Someone here on the board mentioned Sharon Schamber's technique for binding. I tried it and LOVED the end result. The very first time I used her method using Elmer's glue I was amazed at the result--it really turned out beautifully. You can watch her videos at:

http://quiltinggallery.com/2008/05/1...s-school-glue/

I machine stitch most of mine using some of the fancy stitchesI am learning on the machine. But I always handstiched before, and will still do it for ones I hand quilt.

I machine stitch with my walking foot to the front, usually use double-fold cross grain binding strips (bias only if I'm using a plaid or stripe and want to capture the pattern), then fold to the back and ladder stitch by hand.

I don't pin my bind for sewing, just fold it over...saves a step.

I like to bind...it's kind of my way of saying good bye to a quilt. Weird, huh?

Julie

All my bindings are hand sewn - front and back.

If it is a Community quilt and there is enough backing material all the way around, I trim it and 'self-bind' it. If there isn't enough fabric, I add a binding and machine stitch it front and back. If not a Community quilt (for donation to needy), I machine sew it on, fold it over, and hand sew it on the other side.
Making Community quilts has given me a grand opportunity to create different ways of making decorative bindings using two fabrics. If it comes out less than ideal, its still ok! I've discovered 6 different ways to make some really cool binding...I should write a book!! ROFL

I actually do both! I don't trust that my hand stitching will hold.

And baby quilts...I now machine stitch almost all of those as they'll get washed a lot and I have too many quilts to make to waste precious time hand sewing those unless its for a special child! Somehow time has gotten away from me and I'm realizing that I only have so many more quilts to make in the time I'm given

I am new at quilting but have been watching alot of the video clips before I begin my project. This one makes it so easy to see exactly what she is doing.I am saving this for sure! Thanks!

I actually just started sewing the binding onto the front of the quilt with my longarm machine before I take it off the frame. It goes so much faster. Then I trim the quilt and hand sew the back.

I hate doing the binding and sewing it by hand makes me hate it worse. SO - I now sew it on the back side and then flip it over and sew it down on the front (sounds wrong, but then you can see what it is going to look like on the top and make it pretty and even)