Best machine-binding technique?
 

I'm really, REALLY slow hand stitching, so I wonder if there's a technique for attaching a binding completely by machine that looks good. The ones I've done in the past didn't.
Thanks,
James

This is the only way I have been happy with a machine finished binding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAQWwwAa2K0 There are other videos out there but this one was the first one I found.

I found a useful tutorial at MSQC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GVA05MxXTU

Thanks, Woody. We posted at the same time. I'll have a look at the one you like, also from Jenny.

we have 2 tutotials right here on the QB
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...g-t200207.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...ge-t77821.html

Thanks, Nancy. I didn't want a flange though.

Check out Gourmet Quilter, just saw her method.

I machine-bind using decorative stitches--they are a bit more forgiving!

I want my quilts to look like they are ready for a quilt show so I am delighted with the flange binding technique that McCall's Quilting magazine has on the internet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcF_FIFeStY

I think the most successful techniques are those where you can hide the stitches in the ditch from the front. I know you don't want a flange, but for me that one comes out the neatest. If no flange is needed, I stitch to the front first, press to the back, pin, pin, pin, then SITD from the front.
I think my aversion to hand finishing comes from my first sewing experience. We made everything back in the day and I remember doing miles of hand rolled hems on linen handkerchiefs. I think I was 6 or 7. Loved machine sewing!

I do all my bindings by machine because my arthritis just won't support anything else. They don't look like they are winning a prize at a show, but they look pretty good. The key for me was getting a solid edge to the quilt and getting the right width of binding. I now serge the edge of all my quilts with a nice wide 4 thread overlock. It provides a very even edge to wrap around. I also now cut my binding only 2 1/4" wide, which works for me. I sew the binding on the back side, wrap it around evenly (the trickiest part), then sew with a featherstich from the front. I have also seen just a straight stitch, but I like the decorative aspect of the featherstich. I have found that basting the binding is very helpful in getting it even. Sometimes I use Elmers glue and sometimes I use a wash away basting tape.Pam

Like CanoePam I have arthritis. Therefore I kinda use the MSQC method, but I iron the binding straight out from the back after the first sewing then reiron after turning the binding to the front. Yeah, a bit more but my hands do better this way. I usually use a fancy stitch when I do the last stitching. Looks good enough for any quilt show as it lends a bit of art to the area.

I only machine stitch bindings. Life is too short.... I use a 2.5" binding that I have pressed in half, sew the raw edges even with the front of the quilt, and then flip the pressed edge to the back, just like you would if you were going to hand stitch it down. From the front I pin in the ditch, always checking to see if I caught just enough of the binding. It takes lots of pins, one right next to the other, all the way around. Then I carefully sew in the ditch on the front, removing pins as I come to them. I also pull the binding away from the stitching so I can actually get my stitches really close to the ditch and be able to press the binding back over them.

When done I check all the way around the back edge to make sure I caught the binding everywhere. Quite often I have to redo small spots where I missed. This is because I am picky and want that stitching to be close to the edge on the back, not way into the binding. I think that looks sloppy. This method takes patience and practice, but it's a whole lot faster than hand stitching those bindings down.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]545663[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]545664[/ATTACH]

Front side -- Back side
(This quilt has been laundered.)

Of course, if your quilt is going in a show, you'd better hand stitch!

This one doesn't show how to get the two ends together.

I created my own method. I cut my binding 2 1/2". I evenly fold it, but don't iron it. I sew an accurate 1/4" seam on the back side, making sure the corners are exact. Then, I roll the binding to the front. There is extra binding width at this point. On the front, I make sure the binding is just covering the original seam. I fold maybe 1/8" past it. I then roll the extra width of the binding to the back and end up sewing on both of the top and back binding so that there is about a 1/8" extra fabric outside the seam. (I'm actually sewing almost on top of the original seam) Think how you sew double bias binding that is premade. I do have to rip every once in a while, when my seam gets a little off, but I am getting better at it. I hand stitch the corners to keep them from coming apart. If there is too much bulk in the corners, I have been known to trim the excess just slightly.

Edited to Add: I cut all my bindings on the bias. That gives me a little bit of wiggle room if I need it. If you use bias, do NOT stretch the binding when you are doing the first 1/4" seam. I did try it with WOF bindings and found they wanted to roll funny and I ended up with some small tucks. Not really noticeable unless you looked for them. I didn't like the way I had to fight them.

sewbizgirl, from the looks of your binding, you definitely have had plenty of practice... it looks wonderful. I have only started to machine bind children's quilts and also have had to pick out sections that were not exactly perfect (in my mind's eye).

Thank you jmoore... practice does make it better. But with as many as I've done this way, I still usually have spots to redo. Still, it's a huge time saver over hand stitching.

Practice, practice, practice. If you only tried it once you need to try some more. I put all my bindings on by machine and I will say in the beginning they were not good. Now I bind for people when I longarm there quilts and they love it. Practice on charity quilts. Also, I don't press my binding in half. I just fold and attach to the front. When you roll to the back, it will make its on "edge" and fit in better. Good Luck.

I use glue, following this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PE0...F390EBC02BDD33

If I remember right, at the end she gives 2 options, hand or machine finishing. I ALWAYS choose the machine method

I saw a video about a method I think would work really well but I like to hand finish so I didn't pay attention to where it was. Could someone help me find it? Binding was prepared as usual. Then she put soluble thread in the bobbin. She put on a foot with a hole in it, to thread through a piece of yarn. She used a narrow zigzag to stitch the yarn to the fold on the inside of the binding. Then she attached the binding as usual. She switched to a foot that had a flange in the middle. (I think for top stitching.). She felt for the piece of yarn in the binding placed the flange against it and got great looking binding. Would love it if someone knows of this video and PM'd me the location of it.

I didn't look at all the links provided, so sorry if this is a repeat, but I like
http://patsloan.typepad.com/quilters...-tutorial.html it's pretty neat looking.

Sewbizgirl, your binding looks great, I wonder if I have that much patience, lol.

After reading this thread I looked at a couple of tutorials for flange binding and have just used this method on the quilt I was finishing. Thank you because I would never have thought of such a method if it hadn't been for this board. The difference in finish is pretty impressive. :thumbup: