Infinity Binding

Have you ever had a quilt design that was just asking to extend out into your binding? That was how I felt when creating my first sample of the Escapist Quilt. I couldn’t very well contain the escapism with a single colored binding, could I? So I created this tutorial for what I call “Infinity Binding,” because it allows your design to continue past the edges of your quilt.

This tutorial includes step-by-step instructions on how to measure, cut, piece, and attach binding for 2 different types of quilt block seams. The first is a diagonal seam along the edge of your quilt. This includes how to measure, cut and attach binding pieces to match up with parallel or trapezoidal blocks like you see below:

The second type of seam is one at the corner, when you want to switch binding colors from one side of the quilt to the next, as seen here:

Everything will be broken down into 3 sections: cutting, piecing, and attaching. There will be plenty of examples and photos to give you clear, step-by-step instructions as you finish your quilt and create a unique, one-of-a-kind piece. I can’t wait to see what you make!

One more note before we get started. This is an intermediate level tutorial. This means I am assuming you know how to measure and traditionally finish quilt binding. There will not be instructions on how to join your binding ends or how to finish your binding. If you need help with this, click here for my quick binding tutorial.

Now let’s get going . . .

Cutting your Binding

Cutting Parallel Binding Pieces

Measure the length of the quilt block you will be matching and add ⅝ of an inch. The resulting length will be used to cut the matching section of binding strip.
In the photo below, the Color D block measured 4 inches, so I would add ⅝ of an inch to get a binding strip size of 4 ⅝ inches.

To cut your binding strip, start with a WOF (width of fabric) strip of your desired binding width. I typically use 2 ¼ or 2 ½ inch binding, but you can adjust to your preference or project as in the pillow example below. Line up the 45° line on your quilt ruler with the edge of your strip and cut along the resulting ruler edge. If you’re using patterned fabric, pay attention to the pattern direction on your binding strip if you want it to match your quilt block.

I’m using this quilt top to make a pillow, so I’m using a wider 2 ¾ inch x WOF binding strip to accommodate for a larger seam allowance.

Place the ruler along either the top or bottom edge of your binding strip and make a mark using the measurement we found previously. Since you’ll be cutting a parallelogram, it doesn’t matter which edge you choose, just make sure you’re measuring from the corner of that edge.
Here, I’m marking the top edge at the 4 ⅝ inch point from the top corner of my diagonal cut.

Line up your ruler with the mark you just made, with the 45° line on your ruler along the edge, just like before, making sure the ruler is running in the same direction as your first cut. Cut your block along the resulting ruler edge. Repeat for any other similar blocks. This does not include blocks that extend to the corners, which we will discuss later.
If you’re making the Escapist Quilt, this includes the two Color D border blocks. If you’re using patterned fabric, make sure they are cut in opposite directions if you want them to match your quilt blocks.

Cutting Trapezoidal Pieces

For diagonal blocks with opposite/mirrored angles on either end, things get a little tricky. The amount you add or subtract to accommodate for seam allowance depends on the direction of the angles of the quilt block as well as your chosen seam allowance measurement.

For blocks that extend outward, as in the example below, measure the length of the quilt block along the outside edge of the quilt and subtract double your chosen seam allowance.

For blocks that extend inward, measure the length of the quilt block along the outside edge of the quilt and add double your chosen seam allowance.

The resulting length will be used to cut your binding strip.

For this pillow, I used a wider seam allowance to attach my binding, ⅜ of an inch, to make for a sturdier pillow. I took the measurement of the top edge of my block, which measured 12 ¼ inches, and subtracted double my seam allowance
(2 × ⅜ of an inch = ¾ of an inch) to get me a measurement of 11 ½ inches for my binding strip.

To cut your binding strip, start with a WOF strip of your desired binding width.

For outward extending blocks. line up the 45° line on your quilt ruler with the top edge of your strip, as seen in the example below, and cut along the resulting ruler edge.

For inward extending blocks, line up the 45° line on your quilt ruler with the bottom edge of your strip and cut along the resulting ruler edge.

If you’re using solid fabric, it doesn’t really matter which corner you cut for this step, you can always flip your block around. If you’re using patterned fabric, pay attention to the pattern direction on your binding strip if you want it to match your quilt block.

Using the measurement we found previously, make a mark on the edge of the fabric that will be your bottom edge.
I’m measuring and marking along the bottom edge of of my binding strip and marking at the 11 ½ inch point.

