When it comes to quilting, the finishing touch is often the binding. It not only adds a polished look to your quilt but also ensures its durability. However, one often overlooked aspect of binding is the choice of the sewing foot.
Your choice can make a significant difference in the ease and quality of your binding application. Should you use a walking foot, a 1/4-inch foot, or a standard presser foot?
The answer depends on various factors, including your quilt’s thickness, the type of binding you’re using, and personal preferences.
In this guide, we’ll explore the options and help you make an informed decision about which foot to use when sewing binding to your machine binding a quilt. Whether you’re a novice quilter or an experienced one looking for tips, read on to discover how the right foot can elevate your quilting projects.
What Foot To Use When Sewing Binding To Quilt?
Choose the right type of binding for your machine binding a quilt. Sew with a straight stitch or French seam depending on the type of binding you choose Tips for sewing binding to quilt: use pins as needed, press seams open after stitching, and trim away excess fabric before finishing.
When sewing binding to a quilt, you typically use a regular presser foot, not a walking foot.
The walking foot is designed for tasks like quilting where you have multiple layers of fabric and batting, and you want to prevent shifting or uneven feeding.
Binding a quilt, on the other hand, involves sewing through fewer layers of fabric, so a regular presser foot is more suitable.
Here’s how you can use a regular presser foot to sew binding onto a quilt:
Start Sewing
Begin sewing the binding to the quilt from the middle of one side, leaving a few inches of the binding unsewn. Make sure that you are sewing binding on quilt properly.
Use a ¼-inch Seam Allowance
Sew with a ¼-inch seam allowance along the edge of the quilt. This is a standard seam allowance for quilt binding.
Miter the Corners
When you approach a corner, stop sewing ¼ inch away from the edge. Fold the binding strip up, aligning the raw edge with the next side of the quilt.
Then, fold it back down, aligning the folded edge with the next side. This creates a mitered corner. Resume sewing from the edge of the quilt.
Continue Sewing
Continue sewing around the quilt, stopping and mitering at each corner. When you reach the starting point, leave a few inches of the binding unsewn.
Finish the Sewing Binding
Trim the excess binding, and overlap the ends. Finish sewing, and then join the ends of the binding.
Secure the Quilt Binding
After sewing the binding to the front of the quilt, you can either hand stitch the binding to the back for an invisible finish or machine stitch it in place.
If machine stitching, use a straight stitch or a decorative stitch close to the edge.
Always refer to your sewing machine manual for specific instructions on using different presser feet and settings.
Additionally, you may find it helpful to practice on scrap fabric before working on your actual quilt to ensure you’re comfortable with the process.
Should You Use the Walking Foot to Bind a Quilt?
Quilters use a walking foot to sew binding around the edges of their quilts, making it easier to work with multiple layers of fabric. If you’re using a walking foot, make sure that your machine is properly set before beginning sewing.
A walking foot can help keep the layers in place while you sew, so take care not to over-stretch or pull on the fabric during stitching. Be aware that some machines don’t have a walking foot and binders may need to be sewn by hand instead.
Using a walking foot to bind a quilt is not the typical or recommended approach.
A walking foot, also known as an even feed foot, is generally used for quilting and sewing multiple layers of fabric together to prevent shifting or uneven feeding. When it comes to binding a quilt, a regular presser foot is commonly used.
Here’s a basic guide on how to bind a quilt without a walking foot:
Prepare the Quilt Edges
Trim the quilt layers and batting so that they are even and square.
Prepare the Binding Strips
Cut binding strips from your chosen fabric. The width of the strips will depend on your preferred binding width.
Join and Press Binding Strips
Join the binding strips together to create one continuous strip. Fold and press the binding strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.
Attach the Binding to the Quilt
Starting in the middle of one side of the quilt, leave a few inches of the binding unsewn and begin sewing the binding to the quilt with a ¼-inch seam allowance.
Stop sewing about ¼ inch away from the quilt corner.
Miter the Corners
At each corner, stop stitching ¼ inch away from the edge. Fold the binding strip up, aligning the raw edge with the next side of the quilt.
Then, fold it back down, aligning the folded edge with the next side. Resume sewing from the edge of the quilt.
Finish Binding
When you reach the starting point, trim the excess binding, and overlap the ends. Finish sewing, and then join the ends of the binding.
Hand Stitch or Machine Stitch Binding in Place
You can either hand stitch the binding to the back of the quilt or machine stitch it in place. If machine stitching, use a straight stitch or a decorative stitch close to the edge.
A walking foot is generally not necessary for binding since you are working with fewer layers of fabric.
However, if you find that your machine is having trouble feeding the layers evenly, you can certainly use a walking foot for this step.
Always refer to your sewing machine manual for guidance on using different presser feet and attachments.
Can You Use a Regular Sewing Foot for Quilting?
Yes, you can use a regular sewing foot for quilting, and many quilters do so for a variety of tasks. A regular presser foot is versatile and works well for tasks like piecing, attaching borders, and even some types of quilting.
However, for certain quilting techniques, a walking foot or a free-motion quilting foot may be more suitable.
Here’s a brief overview of when to use different types of feet for quilting:
Regular Presser Foot
- Good for basic piecing and sewing tasks.
- Suitable for attaching borders to quilts.
- Can be used for simple quilting lines, especially if you are working with smaller quilts or if your sewing machine has a built-in walking foot feature.
