Well, I was beginning to think I would never get here, but this is the last installment of our Summer Mystery Quilt. Let's get at it...

The first step in binding is to adjust and square up the borders. The process of quilting will have caused them to have some ruffles and misalignments in them... unless you are really, really good. As I mentioned in earlier parts, this has been a rush, then wait, project for me, and has not had my fullest attention. Then end result is something less than perfect work, but as you will, see, it comes out just fine for general use.

Lay the quilt out, face down, and smooth it as much as you can. Lay a long ruler (I just love Ann's steel 6 footer!) on the edge and see just where you stand...

I did my measuring and found that I could safely square everything with a 2" border. I drew pencil lines at that measurement, and roller cut all four sides. All the wavers and wobbles have disappeared like magic.

Now you have to "trim in" for your fold over edging. On full size quilts, I like to trim in 1 1/2". This results in a 3/4" binding when you fold the edge over to the back, then fold the doubled edge over the back. This piece is not really a quilt, but a dresser runner, and I had to trim a bit more off in the align/square the edge process than normal, so I chose to trim in 1 1/4". I'll freely admit that a part of that decision was based on the fact that I had a very nice little steel yardstick that was 1 1/4" wide. :^) I used this ruler and marked a line on the back, 1 1/4" in all around, then cut off the back and the bat, exposing the border pieces. Be very, very careful not to cut the front when doing this trimming!

Here is the piece with the trimming in done. 1 1/4" of the green border fabric has been exposed on all four sides.

Next, as described above, you fold the outside edge of one side over to the backing, then fold the doubled edge over the backing, and pin. In pinning, I like to pin the two ends, then the middle, then the center of each gap, then the centers of the remaining gaps, etc. This allows me to ease and spread any unevenness in the fabric.

Next you sew this seam...

Note that I have sewn the seam all the way out, through the end border...

and repeat the process on the opposite side.

The next step, binding the top and bottom, involves one tricky decision... how to handle the corners. I generally do square corners (It's a Guy Thing...). Most folks with a bit of experience like mitered corners. If I do miters at all, I cheat and do what is really a half miter. The secret of a nice looking corner, either way, is good pinning before you sew. Here are some pictures.

Here is the simple square corner... the edge has merely been folded mover. A modest amount of care may be required to keep the inside edge from trying to move out, but this is really very easy. You stitch the long seam and the corner is made. You can hand stitch the end opening closed, top stitch with the machine, or just leave it open.

Here are two pictures of making a half-mitered corner. If you want to get into mitered corners in more detail, most books cover it.

I chose to use my favorite simple square corner. Here is the finished, edged piece:

I didn't try to smooth it very much for this photo, so you can see that there are some ruffles in the edges and wrinkles in the quilting. However, the magic of the washing machine will work its wonders...

Here are some close-ups of the wrinkled appearance...

And here, just for the record, because I don't think I've show it before, is the original quilt to this pattern, which I made several years ago... This is much more to my taste... the current one came out much more subtle or subdued than my norm... This is my "cheer me up", "I don't feel good", "use when I am home sick" quilt...

Well, th... th... that's all folks, as Porky Pig would say. I surely do hope you have enjoyed this project, especially any true newcomers for whom it is your very first quilting effort. I would really like to hear from you about your experiences with making this pattern.

I will be setting up one more page... so that you can all show off your projects. As you finish quilts, please, send me pictures to post. I will post a page of finished quilt and quilt top pictures at the end of the month, and add to it as your send pictures in.