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prevent stretching. It’s also important to prepare the quilt edges so that the batting will extend to the edge of the binding to fill it and give it body along the quilt edges.
M IMI ’ S F AVORITE
I always machine baste around the edges of the three quilt layers before binding. It’s much easier to sew the binding to one quilt than to three separate layers.
    Here’s how to baste your quilt edges:
1. Place your quilted project on a flat surface and smooth out the top, batting, and backing. The quilt top should be face up.
2. Pin the layers securely around the edges, placing straight pins about 3" apart through all layers.
3. Using a walking foot or an even-feed foot (see page 11 ) and a long stitch on your sewing machine, baste ⅛" from the cut edge of the quilt top. Be careful that the layers don’t shift. (If you wish, you can baste the edges by hand.)
4. Use a rotary cutter and a ruler to trim the batting, backing, and any excess threads even with the quilt top to create a clean edge on your quilt so that you are ready to apply the binding. Note : If you’re using wider binding, you may need to trim the batting ¼" or so away from the edge of the quilt so that you’ll have enough batting to fill out the folded binding.
5. Use a 6" x 12" or 6"-square ruler to make sure that the corners are square. Trim if necessary.

Happy Ending Hint
Check the opposite sides of your quilt to make sure they are the same length. You can adjust the length of the quilt edges by tightening or loosening the basting stitches.

    Using a Walking Foot
    A walking foot, which is sometimes called an even-feed foot, is a sewing-machine attachment or built-in feature that helps feed the quilt layers under the needle at the same pace. This foot helps keep the quilt smooth and prevents the layers from shifting and puckering.

    Many quilters measure the ¼" seam allowance as they sew by aligning the fabric edge with the edge of the presser foot. A walking foot is typically wider than a ¼" patchwork foot, so if you use it as a guide, your seam may be too wide. To avoid this problem, you may be able to adjust the needle position on your machine by moving the needle slightly to the right. If that’s not an option on your machine, you can place a piece of masking tape on your machine to mark the ¼" seam allowance and guide the fabric edge along the tape. Test the seam allowance on a scrap of fabric before sewing the binding to your quilt.

    Getting Started
    Before you sew the binding to your quilt, take a moment to think about the starting point.
Start sewing in a corner only if you are planning to overlap the corners or sew the miters. (See page 49 for “Stitched Mitered Corners.”) It’s much easier to make a folded miter in a corner than to sew the miter together there.
If your quilt has rounded corners, start on a straight edge rather than on a curve.
Avoid starting to sew the binding exactly in the middle of a quilt edge. Each time you fold your quilt in half, it will weaken at that spot.
    So where’s the best place to begin sewing the binding? Somewhere between the corner and the center of a side.

Happy Ending Hints
Do not pin the binding to the entire quilt before sewing. As you sew, the binding may “bubble up” between the pins and cause little tucks. It’s also very uncomfortable to sew with all of those pins sticking you.
As you sew, concentrate on the 3" of binding directly in front of the sewing-machine needle. Lay the first 3" in position and sew; then go on to the next 3". Before long, these 3" lengths will add up to the entire quilt!
Be careful not to stretch your binding as you sew. Keep the long piece of binding in your lap, rather than letting it fall to the floor.
Support the weight of the quilt on a table to the left of your sewing machine.
Use a long straight pin or stiletto to control the layers in front of the presser foot and needle as you sew. It’s a lot safer than sticking your finger in harm’s way, and besides,