When you're ready to attach the binding to your quilt do you cut off the excess batting and backing before or after you sew it on? I've always cut mine off afterwards but by cutting it off before that would reduce the bulk and weight of the quilt.

Not sure if there's a right or wrong way-just curious about how you do it and why.

Thanks!!

I trim my backing and batting down to about two or three inches from the edge of the quilt, then I sew the binding on and finish trim the rest afterwards. That way I don't have to deal with all the bulk.

I trim mine first.

I always trim mine before sewing on the binding. I do not pin my binding, so having the edge already trimmed lets me line the side of the quilt with the edge of the binding and sew away! I always use my walking foot, so no slipping.

I've done it both ways. Now I trim it because I find it easier to stay at the quarter inch but you've got to make sure that all layers line up all the way around the quilt. I think by doing that it makes the backing smoother.

I trim first.

I trim it so it's a couple inches away from the edge, quilt, then when it's all quilted I serge the whole thing together, which cuts off the exact amount of excess!

I leave 2 ins, quilt the top then stay stitch around the entire quilt then trim the excess and bind it. This works best for me.

I trim mine before attaching the binding. It would be too bulky for me otherwise.

I always trim first.

I trim mine first. I have even sewed the binding on just the top before sandwiching it, but this only works with machine or handquilting it. That's the way my DM taught me and she's quilted for many,many, many yrs. and there's NO quilt police!

I trim mine. I use 3" binding. I need to see the edge so I can test wrap the binding so make sure it will wrap to the seam line.

I used to trim mine, then sew on the binding with a 1/4" seam. However, now I square up the quilt first and mark the squared-up line with a Sharpie permanent marker. Usually I do a fairly big zigzag stitch outside the marked line to stabilize the edge, then rough-cut outside the zigzagging. The marked line clearly shows the edge of the quilt, so I line up the cut edges of the binding with the Sharpie line and sew the binding on.

Only after the binding is sewn on do I cut the excess batting and fabric away. Before I cut, I pull the binding over to make sure the binding will be filled. This allows me to make any minor adjustment in the 1/4" seam allowance so that the binding folds over the edge perfectly.

This system works really well for me.

I trim first,about 2" from the edge.

I trim first,as well it just reduces the bulk.

Because I quilt right up to within 1/8" of the quilt top edges, my edges are secure and then I trim my backing and batting before I sew on the bindings.

I always sew the binging on first and trim with the rotary cutter so that it is nice and straight.

I try to have about 2-3 inches overshoot of both backing and batting prior to quilting in case there's shifting while quilting. I leave it during binding and then use a good old-fashined pair of Fiskars sheers to trim backing/binding to 1/4 inch binding seam. Works for me!

I stitch 1/8" in on top all around, trim excess batting and backing away, then attach binding to front and turn to the back and bind.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I appreciate all the help and suggestions.

I trim 1st.then bind.........I often straight stitch after it is squared up......then trim: then bind....I have always hand stitched the binding on the backside...
Many have asked why I do it by hand. I cannot answer except that seems to be the "purist way"
Enjoy your Easter season !

I trim and square up first, then bind.

A very important part of doing the binding is too have the binding "filled" with the seam allowance. I notice Prism99 is the only one mentioning this step.

lov2stitch

If you are going to have your quilt judged, they look for the batting to completly fill the binding. I stabilize the edges, square up and trim exactly after attaching the binding, but I trim pretty close before so that there is not extra bulk.

I always trim first. No matter how careful I try to be, my last border is always off just a smidge. So, I measure from the seam of the last border and then cut. That way, my border is the same width all the way around and I have a perfectly straight line to sew my 1/4" seam on the binding. I do leave pins in the outside border until the binding is sewn on so the layers don't shift.

I trimmed mine on the doll quilt first. Penny

I trim first,because I usually use the excess backing around the quilt to make my binding, then I know I have enough fabric to go around

We had a quilting judge attend one of our Guild meetings as a speaker recently. She told us that judges check to see that the binding is filled with batting. I had always trimmed fairly close before binding prior to this, now I am going to make sure the binding feels full so to speak. Her visit was very very informative, to all of us, even our most 'seasoned' quilters.Now isn't that a nicer way of naming quilter who have quilted for years. lol Gerbie

This sounds like a great way to do it. I'm going to have to try it. I don't cut mine off until after I sew on the binding. Then trim, fold over and sew the back.

I baste around at 1/8 inch thru batting backing top then trim all off before I bind.

i trim mine first

Basketlady...you are the first one on this forum, besides me, who says she has put binding on quilt top before quilting! I guess I thought I was pretty weird for doing that, but it works for me. I usually stitch in the ditch or diagonals, but if I am sending the quilt out to a long armer, I don't do this cause they like to go off the edge. In this way, I always trim back and batt the last thing before I start hemming the binding by hand. Glad to know I'm not entirely alone. LOL.

Sue

I do trim the edges first .....Then I starch and pin the basting and then I sew it to the machine.....The starch makes a lot of diffrent and a nice finish (I saw it on one of Sharon S classes)........

I first do the quilting. Then I machine stitch the binding on the front and then trim the backing and batting. I trim, leaving about 1/8 inch of the batting and the binding so that my binding is filled. I lost points when my quilt was judged by not having full binding.