I have one friend who cuts and folds the strips in half, but applies them to the back, then uses the buttonhole stitch on her machine to sew the binding on the front. She uses this method mostly on the quilts she makes that are given to halfway houses, etc., where quantity is as important as quality. Using a contrasting thread, it gives an added decoration to the quilt.

Thats a great idea.

I'm like most others...cut 2.5, machine sew to front, fold over and hand stitch the back with a blind stitch. Somehow...its comforting to do that. I think they look nicer also

Hi CCBear, as to binding, I have done it both ways, machine and hand. I prefer machine. as i said, I like Closure! This way it gets done. I cut it 2 1/2 in wide, fold in half. Match raw edges to the back edge of quilt and sew. Fold the folded edge to the front, pin or baste large stitches. Then use a decorative stitch in the ditch. this ususally comes out somewhat wider on the front than on the back so that both sides look good. I don't like the stitch to meander on and off the binding on the back side.

I really like the idea of a decorative stitch along the edge of the binding. I'm going to have to remember that and give it a try!
~Tiffany

I use 2" bindings, folded in half and sewn by machine to the top and then handstitched to the back.

It is much easier to sew the bindings to the to the top if you do NOT cut away the excess batting and backing! This allows the quilt to feed evenly through the machine on both feed dogs, instead of pulling away to the left of the machine. After you have the binding sewn on, you trim away the batting and the batting using the rotary cutter. It works nicely, because you measure and cut 1/4" from the seam you just sewed, and you have a perfect binding!

Thanks again for all of the help. I just finished binding a wall hanging to go with the quilt. By the time I got to the last side it looked pretty good. I think that I feel confident enough to bind the quilt. Hopefully I'll get the quilt bound this weekend. The wall hanging is just a smaller version of the quilt.

Very pretty! It is so bright and sunny, perfect for a snow filled day like today. :D
~Tiffany

ccbear~ what a great wall hanging! If the quilt looks that good..u did great!

it's beautiful CC. looks like you did a great job!