Tutorial: The grumpy person's guide to knit bindings

The tank was forced gently placed on Maia and it fits super well. And the back's not too shabby either.


Because Millie asked so nicely about the way I did the binding, here's my compendium of different methods of knit binding. And why I don't like them. Except my own way, which I love.

Method One: Single fold binding

• Binding is folded in half:
• On fold, sewn to the right side of the garment:
• End result flipped up: NB: You can topstitch seam allowance back down to the main fabric for a nicer finish, I didn't because I'm in a ridiculous hurry.
  
• Why I don't like it: If you're binding a neckline or something super curvy you have to cut the binding much shorter and make it stretch evenly to fit. Too. Many. Pins.

Method Two: Double fold binding

• Binding folded in half and then into quarters:
• Folded to hide raw edges and the bottom fold extend a little bit further down from the top fold:
• Binding encloses raw edge like a sandwich:
• Stitched close to the bottom edge (thereby catching the hidden folded edge on the inside that extends slightly further) The right side: The wrong side:
• Why I don't like it: You have too be oh-so-slow and careful to make sure you are catching the hidden bottom edge in a non-ugly fashion

Method Three: Enclose and trim (the Ottobre method)

• Binding folded up about a third of the way to give stitch guide:
• Placed to the right side of garment and stitched along press line:
• Binding pulled up and over the raw edges into the inside of the garment and pressed down:
• Stitched on the right side of the garment just below the bottom edge of the binding:

• Turned to the wrong side:
• The excess binding trimmed up to the stitch line:
• The end result:

• Why I don't like it: It's honestly not that bad, but I don't love the trimmed raw edge. That's the kind of thing that shops cover up with a coverstitch.

Method Four: Fold and Flip (the Kitschy Coo method)

• As per Method One, fold binding in half but put it to the wrong side of the garment:
• Once stitched, flip the binding to the right side:
• Fold it over so that it encloses the seam allowance. Roll it a tiny bit so the edge of the binding is still visible from the wrong side (otherwise known as Don't Drag the Wrong Side of the Garment Up and Over So Everyone Can See It). You should be able to feel the seam allowance hiding inside.
• Stitch the binding down close to the edge from the right side: Pardon the skipped stitches, my machine was being an a**hole.
  
• The wrong side looks nice too (and see what I mean about a tiny bit of the binding still visible from the inside):
• A better picture of both sides when machines are being cooperative:
• Why this method is awesome: Good looking from both sides, and you don't need to cut the binding smaller than the neckline and stretch it to fit.
  

Hope this helps those of you getting your summer knits out!

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