binding! machine or hand?
 

what do you do? I machine it on the front and then hand stitch.... I can't get it to look nice any other way! Can you?

Machine on both sides.

Ditto for me! I don't like the looks of machined binding-it seems sloppy to me. At least when I do it - it looks sloppy.

i also do it the way you do- machine stitch to one side-fold to other side- hand stitch down- there have been a few times that i tried to machine both sides was always very unhappy with the results- it seems like after all that work to make and quilt the quilt i just ruined it by short-cutting on the binding

Here's a picture of one I did by machine once. It looks ok, but I wasn't really happy with it.

I stitch to the front and fold to the back and hand stitch

I machine stitich almost all the time. Sometimes bringing it to the front and top stitching , sometimes to the back and Stitch in the Ditch with invisable thread.

I machine stitch to the front, and hand stitch to the back. I really like the handwork.

I do both sides by machine. My hands can't handle all that hand work.

I machine stitch the front, hand stitch the back. I do mitered corners on front and back. They are so easy to do! Check out my blog if you would like step by step instructions for attaching binding.

Phyllis
QuiltingGrannie

there must be a trick to doing it both but machine, patience ??? either that or I am just a bulldozer ! la

Machine to the front, then roll it to the back and hand stitch that side. Comes out great.

Kat

I machine stitch the front and hand stitch the back. I have used decorative stitches to finish and kind of like that look.

Machine sew the front and hand stitch the back. I love the hand stitching. It is like the grand finale for the quilt.

I use a machine on both sides but since I use a treadle I have a little more control over the stitching.

Billy

Same for me - machine the front and turn hand stitch the back. Also gives me something to do when I watch TV with the family.

I do all my binding by machine- I am getting pretty good at it & am happy with the way it looks. I stitch it to the front then SID to the back. I have done it where you stitch it to the back first but mine haven't come out so well.

Most of the time I machine stitch on the front and hand stitch on the back. I am like alot of you gals, just am never satisfied with it on done by machine. I did have one success doing the Faux Pipping Binding. I was using my walking foot and when I did the final stitch down on the front, the walking foot just pushed me where it wanted to go and it turned out great.

Perhaps some of you successful total machine binders can give us some tips to try and make our look better.

I machine attach to the backside, flip to the front, glue stick down and iron in place (just enough to cover seam) and then machine stitch down....sometimes with decorative stitch, sometimes a blanket stitch, sometimes a basic zigzag. Handstitching may be prettier and be the accepted method for judging, but I make quilts to be loved and used, so I want them to hold up to lots of tugging and pulling. I feel that machine stitching is sturdier and less likely to come loose. I really don't like do-overs.

Machine 100%, or it won't get bound! Hands just don't work like they used to AND I was never a good hand sewer.

Patience is indeed a virtue. I always bind by machine and every time I have to work at remembering how to mitre the corners. After the first corner, I'm good to go, though. Sewing the 'other' side requires extreme patience and something I hate to do - pinning to ensure that the straight line that I want to sew is actually straight. But that's what works for me.

I do the same way you do in fact that is where I am at now with my quilt and I about done. I don't mind if it takes awhile to get it done I find it relaxing.

I do my binding like you because I so enjoy doing the hand stitching on the back.

I machine stitch to front and hand stitch to the back using the ladder stitch

I usually machine sew to the back, then turn it to the front and do a machine topstitch close to the edge. I'm pretty happy with the way it looks using this technique, and I'm more confident that my quilts will hold up to lots of machine laundering that way. If it's "for show", I machine sew to the front, turn and hand ladder stitch to the back.

Agree, it is really the nicest I think!

i do the same thing. The arthritus in my hands does not alow hand stiching anymore.

I find it depends on the quilt. If I use the machine I will do a decorative stitch. If I hand stitch it then I use a invisible slip stitch. I think any way you bind it, it is beautiful!

I'm with Quilting Grannie, I don't like to see the machine stitching on the front of the quilt.

I will admit, if I'm doing something simple, like a table runner or placemat, I will take the short cut, but generally for all my quilts, I hand stitch the back.

Machine stitch to the front; hand stitch the back. I enjoy the process.

I do it by machine...first to the back side then the front. [ATTACH=CONFIG]287356[/ATTACH]

I machine stitch front and back. I don't like handwork.

Wish I had one done that I could bind. Lots of UFO's floating my my house.

.Machine stitch to the front, hand stitch to the back.

Like everything else in quilting, there is not right way. I tend to machine in the front and hand stich in the back mainly for the reason that my machine stiching does not look as nice as my hand stiching. I have a friend that does a beautiful job machine stiching her quilts, so I feel it is a personal choice and should just go with your strengths.

I machine stitch to the front, bring it to the back and pin (making sure my SID will cover it) then put a fine line of Elmers Washable School Glue then iron. Remove pins and off to the sewing machine and SID on the front. I do the pinning/glueing/ironing about a foot at a time so I don't have a gazillion pins poking me. Sometimes I use a toothpick for the glue to push the fabric in. I probably should do a zig-zag all around first but I'm too lazy for that. :)

I do it the way you do. I recently went to a quilt show judging and the judge said that machine stitching the final side was a big NO NO it should always be hand stitched to the back side.

The last item I finished (my first Quilt Runner) was done in a Yellow and Blue, Rob Peter to Pay Paul drunkards path. There was so much quilting, when I turned the binding, it looked forlorn and lonely. So for once, I used a 1/4" echo quilting. Around and around and around, for all of the 2" of binding. Best part, even I could not tell where the binding was turned.

On all other quilted items, I have attached by machine on front, then turned, pressed, pinned and blind stitched by hand. Usually lap or baby quilt size! The Quilt Runner project wound up a little larger than I intended, at 92" x 38". So I was very happy with being able to machine stitch the entire binding!