fabric_fancy

i machine stitch to the front with mitered corners, glue baste to the back, and using a straight stitch i SITD just catching the binding on the back.

littlehud

I sew it on the back and do a decorative stitch on the front.

judee0624

I do both methods. I use the back to the front with a decorative stitch on top for kids and charity quilts that wil get a lot of use. I do the traditional sewn on the front, folded to the back and hand stitched down on the heirloom quilts.

judee

Boston1954

By machine on the front and then by hand on the back.

justwannaquilt

Machine stitch double binding to the front mitering all four corners, fold over to the back and hand stitch with a ladder stitch (becaue its invisible) using the machine stitch line as a guide.

Jerrie

I also have carpel tunnel in both hands so when i am not hurting i hand stitch and when it start hurting i wait until i have some ease it take me linger but i don't like the machine stitch around it

quilt queen 2

I machine stitch to front with mitered corners then sew to back by hand. I find the hand sewing part is relaxing but thats just me

tooMuchFabric

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For most of my projects, I also machine sew the binding onto the front, then handstitch onto the back using ladder stitch. I like the traditional look of it, I like a small well-filled edge, and I am definitely not skilled enough to machine sew the second side and have it look presentable!

I always think of the use of the quilt.

I have used the fold backing over to front method on occasion. If the quilt's likely going to get worn out, and not intended to be a long-lived quilt, then a durable binding is not important. This might be a picnic blanket or the doggie bed or a table topper for everyday use, that kind of thing.
Also, if it is a walllhanging and not intended for heavy use, I'll fold over the backing - But often in this case, I'll just do Envelope style, sewing front and backing face-to-face and turning right-side out.

But if the quilt is intended to last a long time then I put on a separate binding,
because as time goes on the binding, which gets probably more wear than the rest of the quilt, can just be removed and replaced; the main fabrics are not destroyed along with the edge.

Of course, the centers of quilts that are actually used get worn too, from people sitting on beds and what-not.

That's either to be borne with a stoic heart, or is grounds for capital punishment!!
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pollyjvan9

I machine stitch to the back and fold over to the front and then machine stitch it down. Sometimes I use a decorative stitch, depends on the type of quilt. sometimes I use a machine applique stitch so that it nearly disappears.

peaceandjoy

I go with the traditional - machine stitch to front, wrap to back, mitering corners, and hand stitch to back. I've tried the machine stitch to back, bring to front & machine stitch a couple of times (on table runners or baby quilts), but have not been pleased with the results. After all of the work of putting the top together, I don't want to be less than happy with the binding.