I was wondering if you could do the final binding totally by machine instead of by hand? It seems if everything else was sewed by machine the binding should be too. I have 2 quilts to bind now before I can start on another project.

I do all of my binding by machine. I usually stitch it to the back and bring it around to the front. Then I use a decorative stitch to stitch it down, a regular stitch looks great too. You can even use a contrasting colored thread :D:D:D My hands just can't do a lot of hand sewing anymore... so I machine stitch most everything.

Sounds great to me. I'll try a decorative stitch this time. Thanks.

http://www.redpepperquilts.com/2009/...-tutorial.html

I recently followed this tutorial to machine bind a baby quilt. Altho challenging it turned out pretty good IMO. I'm sure I'll get even better over time. I'm sure I'll get better over time.

I machine bind, either by the way Amma described, or by stitching in the ditch from the front. With baby and kid quilts it's easier to bring it to the front and make sure it's down.

I have done machine binding on some small projects like tablerunners and wall hangings. I really like the blanket stitch. Good luck :thumbup:

Fabricnut, Check out Sharon Schamber network- you do have to register but its free and binding (video) is a free area.This is how I do my binding now, someone on here mentioned it, so I tried it and love it , no pinning. You only use a small amount of Elmer's School Glue,it holds it down while you sew but it washes out. Her Binding is legendary and she has an updated website now! much faster! :D Hope this helps!

I do a regular mitered binding then glue it down on the back with the Elmer's glue...heat set it, then stitch in the ditch on front where the binding is sewn on.

I did my last couple quilts on my machine and I loved it. I use a decorative stitch and it's so pretty. Also much faster and easier on my hands.

Here's a Youtube video on how to do invisible machine binding:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wprg5...os=LoS-hHjZYis

I've tried it -- and my work looked so crappy I went by to machine sewing the front on and hand sewing the back of the binding.

Same here. I use a zig zag stitch on my baby quilts.

Thank you for all your answers and suggestions. I'm going to try machine quilting on these 2 quilts in a couple of weeks. I really enjoy your input.

Thanks for the information and video.

This is exactly how I do it too, except I just use a straight stitch. Did fancy stitch of leaves on one for my hubby and that was it. i like the straight stitch bets, i know, I'm a little boring sometimes.

But I will never hand bind again. UGH takes soooooo looooonnggg!

I do binding by machine, unless it goes into a quilt show. then it must be hand sewn down after folding over to back. Judges are fussy that way.

Can anyone post pictures?
Amma? MaMaw???
I tried this and Wasn't really happy with the results.
Can anyone explain this indepth?
Thanks
Kirsten

I do a lot of mine by hand also. And although I didn't read all of this thread, I hope I am not repeating what others have already said.

Sew the binding back first, then press the binding away from the quilt, running the tip of the iron into the mitre. Turn the project over and again press the top along the binding to compress the sandwich. At this point, I also pin in the mitered corners. I fold and pin the edge on one side near the corner and then the adjacent side while the corner fabric is somewhat standing up. I fold the corner fabric last and use a pin to shove the folded bias in and make a perfect mitered corner.

I also use decorative stitches, using varigated thread.

Hope this is clear. Suzanne

i do all my binding by machine. i cut my strips 2 1/4 inches-fold them in half and iron. i sew it on the back, fold it to the front and use either a 3 step zig zag or decorative stitch. i hate sewing by hand so i'm happy with this method.

Did you watch this Youtube video? I think it does the best job. Although this is for invisible machine binding, it would work for decorative machine binding as well -- just change the thread to a nice decorative color and use a feather stitch instead of the blind hem stitch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wprg5...os=LoS-hHjZYis

Thank you so much for that site. Penny

If there is any HOPE of getting a quilt finished, I have to bind it by machine. I found this neat tool at a shop in Delaware when traveling. It makes very sharp looking corners.

"Quick Easy Mitred-Binding Tool" by Sew Biz. The website is www.sewbizmarion.com - it is larger and easier to use than the binding tool our local quilt shop was selling. (The instructions were easier to understand also.)

