Janome Quilt Binder Set

To say the Janome Quilt Binder Set is one of my favourite things is an understatement. It’s become one of those indispensable, reliable tools I can’t be without. I don’t use it all the time, but it’s a terrific timesaver when I’m in a hurry to finish a project – which seems to be all the time these days, lol! – or when I’m binding a project I know will receive lots of wear and tear and be laundered a lot. It’s ideal to use to bind placemats, table runners and baby quilts in a flash!

Using the Janome Quilt Binder Set to bind a quilted project is a real timesaver since it folds under the edges of the binding and stitches it down to cover the raw edges of the project all in one step! The straight edges of the project are really where you can speed pedal to the metal. The corners, however, take a little time to refine, but I have some tips to share with you to simplify and speed-up the process.

There are two types of Janome Quilt Binder Sets. One will fit the “Easy Set Models” as is indicated on the blister pack. Part Number 202211008, The other fits machines which have a rectangular bobbin cover, but are not easy set, Part Number 846421007. Be sure to double check with your Janome dealer so you get the correct one.

TIP: Take your machine’s bobbin cover with you to the store as that is what will determine which binder fits your machine.

The base plate of the Janome Quilt Binder Set fits into the needle plate once the bobbin cover is removed.

With the base plate secured to the needle plate, the binder gets secured to the base plate with the little screws provided in the blister pack.

TIP: Use a permanent pen to mark the position of the binder on the base plate once it’s aligned where you want it so it’s faster to set up next time. Use a piece of tape stuck to the base plate so the marking stays in place but can be removed when you don’t need it.

A special presser foot (W1) is included in the blister pack which helps align the binding strip and provides a suggested needle position, but you can use your Janome Dual/Twin Acufeed Flex foot holder with AD foot, if you’d rather and move the needle wherever you’d like. In our 9mm machines, we have 91 needle positions, so you can customize however you’d like.

No matter what method you use to sew binding, keeping it neatly rolled up on the Janome Tape Stand placed next to your machine will definitely make the process easier and more enjoyable. The binding strips are cut 2″ wide to use with the Janome Quilt Binder Set and finish approximately 1/2″ wide. You can use a straight stitch, zig zag, or even one of the decorative stitches built into your machine to stitch it down.

TIP: When using a scrappy binding, select a multi-colour thread, like Madeira’s Cotona 100% cotton thread, which blends with the dominate colours in the fabric.

Everyone always wants to know how to mitre the corners, so I prepared the little video below. You will find this and more sewing tips and tricks on the Janome HQ You Tube channel. Yes, the corners do take some time and practise, but you more than make-up the time on the straight edges of the quilt. When not stopping to film a video, I can normally bind a lap size quilt in 30-45 minutes.

TIP: Crease the fold of the binding strip as it comes out of the binder so it’s easier to line up the mitre.

The crease mark will help position the binding strip along the raw edge of the quilt so you know you have the binding centred, which will help produce more accurate mitres. You can press with your fingers, or I like to use the edge of a bamboo point turner.

As mentioned in the video and in the blister pack, two pins are all that’s required to hold the mitre in place before stitching. Through experience, I’ve found the size and type of pin used can definitely affect the results.

Mitre on the backside of the quilt. The long thread tails from the previous line of stitching are helpful to use to refine the mitre and sew it closed if you’d like.

TIP: Use a short, fine pin to hold the mitre in place.

For most general pinning tasks, I use the yellow plastic-head pins (Lemon-flavoured are my favourite, lol!) However, for fine, delicate fabrics, I use the shorter, finer “silk” pins. I use these pins in the mitres and because they are so fine, I don’t remove them until after the mitre is sewn. Be careful as you start stitching as you certainly don’t want to hit the pin by mistake. Begin sewing slowly or walk the balance wheel by hand so you know there isn’t a pin in the way. Pinning from the body of the quilt in toward the mitre helps, so the head of the pin does not go through the binder. It works really well, you just have to try it for yourself. Like everything else, practise makes perfect!

Front mitre. I prefer to keep long thread tails which I use to sew the mitre closed, then knot and burry the thread. You may prefer to backstitch or use the lockstitch to secure the stitches, instead. It’s up to you!

TIP: Baste your label in place along a corner so the binding will secure and cover two sides. After binding, I remove the basting and hand slip stitch to secure the other two edges of the label to the backing.

How you finish the ends of the binding is up to you, but I keep it simple by sightly overlapping the end of the strip over the beginning. I cut the binding strip so it overlaps about 1″.

While stitching, I use my stiletto to help position the new strip of binding, so it covers the binding previously stitched. As I get close to the end, I use my stiletto, or you could a seam ripper, to fold over the cut edge of the binding strip, then stitch it down and cross over my previous line of stitching to secure. I leave long thread tails which I use to hand sew the overlap closed and knot and burry the treads. You could backstitch or use the lockstitch, if you prefer.

TIP: Use a self-threading needle which has a slot in the top of the needle making it faster and easier to thread than through the eye in the traditional way.

My stiletto is pointing to where my binding strips overlap. You can’t even tell it’s the beginning and ending point, it just looks like a regular seam joining the binding strips together. Bonus that the fabrics at the beginning and ending are the same print, but with scrappy binding, it really doesn’t matter.

Front side of mitre. Use a self-threading needle which makes threading faster and easier to sew up the mitres.

4 mitres done rather quickly and easily, but yes, like everything else, it takes practise. As I mentioned, I don’t use the Janome Quilt Binder Set all the time. For quilts I gift to my friends and family, I prefer to use traditional French-Fold binding and hand-sew to the back side. This hand work is great to do when there’s a good movie, or several quilting programs you want to “watch”. If I were to enter a quilt competition, I wouldn’t use the Janome Quilt Binder Set either as it often doesn’t meet the judging criteria. You pick and choose when you use it.

BUT, for “down and dirty quilting”, as I call it; projects I want to get done quickly, or projects which are going to be washed or handled a lot, I LOVE using the quilt binder! It’s truly become one of my favourite things!

Check out the Janome Canada Holiday Gift Guide for more fabulous goodies which help make your sewing faster, easier and more enjoyable.

Happy Sewing!