French-fold Binding

I am new to this quilting, and have managed to put the layers together. It's now the border that's causing me a problem. In the magazines Ive looked at, they say French-fold binding. What is it and how do I do it?

Also, what is a walking foot? Where can I get one? My machine is old. I was told to cut the backing out at the same time as the rest, which I have found out was wrong, so now have uneven edges any ideas what I can do? Thank you in advance for the help. The quilt is for my new grandson to play on.


French fold binding is also called double-fold binding. It's a single strip of fabric, usually cut 2" to 2 1/2" wide. You fold the strip in half lengthwise (with wrong sides together) and then you press the folded edge.

Next, you match the raw edge of the binding strip with the raw edge of your quilt. After you sew the binding to the front of your quilt, you fold the binding to the backside and hand stitch it in place.

French fold binding is more durable and will last longer than single fold binding. Here's directions on how to apply French fold binding: French Fold Binding Directions.

A walking foot makes machine quilting a lot easier. It advances all three quilt layers through your machine at an even rate. This helps to prevent puckers which can form when your layers feed through your sewing machine unevenly. I wrote about the walking foot in one of my other posts. You can find it here Walking Foot.

To find a walking foot for your machine, I would call your nearest sewing machine dealer and ask if they have a walking foot for your particular model. If not, they might carry a "universal" or "standard" walking foot that fits most machines.

If you cut your backing 3" to 4" larger than your quilt, you don't have to worry. Just make sure the grain is straight before you baste the layers together. You can cut off the extra fabric once you're done quilting. Thank you for your question.

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