Quiltingboard Forums - do you bind by machine or by hand?

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I machine stitch. I use several different methods depending on how I want it to look and wear in the finished product.
By the time I get to the binding I am already just "chomping at the Bit" so to speak to get on to the next quilt , that my patience would not tolerate me hand stitching if there was and is a faster way.

I do it all by machine. Only hand stiched once. I usually use a decorative stitch and usually one that goes from side to side or curves. I can hide a lot of mistakes that way!

I have done both but prefer machine so it doesn't take as long. I use fancy stitches as a decorative touch.

I almost always machine stitch the binding to the back, press well then machine stitch to the front. I think it is the pressing that makes it easier. Using a decorative stitch adds to the beauty of the quilt.

I sew to the front by machine, then turn to the back and hand stitch in place. Kids quilts I sew to the back then turn to the front and use a fancy stitch to sew binding in place.

I sew mine on by machine and then hand-stitch them to the back of the quilt...I have done some completely by machine, but mostly for small projects like placemats and pillow shams.

I use a walking foot and machine stitch the binding onto the back, turn it over and machine stitch to the front.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ckcowl

i machine stitch binding to the front then fold to the back and hand stitch. i have been (lazy) a couple times and machine stitched both sides...when time was an issue and i didn't have time to do it right.. i always feel horrible when i cut corners and do that-- i think it looks like crap and ruins all the work i put intothe quilt in the first place to finish with a shoddy technique for the binding.
i'm sure it's just me- i just don't like the way they look when they are machine applied...always looks...like it came from walmart to me.
a quilt that was maybe a good $500 quilt, suddenly becomes a $50 , ashamed to give it away quilt.
i know some people successfully machine apply their bindings and like it that way...it's just one of those (things) with me.

I agree. I machined binded the table topper last night, and I'm not happy with it...I was in a rush because it's a present. It doesn't look HORRIBLE, so I'm not going to rip and resew, but I won't do it again! At least until I am better at sewing, and I can get it to come out like the ones I saw at the quilt shop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunniequilter

I bind everything by machine. I also sew the binding to the back with a 1/4 seam allownace first then pull it to the front and stitch down by machine. This method gives me a bit of a wider binding on the front and it covers the bobbin thread that shows on the front from stitching to the back first. I normaly use a 3 1/2 inch wide straight grain binding folded in half for the actual binding.

Maybe when I grow up and can wear the big girl quilting panties, I'll be able to do this!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjuhl

I do most of mine by machine anymore - carpal tunnel makes my hand fall asleep when I do hand stitching (very annoying!). I found this really cool binding foot that works great.

Thanks for the tip! Did you get carpal tunnel from sewing?