I didn't used to but I read here on the Board that all lot of you use your serger to serge the edges before binding. I tried it on my last two quilts and I was very pleased with how much quicker and smoother my binding went on, so now I plan to do that with all my quilts.

I do this also. If I don't use the frame, I do baste around edges whe I baste the whole quilt .

I measure from the last border toward the edge and mark. I sew a zig zag stitch around and then trim a straight edge. It helps keeps the binding perfectly straight.

I mark the cutting edge with a permanent Sharpie first, then sew around the edge close to the marked line, either a little inside or a little outside the marked line. I do *not* trim before attaching binding; I attach binding for the first side using the marked line to line up the raw edge of the binding. Only after attaching the binding do I finally trim the edges, being *very* careful not to nick any of the binding fabric (especially at the corners).

Waiting to trim allows me to adjust the width of the sandwich in the binding to make sure it will will the binding the way I like it. Also, then I don't have to deal with cut edges of the quilt sandwich rippling or getting ragged from handling.

I noticed that when I cut first and then stitched around the edge, I was still likely to get some sliding, distortion and tucks because the sewing line is *so* close to the edge. The way I do it, just marking the cutting line without cutting, makes the edge much more stable while I work with it.

I do a long basting stitch around the edge before I trim the edges. Keeps it together very nicely.

I quilt to the edges so have not stitched around before binding and have had no trouble.

I do and use basting stitches as well. If I don't, the binding always pulls something out of place and creates wrinkles.

ditto

Great idea. Thanks.

It wasn't in the instruction book so I didn't do it for the first quilt, although my sewer's brain said "stay-stitch!!" But I've done it since - a little baste or zigzag - and it helps me keep the backing in line. I need all the help I can get as a rookie