Stick and Stitch Big-Stitch Binding Tutorial

If you’ve been around for awhile, you surely know about my love of big-stitch binding. I already have a tutorial for adding sweet hearts to your binding stitches, but why leave good enough alone? While binding a recent baby quilt finish, I started playing around and came up with another stitch option that I couldn’t wait to share. I’m calling it “stick and stitch,” ha! It basically adds a vertical bar stitch in between the standard running stitch typically used for big-stitch binding. It’s super simple but a fun change of pace.

To start, enter the binding at the end of your running stitch, then direct your needle up and to the left at an angle. Where it emerges will be the top of your “stick” stitch, so you can decide where you want to place it. I went about 1/4” above the edge of my binding. This movement will complete the running stitch and begin the stick stitch.

Now, take one stitch straight down, inserting your needle into the quilt back roughly 1/8” below the binding. This completes the stick stitch. Then, tilt the needle up and to the left at an angle again, emerging from the binding at the start of your next running stitch. That’s it! Just keep going until you make it back around.

I put together a little video so you can see it in action. Leave a comment and let me know if you try it out. I’d love to see your work on Instagram, too! Just post using #stickandstitchbinding.

For a full list of the hand-quilting and binding supplies I like to use, check out this blog post. You can find more tips and tricks for what I include in my travel sewing kit (great for toting around with your hand-sewing projects) here. It also includes a tutorial for a quick needle book!

For more information on big-stitch binding more generally, check out these tutorials from Patchwork and Poodles, Kitchen Table Quilting, Lo and Behold Stitchery, and Shannon Fraser Designs.