Recently I did a Downey Child's Quilt. The instructions said to hem it on the sewing machine because it would get hard use.
On another king size quilt, I prepared a bias double fold binding, stitched it to the top, folded it to the underside, making sure I cover the stitching by about 1/8-1/4 inch. Pinned closely and carefully but starting the pin from the back on the seamline. Using this as a reference point, I then stitched in the ditch from the front. I liked it! Silvia

Has anyone heard of the "Magic Strip Binding" method? Very easy and twice around the quilt and you're done ( doesn't use decorative stitching although it COULD ).

Our quilting group that makes charity baby quilts suggests machine stitching for the bindings as it will probably hold up better with frequent laundering.

What is the "Magic Strip Binding" method? Links would be wonderful. Thanks!

I'm a machine binder too. Like Sharon Schaumburg's method - it helped me gain a lot of confidence; don't use the glue so much anymore. But I'm going to try it again to see if my SID will catch all of the binding in back. I also like decorative stitches, especially if I have done a decorative sticth on the quilting.

OK, my two cents here as well. I hate handwork so do everything by machine. I was taught early how to cut the strip, fold in half, stitch on the front and turn to the back then sew by hand. Instead, I cut my strip one quarter inch larger than normal and that extra results in an eighth inch more of the binding strip on the back to make sure I catch it when I stitch it in the ditch from the front. (make sense?) The nite I mentioned this method at a class, no one had heard of doing it that way but I walked around the store and found two or three samples that were done the same way. As one of the posters stated, good pinning is the way to ensure that you catch the binding strip while stitching on the front.

i have never done handstitching on the binding (i refuse to do so ) i carefully line up the binding on both sides just where i want it to be when i am done (a couple times i have used elmers glue to keep in place) then i sewon the front side of the quilt making sure i catch both sides of the binding and i am done , i have entered 4 or 5 of these in quilt shows and have gotten compliments on my binding (maybe it is just a given talent i have and didnt realize it before) hahaha

i agree with Amma. The decorative stitch on the front looks great and is pretty darned fast.

I almost always round my quilt corners, it makes them hang better on a bed. I always sew the binding by hand using double hand quilting thread and small tight stitches. I tried machine stitching and it looked awful. So far my hands will still work, when they don't I will have to do something different.

I used to machine bind all my quilts; I started with a slightly wider strip for the binding, then use a bias tape maker, the really wide one. fold the binding in half over the edge of the quilt, and stich, it did take some finessing to get the corners looking pretty, but, I always have that problem. Since then I've discovered I enjoy the hand work, so I start it by machine, and finish by hand.

one of the things I do to hold the binding in place as I do the finial stitching is to use Steam a Seam lite tape. I put it on the binding before attaching to quilt, leave the paper on. then when I get to folding over, I take the tape off and press the binding in place. If I stitch in the ditch from the front, I dont miss places in the back pins didnt catch. I just love it. very much like Sharon Shamburg's glue method, without the glue. Not affil with steam a seam, just love it.

I do mine that way too except I never thought of using a decrorative stitch. I'll have to tery that!

I enjoyed this website. I learned alot. I am also new at binding. I found thise site very helpful. Thank you Kathy

Do you use 2 1/2 or 2 3/4 in. for binding when you do by machine?

the size of the binding you cut varies according to how big you want the final binding to be. I prefer a final binding width of 3/8 of an inch (I'll do 1/4 inch on very small quilts but I don't do too many of them). I use the formula of multiplying the finished width times 7 (to accommodate for the folding and turning) then, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I add a quarter of an inch since I do machine finishing from the front (this extra ensures that I catch the edge in the back without a lot of stress on my part). Therefore, for 3/8 finished the numbers are: 3/8 times 7 equals 21/8 or 2 and 5/8 then I add the 1/4 inch for a total cut width of 2 and 7/8. (I even make it easier on my self and just cut 3 inches if I feel like it.) For a 1/4 inch finished binding multiply by 7 which equals 1 and 3/4 inch cut width..then for my own ease, add 1/4 inch to equal 2 inch cut strip width. I actually consider each project individually before I cut because thee may be variations based on seam allowances on the edge (if there is no border) weight/thickness of batting, etc. The bulkier the quilt sandwich is at the edge the more inclined I am to give myself an extra 1/8th of an inch to work with. Again, I stitch everything from the front so I can control what the front side will look like....and the extra I have is covered nicely by an decorative stitch I choose to use.