Binding - doesn't the stitching show through?
 

I know this is a silly question, but every quilt I finish I struggle with the binding. If I sew to the front (face down to hide the stitching) the roll the binding to the back to sew on I get frustrated.

I have hand sewn with a blind stitch many times, but I am working a big project and I have 5 more quilts to bind... I want to sew with the machine. Then I feel like they will stay on better and it will be quicker. But the stitching will show on the other side if I use my machine.

What do you guys do about that? Do you just let it show?

Please let me know your thoughts

Thanks

One technique is to sew the binding to the front, carefully fold over and glue the binding to the back so that the edge just covers the stitch line, then stitch from the front in the ditch while the glue holds the binding in the right place. This stitching will just catch the edge of the binding on the back. Another technique is much the same, except that you zigzag the seam allowance with fusible thread, and then instead of using glue you just iron the binding onto the fusible thread, then stitch in the ditch from the front. In either case, your final stitches do show on the back of the quilt, but not on the front, because they're in the ditch. On the back they are supposed to be nice and even because you've used glue or fusible to hold the binding in just the right position. I've tried the glue method and it worked okay, but I still prefer to bind by hand. My friend has used the fusible thread very successfully.

You can machine stitch binding to the front and back at the same time. It helps to use a glue stick and glue it down first. Your binding strips should be folded over, wrong sides together and ironed. Then you fold both left and right side towards the middle and press again. You sandwich the edge of your quilt in between and off you go. I also have a foot for my machine for this technique but have never used it. Glue and a walking foot work just fine. Good luck!

I stitch the binding on the back and fold over to the front and top stitch. It looks nice. Does it matter if the stitching shows? I use the same color thread as the backing on the bottom and the same color as the binding on the front.

I have sewn it to the back and brought it to the front. Then I use a decorative stitch to sew down the binding. It is meant to show and I just call it a feature!

One option if you don't want it to show: Use wash-away thread and large stitches to sew it down - then check where it is off and make adjustments. As long as you sew it down with a matching thread, it shouldn't matter.

Most of the time I sew mine down by hand in the back - even the large projects.

This is what I did - the stitching DOES show on both sides - but I tried to make it fairly consistent - the green and black are the back sides.

I think it comes down to what you can live with. The stitching will show on one side or the other if you do it by machine. Does it matter? To me the answer is sometimes yes, sometimes no. Super special quilts get hand stitched binding. Others get machine sewn binding. We often make an effort to make quilting stitches show up, so why is it so taboo for binding stitches to show?

Here's one of the best tutorials I've seen on binding by machine (or hand).

http://pileofabric.com/2013/08/06/ma...ecise-binding/

When I have hand stitched bindings to the back, I have used a simple overcast stitch (with an extra knot every 4 inches or so) with a single strand of thread. I would go bonkers trying to do a blind stitch, it is so slow and tedious for me. Sure, the overcast stitch shows a little, but I consider that part of the charm of hand stitching! My overcast stitches are between 1/8 and 1/4" apart with thread that matches the binding. This is plenty secure, plus easy to fix if a thread should break (because there is typically only a 4-inch stretch that needs repair), although I've never had a thread break.

But, now I do most of my bindings by machine. It does not look as neat as my hand bindings, but it's plenty good for the bed quilts I like to make. I am convinced that no one but another quilter will ever examine my bindings to see how well I did them! Most people are just delighted to have a quilt.

It did take me quite a bit of practice and development of technique to get my machine bindings to where I actually like them. They are still not perfect, but much better than my first one. Still, the first one was good enough for the quilt and doesn't bother me anymore (no one else in my family would notice).

Edit: I want to mention that machine bindings are much easier if your machine has a decorative stitch that does not have a center line down the middle -- e.g., a feather stitch that varies to both right and left. When you use this on the front of the quilt it does not matter if you are off a little; it will still look good on both sides. There are other techniques that help a lot too. Ironing the binding away from the quilt body before turning the binding helps more than you would think to get a straight binding on the other side. Also, Elmer's washable school glue is wonderful for securing the binding before sewing.

What about flange binding?

Tashana: I have sewn the front and back together in the technique that you describe. That is when I have my best results - - except for the corners. I like nice corners and I cant get them very easily when I do it like that. Do you know any tricks to help with those corners when using this technique?

Thank you for the tutorials! I am going study them and see what I can improve on when I do my bindings

I don't know what "flange binding" is. I think I am going to have learn about that before I bind my quilt this weekend

I machine stitch my binding to the back, fold it over to the front. I hand sew all my bindings this way. It gives me something to do while watching tv. I save up a few quilts this way when we watch our favorite tv series on box sets.

Do you guys feel like the hand stitching on the back of the binding holds up? I have a feeling that the ones I am working on now will get used. My nephew was killed in a car accident and I am making memory quilts and the little brother (my other nephew) is handicapped and I am pretty sure that he is going latch onto one of these. I would just feel bad if the binding came off because I am sure he will be rougher than I would be with the quilt (which is fine I just want it to hold up to him)

In order to get nice corners, make sure to stop sewing slightly before the 45 degree line.
If you cross that line, there goes your nice corner.
I use the Perfect Binding Miter to mark that 45 degree line and it really helps.
http://www.connectingthreads.com/too...r__D81892.html

Edit: Also, make sure to square up your quilt before you sew the binding on.