Walking Foot (Even Feed Foot)
- Ideal for quilting through multiple layers of fabric and batting.
- Helps prevent fabric layers from shifting during quilting.
- Often used for straight-line quilting and quilting with multiple layers.
Free-Motion Quilting Foot (Darning Foot)
- Designed for free-motion quilting where you control the movement of the fabric.
- Allows you to create intricate designs and patterns.
- Best for quilting projects where you want more flexibility and artistic freedom.
The choice of foot depends on the quilting technique you’re using and the effect you want to achieve.
If you’re just starting with quilting, it’s a good idea to experiment with different feet and techniques to see what works best for you and your projects.
Always refer to your sewing machine manual for guidance on using different presser feet and attachments.
Additionally, consider practicing on scrap fabric or a small quilt sandwich before working on your actual quilting project to build confidence and familiarize yourself with the techniques.
Is a Walking Foot the Same as a Quilting Foot?
A walking foot and a quilting foot are not the same, although they are both used in quilting and sewing. They serve different purposes and are designed for different quilting techniques.
Walking Foot (Even Feed Foot)
A walking foot, also known as an even feed foot, is primarily used for feeding multiple layers of fabric and batting evenly through the sewing machine.
It has a set of feed dogs on the top of the fabric that works in conjunction with the sewing machine’s lower feed dogs to prevent layers from shifting or stretching during sewing.
Walking feet are especially useful for quilting when you have a quilt sandwich with top fabric, batting, and backing fabric. They help ensure that all these layers move together smoothly, preventing puckering and misalignment.
Walking feet are commonly used for straight-line quilting and when you need to sew through thick or multiple layers of fabric.
Quilting Foot (Darning Foot)
A quilting foot, also known as a darning foot, is designed for free-motion quilting. This foot doesn’t have its own feed dogs but instead allows you to control the fabric’s movement manually.
It’s often used for creating intricate quilting designs, stippling, and other free-motion techniques.
With a quilting foot, you can lower or cover the feed dogs on your sewing machine, so the fabric doesn’t advance automatically.
This gives you the freedom to move the fabric in any direction as you stitch.
A walking foot is primarily used for control, even feeding of multiple layers during quilting, while a quilting foot is designed for free-motion quilting, allowing you to create intricate designs by moving the fabric freely under the needle.
Depending on your quilting project and the techniques you want to use, you may find both types of feet valuable additions to your quilting toolkit.
Can You Use a Blind Stitch Foot for Quilting?
If you’re a quilter, chances are you’ve dabbled in blind stitching at some point. You can use your blind hem foot to sew bindings from the front side of your quilt, with the seam guide butted up against the fold where the binding meets your quilt.
This method is great for keeping things tidy and prevents Bindingitis. Use this technique when repairing or replacing binding on Quilts and Blankets- it’s even more accurate than using a straight stitch. Give it a try you won’t regret it.
How Wide Should Quilt Binding Be?
To ensure the perfect finished look, quilt binding should be 2 1/4″ or 2 1/2″ wide and attached with a standard machine stitch. The thickness or loft of your quilt will affect the finished look of the binding- make sure to consider this when choosing width.
Choose bindings that are in line with your overall décor- go for something that looks good together rather than trying to match an existing piece perfectly. Quilt binding is a great way to add personality and life to an old quilt- give it a new lease on life by adding some simple but stylish binding.
Don’t get bogged down by measurements- find what works best for you and go from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you use a walking foot for?
A walking foot is a helpful tool when working with slippery fabrics, such as satin. It eliminates the need for pins and helps keep your fabric in shape.
Slippery fabrics are especially prone to stretching out if pinned incorrectly without a walking foot. If you’re using slippery fabrics, it’s best to use a walking foot so your work doesn’t get damaged by pins.
Why do I need a walking foot for quilting?
If you’re using a standard presser foot, it will be pushing your quilt’s top layer toward you. A walking foot helps us turn our sewing machine into a quilting machine by helping us to move the feed dogs in tandem.
Should quilt binding be sewn on the front or back?
Sewing quilt binding on the front gives a neater appearance, but it can be done by hand or machine. The advantage to sewing it on the back is that you’ll be able to do the final stitching by machine and it will look great (front and back.)
It’s up to you which way you want your quilt binding to look- neat or professional.
Do I need a special foot to stitch in the ditch?
If you’re using a walking foot to sew in the ditch, make sure it’s of the correct size. There are different types of feet for different purposes, so be sure to check what type of foot your fabric is and buy one that will fit your needs.
What is the easiest way to bind a quilt?
Straight-of-grain binding is the easiest way to bind a quilt. For quilts with curved edges, you should make bias binding instead. Continuous binding can be machine-sewn to the front side of the quilt and hand-stitched to the back, but I prefer to attach it to the back side of the quilt with no hand sewing.
To Recap
The choice of sewing foot for binding may seem like a minor detail, but it can greatly impact the outcome of your quilting project. As we’ve discussed, different feet have their advantages, depending on your specific needs and preferences.
Always consider factors such as fabric thickness, binding type, and personal comfort when making your decision. Experiment with different feet to find the one that works best for you.
With practice, you’ll become more proficient in achieving beautifully bound quilts. Remember, the right foot can be the key to achieving that polished, professional look for your quilts.
So, don’t hesitate to explore your options and elevate your quilting skills by choosing the right foot for the job.
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