A Tutorial for Satin Edge Blankies

Some time ago I showed you some satin edge blankies I was making for Project Night Night.

Stephanie asked for a tutorial on sewing the satin edge binding on. So here you go Stephanie!

To make a one you will need a package of satin edge binding, 1 yard of flannel and thread to match or contrast with the binding. Cut the selvedges off the flannel and square up the sides. When you open the package of binding you should notice that it is not folded exactly in half. One side is a tad longer (from the fold) than the other. The longer side goes underneath, that is, on the wrong side of the flannel.

Step 1: Leaving about a 4" to 6" tail of binding hanging off the end of one of the sides of flannel, pin the binding to the flannel about 6" to 8" from the edge of the flannel (so 10" to 14" from the end of the binding). Start sewing the binding to the flannel with a zig zag stitch just past your pin.

You do not need to pin more than this yet, unless you feel that you have more control. This binding is slippy and can be difficult to work with. Just go slowly and adjust things every few inches. Ideally you would like the edge of the flannel to be exactly at the fold of the binding, with no puckers or pleats.

Warning: If you are a perfectionist, this might not be a good project for you. My theory is that these blankets are comfort items for kids and kids do not care if the binding is perfectly flat. It is probably going to be washed frequently and used for tent making and capes, so perfection is a waste of time. Just do the best you can.

Step 2: Continuing zig zagging down your first sided and stop about 8" from the corner. I like to sew backwards for a few stitches to anchor them good. But do not cut your thread yet.

Step 3: Using a water soluble marking pen (or something non-permanent that will show up on your binding), open up the binding and put a dot on the fold where the corner of the flannel hits the binding. I circled it for you in the photo. You can click on any of the images in this post to see them larger.

Step 4: Now cut your thread and move the blanket out of your machine to a flat surface. You are going to make a few more marks on the binding. I use 2" binding which means it is 2" wide when folded, so 4" wide when opened. Measure down (back towards your sewing line) 2" from your dot from Step 3. Along each outer edge of the binding, put a dot 2" from the Step 3 dot. Again I circled the dots on the photo below.

If you use a binding that is not 2" wide when folded you need to measure down from your center dot (the Step 3 dot) whatever the folded width of your binding is. For example if your binding is 1" wide when folded, so 2" wide when unfolded, you need to measure down 1" from your Step 3 dot.

Step 5: Now you need to draw a line from the Step 3 dot (the one on the fold in the middle of the binding) to each of the outer dots drawn in Step 4. You are going to sew on these lines in a minute.

Step 6: Fold the binding, right sides together with the center dot (the Step 3 dot) at the very tip of the fold. And pin to hold the binding together. Do not pin over your sew lines.

Again, this binding is slippy and you've got the flannel attached to it that doesn't always cooperate. Just do the best you can. In the above photo I have turn the binding in preparation for sewing. The center dot (the Step 3 dot) is now on the right with the binding folded over and pinned to itself.

Step 7: Now sew on your drawn lines.

Step 8: Cut the corners off of the binding leaving about a 1/4" seam allowance.

Step 9: Turn the binding back to right side out and slide the corner of the flannel into the corner you just made on the binding. You may find a few pins helpful to hold the flannel in place until you can get it sewn to the binding.

Step 10: Start sewing with a zig zag stitch from where you left off previously, back tacking a few stitches initially. Sew to the corner, pivot and continue sewing the second side. Your corner will look something like this. It probably won't be perfect. Just do the best you can.

Step 11: Continue sewing the second, third and fourth sides. Stopping about 8" from each successive corner and repeating Steps 3 through 10 to make the second and third corners.

Step 12: When you stop sewing 8" from the corner on your fourth side, the corner will be the one with a binding tail hanging off from where you started this project in Step 1. To create this last corner. Mark the binding exactly like you did for the first three corners. You can not fold the binding over on itself this time though. So you will need to also mark the binding from the first edge. Fold the unsewn corner of flannel out of the way and pin the two pieces of binding right sides together, matching up your drawn lines on each.

Step 13: Sew on the drawn lines, cut the excess off leaving a 1/4" seam allowance and slide that last corner of flannel into the last binding corner. Pin in place and finish zig zagging around to where you started.

Step 14: Admire your work.

Step 15: You'll need to wash the blanket to get the marks out then give it to a deserving child.

Note: If you use a piece of flannel larger than 1 yard by width of fabric, you will need more than one package of satin edge binding.

Whew! This is the kind of thing that is easier to show someone in person than to write instructions for. I hope with the pictures that the instructions are clear. If not, please let me know and I'll do my best to explain it better.