Professional Seam Matching Striped Binding Tutorial with RBD Basic Stripes

For decades, Riley Blake’s Basic Stripes Collection has been my go-to for striped fabrics. These bindings have finished many of my quilts, adding a timeless touch to each one.

While I’m usually quick to finish binding, taking a few extra minutes to match stripes can really enhance the professional look of your quilt. Today, I’ll guide you through the process of creating seam-matched striped binding. Hi, I’m Alexis from Stitched By Alexis. Thanks for joining me—let’s get started!

Supplies:

• Striped fabric (example below uses 1/8 inch wide)
• Ruler
• Rotary cutter
• Self-healing cutting mat
• Iron
• School glue
• Sewing machine

Step 1:

• Iron the fabric flat.
• Fold the bottom edge of the fabric up to meet the selvage edge and align them.
• Square off the left edge using your ruler.
• Cut the binding to your desired size. I typically cut at 2.25 inches, but some prefer 2.5 inches.

Step 2:

• Lay one binding strip right side up and place the second strip at a 90-degree angle with right sides facing each other.
• Fold the tail of the top strip at a 45-degree angle and press with an iron to create a firm fold mark.
• Apply a thin line of school glue along the tail of the folded strip and place it on top of the other binding strip, aligning the stripes.

Step 3:

• Use the iron to set the glue and adhere the pieces together.

Step 4:

• Open the folded binding and sew a line just to the right of the fold—this should be a scant distance from the folded line. This allows a bit of room for the fold while keeping your stripes aligned.
• Trim any excess fabric from the sewn line with scissors.
• Review your work and make any necessary adjustments. It’s normal if the lines need a bit of extra attention.

Step 5:

• Fold and iron the binding in half lengthwise, preparing it for installation.

And there you have it—congratulations on your beautifully seam-matched striped binding!

If you enjoyed this tutorial and want to see more, visit me on Instagram @StitchedByAlexis or check out my website at www.StitchedByAlexis.com. Sign up for my newsletter to receive updates directly in your inbox.

Thank you for joining me, and I hope you get the chance to elevate your projects with seam-matched striped binding.

Cheers,
Alexis