I do think that hand stitching on the back holds up. Just knot the thread every 4 inches or so. That way, if a section does come out, it's very easy and quick to repair.

That's what I did on my last quilt (only I used pins to hold it-I pinned it right in the ditch and took them out as I sewed). I plan to do the same from now on.

here you go:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...ge-t77821.html

that's how I do my binding sew on front then glue back and st in ditch from the front good idea for the fusible but would the zigzag interfere with the miter in any way? I'm going to try this,I have a small wall hanging ready for binding and I have fusible thread do you put it in both top and bobbin?

A long time ago I put up a tute - written only - on binding with your machine.

I sew the binding on the back. Then I iron it flat, going away from the body of the quilt. Next step is to iron it over onto the front. You can use a glue stick, glue, or whatever, even nothing. Last step is to use a fancy stitch to attach the binding on the front. I like what I call the chicken feet stitch. Using the thread color of choice so it looks nice w hen finished.

Thank you for the link to the flange binding!!!

Where can I find this tutorial; I tried but could not find it...thanks....

I machine all my bindings. Some to the front and some to the back and I have no trouble with seeing the stitching. After all you can see the quilting stitches. Do what pleases you.

You can go to page #2 of this thread and gale has put a direct link in green letters that will take you right to it OR you can type in Quick Machine Binding with flange in the search bar at the top of this site. The search bar will bring up all similar threads and then you look for Charisma's name.

busy fingers: good point... the quilting threads do show through. never thought of that. Thank you everyone for your thoughts.

Sharon Schamber has a terrific tutorial on You Tube. Type in her name and "binding" .... you will learn lots watching it. I just put on my first binding using her Elmer's Glue method. Saved me hours of time and the binding is really nice. But you can see the stitches.

My preference is to stitch the first side by machine then use the ladder stitch for the 2nd side. I like the fact that no stitching shows on either side. Do what you are comfortable with - that is the only thing that counts.

I just used the Faux Piped Binding (demo was given by a guild member) and if you Google these words, there are web sites on this. It is very similar or same as the method described by Tartan. It works like a dream, even with the corners! I also have attached binding from the back by machine and then stitched it down on the front with a decorative machine stitch such as a feather stitch. Looks good on both sides, too.

I don't worry about the stitches showing; they have to go somewhere! I would worry if I were entering it into a prestigious show, but that will never happen! My hand-sewn bindings are still in place on my quilts after years and years.

This is what I do too. I use a "stitch in the ditch foot" for the top stitching and move my needle a few spaces to the right. That way my stitching is consistently catching the edge. I pin the entire binding down first and use a stiletto to hold the edge over to the foot, when I remove the pin. As you can see from the photo, I over stitch the corners a bit. It just makes me feel like the corners are more secure. On the front side it is almost invisible. I do ALL my bindings like this unless it is for a show. It is especially durable for quilts that are going to get lots of abuse, like kid quilts. Good luck![ATTACH=CONFIG]429262[/ATTACH]

Sorry I can't help you. I sew the binding to the front, then hand stitch it to the back, have tried by machine and just can't get it looking good.

The Martelli binding system is amazing. There is a video. I wouldn't be without mine.

Pactrick Lose has a good tutorial, if you go to Quilters Newsletter, click on videos, and then in the space, put in Binding by Pactrick Lose. Its great.

Our grandmothers and great grandmothers sewed them by hand. I still do most of mine by hand because I just like the way it looks. It's not that I mind the machine stitching showing on the binding, I simply haven't ever gotten my machine stitched corners to make me happy. And I actually enjoy the hand-sewing. But sometimes the deadline comes faster than I can stitch!

I do both sides by machine. Sew to the back first, then on the front with either a straight stitch or a decorative one.
:)

I have to add that as others have suggested, so much depends on what you are willing to go with. I don't think that any of your loved ones will care if the thread shows through on the back side of the quilt. As someone said, sometimes people purposely put colorful thread on the bottom so it shows.

However, I've hand stitched many, just so they didn't show through. But now, I mostly just finish on the top, and machine stitch. I haven't had anyone complain or even mention it.

I sew my binding to the wrong side and fold to the front where I use the machine blind hem stitch, invisible thread and sew it down. You have to really look to see it. Since my hands don't work as well as they used to, this works well for me. I use thread that matches the back in the bobbin.

[QUOTE=MadQuilter;6222505]I have sewn it to the back and brought it to the front. Then I use a decorative stitch to sew down the binding. It is meant to show and I just call it a feature!

I recently used a blanket stitch with contrasting thread, and it looked wonderful.

I purchased the Martelli Binding System over a year ago and still have not tried it out. After I complete my daughter's DWR quilt I am going to get it out and learn to use it. My BFF in TX uses hers for every quilt, unless it is for a show quilt.

Yes, it will show on the back side as a topstitching. But you eventually get a feel for it and your stitching on the back becomes more even and uniform. I never use glue, only pin the binding in place before sewing.

If you need it not to show, you will have to blind stitch it by hand.