I hve done the back machined...but you sew from the front...just make sure the back strips is slightly wider then if you were hand sewing and pin really well from the front making sure your have caught the covering strip on the back..then stitch in the ditch. This is for the method where you use a single strip (I use 1 1/2" wide and 3/8" seam) on the front and a folded strip on the back (I use 2 1/2" if hand sewing). Hope this helps