typically 2 1/4″ strips

2- Fold and press the strips in half

3- Place fold on the inside, lining the raw edges to the quilt edge

4- Making sure the selvage is showing when you are stitching, stitch the binding

5- Fold the binding to the other side of the quilt and either hand sew or machine sew to secure

The selvage is a little heavier in the weaving, so you’ll notice when stitching through it- you may have a little more resistance.

Just keep going, it will be fine.

Additional Binding a Quilt Tutorials

• Binding a Quilt – Mitered Corners Tutorial
• Large Mitered Corner and Border Binding Tutorial
• Binding a Quilt with the Backing Fabric Tutorial
• Sew the Binding Strips Together to reduce Bulk
• Self Binding Tutorial
• Make Bias Binding Strips Tutorial
• How to Bind a Quilt Tutorial

Have you been in the scenario of having to use a strip for binding that has the selvage or something else?

How did you handle it?

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