Thursday, March 3, 2011

rounded quilt corners tutorial

 
Lately (if you haven't noticed) I have really been into rounded corners on my quilts.  I really like how it looks, and how it seems to soften the quilt-- which I especially love for baby quilts. 

The great thing about rounded corners is you don't have to do mitered corners on your binding.  The bad part is you MUST use bias binding.  (there are many tutorials out there on how to make continuous binding...i'm hoping to get a tutorial up soon on how I do it.  Most everyone does it the same way).

Rounding your corners is super duper easy peasy.  Really it is, the hardest part is the bias binding. 

Here's how I do it.  Once your quilt is quilted, trim the backing and batting

and square it up.

next, I fold my quilt in half, and find a rounded object (I use a bowl or lid...or a toy that's floating around my sewing space) that gives you a good curve on your corner.  I don't have a great method other than eyeballing it to determine what size curve to use. 

trace your arc with a disappearing ink pen, or a pencil like I use because I have misplaced my pen.

using scissors, cut your curve (I do two layers at once).  repeat tracing the arc and cutting on the other two corners of your quilt.

that's it.  You should now have 4 rounded corners.  They do not have to be perfect, the binding helps to smooth out any imperfections.

now your quilt is ready to attach bias binding.  Use whatever method you usually use for attaching.  I am a machine binder, so I attach to the back and sew down on the front. 

As you approach your corner, just ease your bias binding around the corner, and guide it into your machine.  It works out great.  I try not to stretch it too much, but it really doesn't hurt much if you do.  (my son just asked if this picture of my hands was grandma...oh boy, i feel so much younger than my hands look, lol.)

when enclosing the binding around your quilt, it will almost ease itself around the corner.  It's wonderful how easy it is.
that's it, once your binding is completely attached, you should have rounded corners on your quilt.

52 comments:

  1. I made a tumbler quilt with rounded corners over the weekend for my friend's new baby. I used red fabric and it turned out really cool. I almost didn't send it to her. :) Thanks for sharing your rounded corners!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just finished a quilt a long and used rounded corners- I was inspired by the pics I'd seen recently of yours- I do it exactly the same, machined, ending with stitching on the front. They look good and it is very quick.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have to ask - how do the backs of your quilts look near the binding? I've tried machine binding (but never started by sewing it to the back instead of the front) and it turned out awful. Maybe I wouldn't care if it's not as neat from the back? Love the rounded corners.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am planning a few quilt projects for this year and I LOVE these rounded corners! If you happened to be a cheapskate and wanted to use on-grain cuts for the binding to save fabric, do you think splicing some short bias sections into the binding strip just for the corners would work out ok?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Nettie, I tried this last week on a lap size NAM quilt. I was very short on time, and I was amazed how much faster it was to round the corners. I think I still prefer the traditional look, but there are times when this great idea of yours will work better. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love your tutorial and the round corners in this quilt. I think I'm going to give it a try in my next one. Thank you so much for sharing with us :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hear you on the hands. Mine always look old in pictures! Sheesh. I'm wondering how rounded corners will look on a quilt with a very angular design (like Sitch Time's the Charm). I'm thinking I'll try it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Interesting. I'll have to try that.

    I was even more interested to see you sewing your binding down by machine. I usually sew my binding on by machine and then hand-sew it down. I'll have to try THAT too.

    ReplyDelete
  9. oh, i love the look, I'm going to have to try this, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I make rounded corners on my hooded towels, and I keep meaning to try it on a quilt - I really must remember it when I next finish a quilt with a pattern that is friendly to having its corners lopped off! Thanks for the great tute.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the corners too!
    And, I am only 38, but my hands look so much older, too. I now carry heavy-duty sunblock in the car and am obsessive about putting it on, especially since I think all the damage happened from driving and having my hands constantly in the sun while on the wheel :(

    ReplyDelete
  12. That is so great. Thanks for sharing. I've never even thought about rounding the corners. This is my first time to your blog, I like it :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Excellent! Thanks for the lesson:) BTW, my hands are beginning to look like hard working hands now. I find I have been hiding them, but they still work great:)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love making rounded corners also.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I rounded the corners of a quilt earlier this week. Fastest finish ever. Love rounded corners. Won't work for everything, but it will work for lots of quilts! Thanks for the inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
  16. i love the rounded corners!!!

    ps. when i saw that picture, i though 'those look like mom's hands'.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I would also love a maching binding tutorial! Love the rounded corners, not sure if I'm brave enough though!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Cant wait to try this. IT looks amazing

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm a beginner quilter and I've never seen rounded corners like these - I love it! I agree, this is perfect for a baby quilt. I'm definitely book marking this post! Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks for sharing. I really have to try some rounded corners one day. I love that baby quilt. It is a real treasure! :D

    I am curious about how you machine sew your binding. Doesn't the seem get like wobbly on the back? I usually sew the binding like you, from the back to the front and then with the seam on the front but it gets so uneven and ugly on the back... I've seen another tutorial over at Red Pepper Quilts but it was really difficult to do it her way... Any tip? Or maybe I just need more practice. I mean I've only made a few quilts so far.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love the rounded edge, im a new quilter to, but i started to make a hexagon quilt how do you add the backing? i would love it if someone was able to do a post on that to. Would you be able to use the rounded edge on the hexagon do you think? hope you dont mind me asking all these questions, thanks dee x

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh thank you! I love those rounded corners :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love the look of rounded corners and will be using it soon! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love that you are rounding corners or should I say cutting corners? Ha! Thanks so much for sharing how you do a rounded quilt corner. I shared it with my readers at Craft Gossip,
    http://quilting.craftgossip.com/?p=7775.

