Rollie Pollie Organizer Tutorial #2- Applying the Binding

Hi!

This tutorial will cover steps 22-29 in the Rollie Pollie Organizer pattern.  This is the point where we are creating and attaching the Binding to the Wrap.

At this point you should have your Velcro strips sewn on to the interior.  Here’s mine…

Btw, you may notice that I have neglected to stitch the corner lines from step #19 on mine but you should definitely have them on yours …my bad!

The Wrap Exterior should also be basted on the opposite side.  As you can see, I have serged the interior and exterior of mine together (are all my quilter friends out there cringing?).

You should also have measured 1/2″ in from all right hand side corners and marked those spots
with a pin.  If all that is done,  you can set the Wrap aside for now.

Let’s get our Binding ready.  First we need to stitch the two Binding strips together to make one long strip. Position them so their short ends are perpendicular to one another and their right sides are facing.  

The idea here is to stitch on the diagonal from the top left corner to the bottom right corner of the area where the two intersect. Of course you can’t really see where the bottom right corner is,  so sometimes it’s easier to draw a guideline to follow.

Once it’s stitched across, trim the seam allowance down to about 1/4″ and then press the seam open.  Keep this process in mind, we will repeat it to join the ends of the Binding once it is stitched to the Wrap.

Now press the Binding in half with the wrong sides facing inward.

Find the Wrap panel and be sure the exterior side is facing up.  Place your Binding on long edge of the Wrap and align the raw edges.  Be sure the Binding covers about 3/4 of the long edge…

Now, start stitching about 3 or 4″ before that right corner pin. Stop stitching right at the pin and be sure to backstitch! Here’s how we are going to handle the corners…

Flip the binding up and fold it so there is a 45º angle into the corner. The edges of the Binding and the Wrap should be on the same plane.  You might want to put a pin to hand that angle down (sorry didn’t take a photo with a pin in there!)

Flip the Binding back over itself so the new fold is aligned with the edge of the Wrap.  Realign the raw edge of the Binding with the next edge of the Wrap.   Be sure your little 45º fold is still in there! 
Start stitching at the corner and continue to the next pin. Repeat the folding at the corners and stitching to the next pin routine until you have gone around all four corners.  Stop stitching about 3-4″ after that 4th corner. You should have two long tails that are unstitched.  Stick a pin in the Wrap about in the middle of the gap without the binding.   Lay the right end of the Binding along the edge of the Wrap, covering the pin.  Measure 1 3/4″ from the pin toward the end. 

Draw a line and then cut the Binding along the line.

Repeat on the left side tail.  Open the ends of the Binding so they are a single layer. We are going to join the ends together in the same manner as when we stitched the two Binding strips into one. You will probably have to fold and pin the Wrap up a little so that you can get the ends to reach each other and lay flat.  With right sides facing position the ends so they are perpendicular to one another.   Stitch across the intersection like you did before (top left to bottom right corner. Sorry it may be hard to see the seamline here. If you click the photo it should enlarge for you.) Once it’s stitched, fold it up and be sure that it lays nice and flat against the Wrap, if not you can sew a new seam a little deeper or more shallow than the first one. If it does lay flat, cut the seam allowance and press it open.  Refold it and then stitch it down.  Now fire up your iron because we need to give the Binding a good pressing outward from all edges of the Wrap.   At the corners, your Binding should be mitered like this –  thanks to that fancy folding… Sometimes I find that it helps to trim the seam allowance in the corners if looks a little bulky. Since I serged it, I should probably trim the Wrap a little as well, but I forgot to…sigh) Now fold the Binding to the opposite side of the Wrap.  You want the Binding to just cover the seamline where it was stitched on. The corners on this side should be mitered as well.  Don’t be afraid to break out the glue here – for this one I used Fabri-Tac which my tester, Gwen, introduced me to and I like it!  You can put it on and then set it with a dry iron.

On the right side of the panel, stitch in the ditch (that’s the seamline where the Binding is stitched to the Wrap)  all the way around.  The idea here is to catch the Binding on the opposite side within the seam. Before you do that though, scroll down and read my next thought.  If you find this intimidating (like I do), there is no shame in stitching  within the Binding or even stitching twice within the Binding and calling it a “design element.” That way you will know for sure that the Binding on the other side is stitched down securely.  In fact, I think I like this look better!   So there you go…you are very close to being done!  I hope you are having a good time making your organizer. If you have any issues, ideas or just want to say “hey!”, please don’t hesitate, I love hearing from you.

Best, Sarah