Ruffled Binding

Adding a ruffled binding or frill to your quilt is not difficult.

They look especially fantastic on baby quilts, dolls quilts and pillows. The ruffle/frill is made from strips of fabric joined end on end, folded in half and gathered by machine. You can also buy ready-made ruffles if you prefer.

Before you begin to add your ruffle you need to decide how you want to finish the backing over the ruffled raw edge. Below is one method but you can also use the pillowcase binding method.

Frilled Binding Instructions

1. Measure around the edge of the quilt. Times this measurement by 1 1/2

2. Cut strips of fabric 3 1/2" wide (wider if you like)

3. Join strips into a continuous strip, then sew ends together to create a loop

4. With wrong side together fold the strip in half and press very lightly

5. Sew 2 rows of gathering stitch (the longest stitch your machine can do) 1/4" and 1/2" from the raw edge

6. Pin mark the strip into quarters to ensure an even placement of ruffles around your quilt

7. Gather strips evenly to measure the same as your quilt

8. Pin the frill to the front & batting of your quilt matching raw edges (keep backing fabric out of the way. Use a walking foot to machine stitch in place using a 1/4" seam allowance.

9. Trim batting close to seam line

10. Turn the ruffle outwards. Unpick and remove any gathering stitching that shows from the front. With backing raw edge turned under pin to back of ruffle covering all seam allowance & stitches. Slip stitch in place.

Tips

* If you need a better coverage of your seam allowances on the back or you don't have enough backing then add a bias strip to the ruffle at step 8 before turning the ruffle outwards. Then slip stitch this in place on the wrong side.

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