Quiltmaking Tips: Adding a Facing to Finish a Quilt

Author Sylvia Pippen is a fan of quilt facing as a means for finishing off her quilts. A faced quilt hangs very straight and gives a clean edge without introducing another design element. Unlike a quilt binding, a quilt facing is turned to the back of the quilt and shouldn’t be visible from the front.

To complete your quilt with this finishing technique, follow these steps:

1. Cut 2 strips 2″-3″ wide by the length of the quilt sides.

2. With long raw edges even and right sides together, pin each strip to one of the quilt sides and stitch with a 1/4″ seam.

3. Press the seam and strip away from the quilt top. Top stitch through the seam allowances and the facing strip.

4. Fold the facings to the back, press and turn under the remaining long raw edges of the facings, and hand stitch them in place on the back of the quilt.

5. Cut 2 more strips the width of the quilt top + 1″. Repeat steps 2-3 while extending the facing strips 1/2″ beyond each side of the quilt.

6. As before, press the strips and top stitch. Fold under the excess facing at either end. Turn the facing to the quilt back, turn under the remaining long raw edges, and hand stitch in place.

This tip is from Sylvia Pippen‘s book Paradise Stitched: Sashiko and Appliqué Quilts.

Happy Quilting,

The Tech Editors