thequilteddove

I keep praticing this technique but I'm never satisfied w/the way it comes out. Do any of you have a good technique/tutorial w/pictures??? Thanks

jljack

I have tried sewing the binding onto the back and pulling it over to the front and sewing along the edge, hoping that it will look OK on the back. It never does. I can't figure it out either.

CGail

I've tried, but never like the binding machine stitched. I still hand sew the binding to the back. - Cynthia

littlehud

I use a decorative stitch. That's the only way it works for me.

dellareya

I always sew mine by hand. It is my favorite part of making the quilt. Hand sewing makes me feel like a real part of the quilt.

CoyoteQuilts

Me, too. I have a favorite stitch, it is number 18 on my Pfaff 7570. I use a 'joiner' foot or 'stitch in the ditch' foot (same foot) to get my stitches even on the binding. I don't worry about the back.

tjradj

I love using machine binding. The key for me is to be very accurate with the measuring and sewing of the binding in the first place. If you use a 2 1/4" strip instead of the usual 2 1/2" strip for the binding, I find it gives a nicer finish. Sew all your strips into one long one and then starch it before ironing it in half lengthwise. The starch will make it easier to handle.
Sew it to the back of the quilt using an accurate 1/4" seam.
Carefully iron it out first, then fold it over to the front side.
As you fold it to the front side, place a tiny bead of Elmer's school glue onto the front edge of the quilt before you place the folded edge onto the front. Make sure it covers the stitch line by about 1/8". Then iron it into place. The iron will set the glue and hold the binding in place. Elmer's School glue is basically a thick starch, and will wash out completely with the first wash.
When topstitching the binding into place, I use my walking foot. Use thread to match your binding in the top and either thread to match your backing or invisible thread in the bobbin.
Now's the important part. Topstitch the smallest distance from the edge of the binding that you can do without falling off the edge. Use a med. stitch length because if it's too small it will show more.
I find that if I use the inside edge of my foot, and move the needle to the left a couple of settings, I get the right place. That way I'm using the inside of the foot as a guide and NOT watching the needle.
Give it a try. Good luck.
Oh, the usual adage applies. Practise, practise, practise.

seamstome

I bind on the back and then topstitch the front. I cut my strip at 2 1/2. I attach the back at a 1/4 and have a smidgen over 1/2 inch binding on the front. I glue the front, measure to make sure I am even at about 1/2 and steam the daylights out of it to get it to lay flat. Then I use a topstitch walking foot on the top with a 3.0 length stitch. The top thread is either a perfect match or clear and the bobbin is the same as the quilting. The resulting thread line on the back looks like quilting IMHO.

Somebody gave directions for a binding that leaves the seam on the edge and I tried it too. Worked fine.

My feeling is better done than perfect and using my method I rarely run up onto the back bindings...you have to be pretty far off and using that topstitch walking foot my stitch is straight enough for me.

HMMMMM seems like we do exactly the same thing and were typing it at the same time!! And yes I do starch it pretty heavy before I cut the strips.

Lisa_wanna_b_quilter

Eddie put a tutorial up awhile back. All of his quilts are beautiful, so maybe his way would help you.

QuiltQtrs

I cut my binding across width of fabric , 3 1/2" wide, and piece on diagonal
to get length needed for quilt perimeter. Then fold this long length in half. You then have a double, flat fold binding, 1 3/4" wide.
I machine stitch with Walking Foot, the cut edge of binding to back of quilt, allowing about
1/2 - 3/4" of folded binding to show. Mitre the corners, then just
fold binding over to front of quilt, top stitch in coordinated thread, and again
mitre the corners. Have always had compliments on finishing binding.
Whole process takes less than 2 hours, and love doing bindings.