Binding with Fold Back Clips

I don't know about you, but I love stationary stores like our local Officeworks. I could spend a fair bit of time just browsing all the stuff in there and not get bored.


On one of these shopping trips there was an incredible special on, well in my eyes it was pretty special.

Marbig Fold Back Clips

Just as I was waking past the fold back clip section one of the store attendants was putting a special sign up. I had to ask him if that was for real and he confirmed it was. A 12 pack of Marbig Fold Back Clips in assorted colours was going for 20c a box. Yep, 20c a box. I was over the moon, I mean 20c a box is such a bargin and I love clips. They came in only two sizes 12mm and 19mm. I knew at once I had to buy them. I started loading up my basket with these specials and my hubby walks up to me and asks 'What are you going to do with all those clips?' I said who cares what I do with them, they are only 20c a box. Anyway, I paid $10 for all my boxes. I will let you work out how many boxes I bought if your interested as it is a little embarrassing to actually state it!

12mm Fold Back Clips

They are really quite cute. I ended up giving some to my BFF and used some in scrapbooking and clipping bills together etc, etc but I still had a lot of boxes left over. I boxed them up and put them in the cupboard for the day I would work out what I could use them for. Well, today I actually came up with a really good way to use them - for binding!


I hate using pins for securing binding as I know I will get stuck with tehm, I have used the binder clips that look like hair clips and I just don't like them, I have tried using nothing and just winging it but that doesn’t always come out the way I want. I really needed something a little more 'me' friendly. So today when I was doing my daughters binding I had a light bulb moment and wondered why I couldn’t use my 12mm fold back clips for securing the binding while sewing from the front to bind the back. So I hunted down my stash and pulled out a few boxes and decided to give binding with fold back clips a go.

Adding the Fold Back Clips

Easy Peasy

I was surprised how easy it was. I sewed the binding to the front of the quilt using a 2.5" strip of fabric doubled over and used a slightly larger than 1/4" seam with my Janome Accufeed foot, ironed the binding away from the quilt and then used the clips to secure the binding so I could machine stitch it instead of hand quilting it. I had enough clips to go down one side and then around the corner but if I took out some more boxes from my stash I would have enough for the whole quilt!

Smooth Sailing While Sewing

The clips glide very nicely on the extension table and right up to the needle. I love to use my hyflex gloves only on my left hand to help me wrestle with the bulk of the quilt as I am sewing.

Gets Right Up Close

I was able to sew right up till the front of the foot hit the clip. I had about a 3-4" space between the clips. I find the back stitching looks so much more even when the clips are closer together.

Easy to Remove

Then it was very easy to remove the clips and keep on sewing till I reached the next clip. Once I reached the clip I would slightly lift up the quilt and then squeeze the handles and pull it of and pop them into a handy container so they are ready to use on the next side of my quilt.

Collection Container

Having a container near by was essential, and I just used the lid of my starch spray!

Corner Pin

The binding clips are fantastic for holding the binding in place, they are also a great visual aid to make sure that I have enough fabric on the back to cover the front stitching. On the corners I still needed to use a pin to make sure that the mitre corner would come out perfectly but having to use pins only on the corner is fine by me, only four chances to get stuck instead of about 100. I can live with those odds.

Neat Mitre Corner

Again using the clips to hold the binding in place before and after the corner made it so much easier. I use my Accufeed Stitch-in-the-Ditch foot to sew through the front to secure the binding on the back. I have found using this foot for binding to be fantastic. The only problem with using this method is that sometimes a small section of binding can miss the stitching and then needs to be hand stitched in place.

Stabilizing Clip

Getting Next Side Ready For Sewing

Having enough clips for one side is great. As I moved around the corner, I would stop get my container of clips and then clip the binding for the next side that I was sewing, and continue to do that the whole way round the quilt. It went very easily, and for the first time since doing my entire binding with machine, I didn’t 'miss' any of the binding on the back. I am really pleased with this method of sewing on the binding. I think it will be my new method of binding.


I have now finished my daughter quilt which I have decided to call Sweet Dreams.

Sweet Dreams

I put the quilt on her bed before I picked her up from school and didn’t tell her it was done. When she got home and went to her room to get changed I heard this very loud squeal of delight. A. VERY. HAPPY. LITTLE. GIRL. And a just as happy mother!