    Warmly,
    Scarlett Burroughs
    Quilting Editor, Craft Gossip

    ReplyDelete
  25. I really like the look of the rounded corners. And those Pip fabrics are just the cutest! I need to break into my charm pack

    I'm always surprised when I see photos of my hands. I'm not a big fan of garden gloves (or gloves in general) and it seems like I wash my hands so often. So they show the wear and tear. So glad to have them to use though.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love those rounded corners...but I also love the quilt you are using in the demo. Is there a pattern for it????

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love the look of those rounded corners, and it would make these so much easier. I am definitely going to try it on my next quilt. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I really like this. Thanks for sharing this quilt with us.

    ReplyDelete
  29. This is such a gentle finish for a baby quilt. When I first started quilting I did curved corners but hadn't considered the technique in a long time - thanks for reviving it!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Love this, thanks! what do you put in the bobbin when you machine bind? just something to coordinate w the back?

    ReplyDelete
  31. oh wow! why didn't I ever think of that, it looks so fantastic! thanks for the tip.

    ReplyDelete
  32. When you stitch the bias binding to the top of the quilt what stitch did you use?

    ReplyDelete
  33. Nice! I like that.... that is an awesome way to finish baby quilts... ok, that is on my task list for the next month, so I will definitely give it a try - love it... and no folding!
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  34. I love these rounded edges you've been doing. I used your tutorial for a quilt I just posted on my blog here: http://silverlilysews.blogspot.com/2011/03/for-baby-nellie-or-lil-nel.html. I love your quilts and your blog:) Thanks for this great tutorial!

    ReplyDelete
  35. That is so helpful-- thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Wow, I can't believe I've never thought of this! What a great idea to avoid mitering corners or just for a different look, thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I've just discovered your blog and I am in love...such inspiration! I was excited to see this quilt...I've been working on a house block tutorial and it's always fun to see what others have done!
    very nice! many compliments!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Your sure took the pressure off getting those corners just right! I'm doing rounded corners from now on.
    Colorcrazed Custom Fabrics
    BOLD - The FREE E-zine for Blogging enthusiasts

    ReplyDelete
  39. thanks for the tutorial! i just machine bound my first larger quilt last night and i can see why people do it! it's so quick. it IS weird to sew the binding on to the back, though.

    i want to try rounded corners someday soon, so this just might be the little push i needed to give it a shot. thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  40. oh, I hear ya about the hands thing. my hands look SO old in photos. it's frightening!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Thanks so much for the tips. I have never tried rounded corners but I have a baby quilt in progress and I think they may be the perfect way to finish it off.

    ReplyDelete
  42. LOVE This tut.

    Would be interested in knowing exactly how you machine stitch your binding... tried it once. Looked awful... maybe that could be another tut? LOVE your quilts!

    ReplyDelete
  43. i wonder if a dinner plate would work, and if you could use your rotary cutter to cut around the plate??

    looks fantastic!!
    xo
    eva

    ReplyDelete
  44. After complaining to a friend how hard it was to get all 4 of my corners looking nice. She suggested this to me. Don't do corners!!! Genius - been doing it since 1982. Love it!!! Since then i have learned how to do perfect corners but I prefer my rounded corners.

    ReplyDelete
  45. I do rounded corners and to use up my scraps from the quilt I cut and sew strata strips on the straight grain then cut and join a long length on the bias. Use this for my binding gives a spiral look.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Love it, thank you very much! And don't worry, I've noticed a lot of sewists' hands have that "grandma" look to them in tutorials. Mine do and I'm still in my 20's ;)

    ReplyDelete
  47. Nice tutorials! When I spray baste, I first tape (using that great non-stick-forever blue painter's tape) an old shower curatin to the floor...just use a few pieces to hold it. Then tape (using same method) the backing (good side DOWN!)on top of that. Now spread the batting ( I am alsoa fan of warm 'n Natural)on that, & finally the quilt top, rolled as directed. This gives a smoother way of doing things w/o constantly having to adjust the whole thing. Love the "downhome" chatty way you do your tutorials! Happy Quilting!

    ReplyDelete
  48. I have had this post opened on a tab since I first discovered it!! I just ripped a binding off a baby quilt that I wasn't happy with. I have never done rounded corners and I am afraid I will mess something up!! But first I am googling how to make your own bias binding!! Thank you so much for this tutorial and I am building up the confidence to do it!! LOVE your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  49. I rounded my corners of my king size quilt and it took the bulk out of the corner and lays great on the bed!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...