This is a tutorial for adding a mitered facing easily and quickly. What is a facing? A facing is a binding technique that forms a mitered binding on one side and a hidden finish on the opposite side.
The advantages of a facing using this technique are that you can easily create a mitered corner facing in a variety of sizes, as small as 1/2″ and as large as 3″. There are no complicated calculations and the facing is separate from the background fabric so you can choose to use coordinating or contrasting fabric. Also, this technique forms a mitered facing on one side and a hidden finish on the opposite side…you choose which finish you’d prefer on the front side of your piece.
The notions you’ll need are few: a rotary cutter, mat & ruler, a fabric marking pen, and iron & ironing board and a sewing needle and thread.
The important tool you’ll need is the “Add-A-Miter Binding Template” (or ruler). This ruler takes all of the guess work out of making a facing and provides perfect mitered corners each and every time. Begin by first squaring off your quilt.
- Determine the width of the facing. I typically prefer a 2″ finished facing as it provides support particularly for a hanging quilt. Multiply the desired width x 2 and add 1/2″ to allow for two 1/4″ seams. A 4 1/2″ width would need to be cut for a 2″ finished facing.
- Measure each side of your piece. Cut a facing strip equal in length to each separate side of the quilt. If your quilt requires a length longer than your’re able to cut, you’ll need to join the strips as you would for a traditional binding.
- Fold each strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. Press. Place the strips with lengthwise raw edges even with the FRONT side of the project, aligning the raw edges of the strips with the raw edges of the quilt; pin. (This will result on a hidden finish on the front of the quilt.)
- Use the dotted 1/4″ line on the ruler to mark 1/4″ from the edge of each facing strip using a fabric marking pen. Stitch the facing to the quilt using a 1/4″ seam, beginning at the first marked point and stopping at the second marked point; make certain to back stitch at each point.
Add-A-Miter Binding/facing ruler
Press the facing strip away from the quilt and continue to add the remaining facing strips in the same manner.- Place the ruler in the corner to be mitered with the solid lines along the inside edges of the facing. Trim the facing along the edge of the tool next to the dashed line using a rotary cutter and mat. Do the same with each of the corners.
- Meet facing edges diagonally, right sides together, at trimmed corner edges. Fold the quilt seam away from the facing and pin. Stitch from corner seam intersection through facing edges using a 1/4″ seam allowance; back stitch. Press seam open and repeat with the remaining corners.
- Turn facing to opposite side of piece. Gently shape corners to promote a clean sharp corner. Iron.
- Hand stitch facing in place on the back side of the quilt for a hidden facing.
Facing strip sewn to within 1/4″ from edge 
Front of sewn facing strip 
Front – strips sewn leaving 1/4″ open on each edge 
Pinning corners of strips to be sewn 
Mitered corner and strips ready to be hand sewn 
Finished facing edge from front
Note: To expose facing on the front side of the quilt, stitch the folded facing strips to the BACK side of the quilt. This will create a framed appearance.
Please follow the rest of the 2019 Back To School Blog Hop! Note that these industry peeps are all over the country and world, so be patient if you don’t see their post first thing in *your* morning!
Day 1 – September 1 – Sam Hunter: Sewing Long Seams Without Stretching – huntersdesignstudio.com
Day 2 – September 2 – Susan Arnold – Joining Binding the Easy Way – quiltfabrication.com
Day 3 – September 3 – Angie Wilson – Fussy cutting tips and techniques – www.gnomeangel.com
Day 4 – September 4 – Andi Stanfield – No-Mark HST: Let your machine be your guide – truebluequilts.com/blog/
Day 5 – September 5 – Bobbie Gentili – Say YES to Y-seams – geekybobbin.com
Day 6 – September 6 – Mel Beach – 5 Reasons to Say Woo Hoo! to School Glue – pieceloveandhappiness.blogspot.com
Day 7 – September 7 – Laura Piland – 7 Ways to Use a Laser on Your Sewing Machine – www.sliceofpiquilts.com
Day 8 – September 8 – Suzy Webster – How to solve loops in free motion quilting – www.websterquilt.com
Day 9 – September 9 – Tara Miller – Accurate Stitch-and-Flip Corners – quiltdistrict.com
Day 10 – September 10 – Latifah Saafir – Accurate Seams Using Masking Tape! – latifahsaafirstudios.com
Day 11 – September 11 – Sarah Ruiz – The Magic of Glue Basting – saroy.net
Day 12 – September 12 – Jen Shaffer – Ways to stop your ruler from slipping while cutting – patternsbyjen.blogspot.com
Day 13 – September 13 – Cheryl Sleboda – Basics of ruching (a vintage fabric manipulation technique) – muppin.com
Day 14 – September 14 – Raylee Bielenberg – Choosing quilting designs for your quilt – www.sunflowerstitcheries.com
Day 15 – September 15 – Jen Strauser – Accurate and Attractive Machine binding – dizzyquilter.com
Day 16 – September 16 – Jane Davidson – Matching points for all types of intersections – quiltjane.com
Day 17 – September 17 – Teresa Coates – Starch and starch alternatives – teresacoates.com
Day 18 – September 18 – Jen Frost – Benefits of spray basting – faithandfabricdesign.com
Day 19 – September 19 – Sandra Starley – Getting started with Hand Quilting – utahquiltappraiser.blogspot.com
Day 20 – September 20 – Karen Platt – Drunkard’s Path Made Easy – karenplatt.co.uk/blog/
Day 21 – September 21 – Kris Driessen – All Kinds of Square (in a Square) – scrapdash.com
Day 22 – September 22 – Sarah Goer – Planned Improv Piecing – sarahgoerquilts.com
Day 23 – September 23 – Kathy Bruckman – Organizing kits for on-the-go sewing – kathyskwiltsandmore.blogspot.com
Day 24 – September 24 – Cheryl Daines Brown – The Secret to Flat Quilt Tops: Borders – quilterchic.com
Day 25 – September 25 – Cherry Guidry – Pre-assembling fusible applique – cherryblossomsquilting.com
Day 26 – September 26 – Laura Chaney – Getting started with English Paper Piecing – prairiesewnstudios.com
Day 27 – September 27 – Ebony Love – Cutting Bias Strips from a Rectangle – lovebugstudios.com
Day 28 – September 28 – Tammy Silvers – Working with heavier weight threads in your machine – tamarinis.typepad.com
Day 29 – September 29 – Kathy Nutley – Create a perfect facing or frame with 90 degree angles – quiltingsbykathy.com
Day 30 – September 3 – Joanne Harris – Using Leaders and Enders – quiltsbyjoanne.blogspot.com