Line up your ruler with the mark you just made, with the 45° line on your ruler along the edge, making sure the ruler edge where you plan to cut is running in the opposite direction as your first cut. Cut your block along the resulting ruler edge. Repeat for any other similar blocks. This does not include blocks that extend to the corners of your quilt, which we will discuss next.
If you’re making the Escapist Quilt, this includes the single Color A border block along the top of the quilt.

Cutting Corner Pieces

For blocks that meet diagonally in the corner of your quilt, your binding strip for that side should extend at least 4 inches past each corner you are matching. If you have a pieced binding like mine, measure the length of the quilt block along the edge of the quilt to the corner and add at least 4 inches. This is the length you will use to cut your binding strip.

In this pillow, my corner blocks along both top corners measured 4 inches, so I would add 4 inches to get a binding strip size of 8 inches.

If your corner binding strip will be pieced diagonally at the other end, start with a WOF strip of your desired binding width. Then line up the 45° line on your quilt ruler with the edge of your strip and cut along the resulting ruler edge. If you’re using patterned fabric, pay attention to the pattern direction on your binding strip if you want it to match your quilt block. The other end of the block can be cut straight across, measuring along the shortest side, using the length you found previously (block length + 4 inches).

Piecing your Binding

Piecing Diagonal Seams

Prior to piecing, lay out all your binding strips to double check they are cut, placed, and oriented correctly to save yourself from the dreaded seam ripper!
If you’re working on the Escapist Quilt, your binding strips should look like this before and after piecing.

Make a mark at a scant ¼ inch along the diagonal cut of the lighter block on the wrong side of the fabric.

Place the piece you marked on top of the other, right sides together with the diagonal edges lined up. You should be able to see the line you marked. Shift the top piece so that the ends of the marked line meet at the edge of the bottom binding piece as shown below. Pin in place and sew along the marked line, using a stitch length of 1.8-2.0mm for a more secure seam. Press seams open and trim the dog ears.

Press all binding strips in half and get ready to attach them!

Attaching Your Binding

Matching Diagonal Seams

Line up your binding along the corresponding side.

To find the match point that you’ll be aligning, use your chosen seam allowance to measure in from the edge of both the quilt block and binding. Make a mark at these points, directly on the diagonal seams.

I’m using a ⅜ inch seam allowance for my pillow, so I’m marking on the diagonal seams ⅜ from the edge of the quilt top and binding edge.

Pick up your binding and place a pin straight through the binding from the back (unmarked side) through the mark you made on the front, making sure it is perpendicular to the binding strip and comes up straight through your mark and in the seam. This pin is what you will use to line up your binding with your quilt block.

Place the pin (with binding attached) straight down through the seam on your quilt block where you marked, leave it sticking straight up.

Place a pin on either side of the marking pin to secure the binding in place. Repeat with all diagonal seams you want to match and then sew your binding into place! If you’re also matching corner seams, wait to attach your binding until you’ve read the steps below...

Matching Corner Seams

Before sewing the binding into place, if you’re matching diagonal seams at the corners, mark a square on the corner of the quilt using your seam allowance measurement.

For this wall hanging, I’m using a ¼ inch seam allowance, so my square is ¼ of an inch.

Sew binding into place using your chosen seam allowance, making sure to stop and start at the marks you made in the corners. Backstitch to lock your binding in place.

Fold back both binding strips at 45 degree angles so that the line where they meet becomes an extension of the diagonal quilt block seam.

Keep one strip in place and unfold the other over the top so that it lays straight and flat directly over the first.

Mark two lines on the top binding strip, extending each binding seam. One line should be perpendicular to the binding strip and extend from top to bottom, the other line should run along the length of the binding strip and needs to be at least 1 inch long (but can extend further, you won’t see this line).

Now mark another perpendicular line, creating a square. This distance will vary based on the width of your binding strip. Measure from the fold of your binding to the seam and use this measurement to make your square.

For 2.5” binding (shown here), this will be a 1” box.

Draw a line from corner to corner in both directions to make an “X” inside the box you just made. Place a pin on either side of the box, pinning only the two binding strips together (do not pin through the quilt!).

Just like with mitered border corners, match up the two binding strips, folding the quilt at a 45 degree angle as shown here. Your adjacent binding strips should lay flat on top of each other and extend out away from the quilt.

Take the quilt to your machine and stitch a 90 degree angle, starting just inside the edge of the two bindings (by a thread or two) and stitching along the “X” until you get to the center. Then turn the quilt 90 degrees and sew towards the corner of your quilt, stopping your needle directly at the end of the binding seam. Make sure to back stitch at the beginning and end. You should end up with a small 90 degree angle that looks like this: