Flange Binding on Hand Sewn
 

I've seen it done as a flange binding when people do a machine sewn binding, but can you do a flange binding when you sew it to the front first and hand sew it to the back?

Watson

Theoretically. The challenge will be getting the stitching in the flange, right at the seam, when you can't see it (the line of flange will be against the face of the quilt top.

It will be difficult to get the flange to end up an even width.

Still mulling this over.

If you didn't mind seeing machine stitching on the front (in the flange), you could make the flanged binding, thinking about attachment as far as how wide the flange piece and the main piece needed to be, and press it over so you could see the flange and machine stitch from the front in the flange.

Cut edge lined up with quilt edge, flange down, fold back to reveal flange "bead". Stitch in flange (can't use a 1/4 inch foot for this - you need the part that wraps to the back to be out of stitching's way. Can use a ditch stitching foot.

Then wrap the rest around to the back and hand stitch.

With the "normal" flanged binding, the flange fabric is a strip 1 5/8" wide and the bulk of what you see when done is a strip 1 3/8" wide, sewn together with a 1/4" seam. To make a reversed-attachment-method flange, the flange strip will be much narrower and the bulk much wider (still adding up to a finished binding width, after the 1/4" seam, of 2 1/2 inches if that's what you normally use for binding). You might need to experiment with strip widths to see what works.

I'll putz it the sewing room tomorrow to see if I can figure out strip widths.

Michelle

It is about ratio. If I remember correctly, if you were attaching the binding to the back first, you would need 1 5/8 inch wide flange colour, and 1 3/8 inch wide main colour. So theoretically, if you reversed those numbers and attached the binding to the front first, it should look the same. Of course the flange will be 'floating' because you said you wanted to hand stitch the binding to the back, but it should still give you the look you want. I would try it with scrap fabric first.

Watson ... There's another way ........ first my back story on flange bindings!

I did a few flange bindings. Loved the effect of the narrow stripe on the front. No problems with SITD of the flange. However, where things can go awry is where that little stripe, even as little as it is, can flip flop around, not lay flat and really not look so nice. Then, once washed, more problems.

I've now done a few flange bindings, where I hand stitch ... but on the front of the quilt. Machine stitch to the back as per the normal way for flange bindings, then flip to the front. Now, instead of SITD of the flange, I just pull it flat and hand stitch at the outer edge. Using a ladder stitch, I can make that stitching almost invisible. I'm happy with the look, and no loose flippy floppy flange strip any longer to bug me!! :)

I wondered the same as I do not like the look of bringing the binding to the front and machine stitching. I sew the flange to the front so it will peek out. Stitch far enough away to secure but so the stitching will not show. Then sew the binding as usual to turn to the back. The trick is getting the flange straight and even. I have not found a way to miter the flange. I think it looks ok though. Good luck! It is possible even though it isn’t standard procedure!

It might be a bit of a challenge but is should be doable.