Binding from back to front....
 

I'm a hand quilter and making a QS right now--vintage churn dash pattern using 1930's fabric. All my grandmother's quilts use the backing as the binding. Have any of you done this and how is it done. HELP!

One of my grandmothers made all her quilts the same way. I've made a couple (usually with flannel). Here's how I do it:

Are you tying or quilting the quilt? If quilting, make sure to leave a little space (an inch or two) between your quilting stitches & the edge of the quilt. If tying, that pretty much happens anyway so no worries.

When it's all quilted or tied together, flip the backing back away from the edge as far as you can and trim the batting flush with the top of the quilt, DON'T cut the backing yet.

When the top and batting is all trimmed & square, flatten out the back and trim it down - I cut it down to about an inch & 1/2 because I like wider bindings on these types - basically I leave 2x the width I want extra. (So 1-1/2 inches of backing left gives me roughly a 3/4" wide binding)

Lop the corners off, leaving about 1/2" between your cut line and the corner of the top/batting. Fold that lopped-off corner down the rest of the way so the point of the top/batting is covered by the fold. Fold your binding edges over twice - first fold bring the edge of the backing over and butt it against the edge of the top/batting, then fold over again. Your corners should miter pretty much on their own. Pin (or glue) & sew!

The nice part is you don't need to worry about catching anything on the backside so you can focus on getting the top seam exactly where you want it. Don't forget to put a few stitches in the mitered corner so it can't come untucked.

OR you can skip the mitering and leave it all square and fold it over straight on all sides. That gives a thick corner that I'm not terribly fond of, BUT that's how my grandmother did all of her quilts and it works just fine. :)

I don't hand quilt but I do use the backing for binding a lot on Quilt for Kids quilts. They require that you machine stitch even the binding. What I do is, after I've quilted the quilt, I trim the backing down to be about 3/4 to an inch larger than the quilt size. I double fold the backing from the back of the quilt to the front and miter the corners. I use the clips to hold it and then sew it down right on the edge. I hope this makes sense to you and you can "picture" it. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me!

Although I've sewn many, many quilt tops, it wasn't until last year that I tackled binding. I had a friend who, because of family circumstances, only did bindings for her contribution to the guild comfort quilts for cancer patients. I would advise you to look at and study every you tube video you can find about how to put on bindings, and then practice on a quilt that is smaller and not destined as a gift or a bed. And find what works best for you because there is more than one way to skin a cat. I found the way I loved and what I was best at, was machine sewing the binding on the front, bringing the binding to the back and pinning it, then machine stitching in the ditch from the front again. This is not how most people tackle the binding. Most people don't like to do bindings, but I have found that it's calming and I now trade bindings for machine quilting. Take it slow, enjoy the process and you will be a pro in no time.

Have you quilted this yet? If so, VERY CAREFULLY trim away any excess batting along your border edges with enough left over to fill the binding edge to your chosen width. I would suggest folding your backing fabric as far back from the edge as possible and pin really, really well so to not nick the backing fabric when trimming your batting. Once that process is complete, measure your backing fabric even all the way around the quilt. I would still double fold so the raw edge of your backing is tucked into the quilt. Don't know if you would want/need to then do a line of quilting along the inside edge of your 'binding' to give it more of a 'binding' look or not.

If you spent all that time hand quilting this quilt, I would not try to do this type of binding. I tried it once and wasn't happy with the final results. I admire hand quilting and I would not use what I call a "short cut" with the binding. You have to be so accurate with the sewing to make it look sharp and not sloppy. Just my opinion. My only regret in life is that I didn't learn how to hand quilt. I have always tried to strive the look of hand quilting with my machine quilting.

Here's a tutorial showing how it can be done:

http://www.cluckclucksew.com/2014/01...uilt-back.html

I have only used the backing to bind a quilt on recent projects. The Quilts for Kids kits that I get have directions to bind in that manner. I do like doing it that way...I think the corners miter just as nicely. I wonder about how it will wear.. or if it would tear easier, but I don't know why there would be problems. I found you tube videos to walk me through it as well Good luck

The problem with pull- over binding is that it doesn't hold up to vigorous use,compared to double- fold binding.

This method (and I have used it once) works best for small/baby quilts. Very good instructions on Cluck Cluck Sew and Willferg pointed out.

I have used a foldover binding many times, and I think it is authentic to some of the vintage methods as you have said from your family's experience. If using machine stitching, I recommend a walking foot. I have never had a problem getting a nice looking stitching line.