Bias?
 

My mother taught me to bring the backing of a quilt to the front and hem. But I notice many of you use or make bias tape. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

I do a lot of hexagon and octagon table toppers and I find the bias fabric is easier to take around the corners so I generally make my own bias tape out of whatever fabric I'm needing. Disadvantage is cutting the diagonal into my stash...

I think either way works just depends on what you doing and what you are comfy with

Rather than a single layer of fabric, binding usually is double folded. So, it would last longer around the quilt and is preferred by many. IMO, binding finishes the quilt better and looks more professional. It's preference.

The method most quilters use is single-fold straight grain binding. It's not cut on the bias. Basically you make a long strip about 2.5" wide and fold it so it is only half as wide. This gives the binding two layers of fabric. The binding on a quilt is the area that takes the most abuse, so having a double-layer of binding on the edge helps the quilt last longer.

For me, there are no disadvantages to using this binding method instead of folding over from the back. I suppose it takes a little longer.

Usually the separate binding, be it bias or straight cut, is folded over so that the actual edge of the quilt has two layers and will wear a bit better.

i prefer the more finished look, so i use the separate binding.

Bias binding is much more forgiving and stretchs if need be. It does take a little more time and energy to make your own but it is worth the trouble. It also wears better than binding made from the straight of grain. If you should fail to catch some of the binding material in your seam when attaching it there is no worry about it raveling.

Another advantage of using a separate binding is that the final sewing, if done by hand, is done on the back. From the front you see only a machine stitched seam, very even and strong. It is probably easier to make nice mitred corners when using separate binding. (I don't know how you make them when you fold the back over and hem it.)

I always make double-fold, or French fold binding, which is folded before being sewn to the quilt. I usually cut the binding strips across the WOF rather than on the bias, but bias binding does go around curves better and is supposed to wear better.

Both these opinions need to be clarified... the bias binding (double chanel is best, two layers) has the real advantage of wearing much better... this is not because of the double thickness, it is because as the bias thread bend over the edge of the quilt, they are not parallel to the edge, they are at a 45 deg angle...thus when one area wears thru, the threads that are damaged, are not connected to threads even an inch away...the worn area stays localized. When a thread begins to wear on straight binding (or folded over hems), that thread goes the entire length of the edge and will very quickly separate and open all the way down the side (we have all seen quilts with their binding worn thru, still sewn to the quilt, but open with all layers showing on the side).... Your quilts are a ton of work and a lot of money, they deserve the techniques that protect them the way our grandmother's quilts were protected... check out the antique quilts at Quilt Shows... they are always on the bias... the simpler way is something that i believe happened from losing a generation or two of quilters in the 40s--70s.... people teaching themselves didn't realize there was a real reason for the bias binding... and don't be fooled by the people who tell you it takes more material... single or double layer... whichever you use, will compare exactly to single or double straight cuts... there are more seams, so they take a few more minutes to produce, but the square inches used for any one quilt binding is the same, bias or straight.