On going saga of pressing binding. Yay or Nay?
03-19-2023, 12:17 PM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 8,119
I haven't pressed my binding in half for years. I know a lot of people insist on doing it because it's how they were "taught", but honestly I wonder how many people question why when they're taught this. It's like that old story about why you cut the end of the roast off before cooking it. The child asked why do you cut it? Mom said, well that's how my mom taught me so that's how I've always done it. So then Mom goes and asks the grandma, and she said "Because it's the only way the roast would fit in my pan."
I find that by NOT pressing the binding in half, it rolls around the raw edge of the quilt a lot easier, sits nicer on the quilt, feels fuller, plus I get to skip a step.
I find that by NOT pressing the binding in half, it rolls around the raw edge of the quilt a lot easier, sits nicer on the quilt, feels fuller, plus I get to skip a step.
03-19-2023, 01:21 PM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Va.
Posts: 5,753
I've done it both with pressing and without. For show quilts, I machine stitch to the front and then flip to the back and hand stitch. It's easier for me to consistently hide my stitches when hand stitching to the back if I've pressed the binding first, though I have at times done without pressing for small art quilts in order to save time. But I find that it's hit or miss for me on whether I'll do a good job hiding those stitches if I don't press first.
For quilts that are meant to be used, I machine stitch to the back then fold to the front and machine stitch using my adjustable zipper foot. I adjust it so that the left edge of the foot rides along the left edge of the fabric with the needle in the indent on the left. That way I get a consistent line of straight stitching just a few threads in from the fold. When doing it this way, I don't get a good smooth binding unless I press the binding in half first.
Rob
For quilts that are meant to be used, I machine stitch to the back then fold to the front and machine stitch using my adjustable zipper foot. I adjust it so that the left edge of the foot rides along the left edge of the fabric with the needle in the indent on the left. That way I get a consistent line of straight stitching just a few threads in from the fold. When doing it this way, I don't get a good smooth binding unless I press the binding in half first.
Rob
Last edited by rryder; 03-19-2023 at 01:36 PM.
03-22-2023, 10:48 AM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,147
I machine sew my binding front and back, and found not pressing in half makes is so much easier. I do bias sew the stirps together and press those seams open. I think if I was hand sewing this would be much less of an issue. With pressing in half, I would really struggle with it wanting to crease when machine sewing it on top, but without pressing that never happens. I like that I can bind a large quilt in about an hour total (because I really don't like binding).
03-28-2023, 07:31 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Central Pa.
Posts: 418
Yay
I'm a presser. I really enjoy binding, it’s relaxing. I use the wonder clips clipping a whole side. Then let it rest a while to take shape. I’ll remove several ahead of my stitches working across row. pre fixing the miter corners really sets then.
