Hand Sewing Binding to Back
 

When stitching the binding to the back , do you feel it's secure enough to pick up just one thread of the backing or do you pick up a couple or even three ?

Neither. If doing a blind stitch, I tunnel under the quilt back and catch 2-3 threads of the binding. If doing a ladder stitch, I tunnel alternately through quilt back and binding. Here's a good description - http://www.connectingthreads.com/tut...ack__D102.html

I ladder stitch also. I make mostly charity quilts and assume they'll be washed, I'd rather they be more secure than not, since I cannot fix them later.

this is how i do mine too. the resultant finished binding holds up well to my little grand treasures use/love & abuse of the quilts i've made them over the years.

I follow mostly the same process as Tartan and roguequilter. Although I don't stress about how much batting I might be picking up. What I also do, though, is 'lock' each stitch. Not a ladder stitch per se, but close, but each stitch ends up being 'knotted' to a degree. I come up through the backing/binding and go under the loose thread from the previous stitch and pull until it is taut. Sort of 'knots' each stitch and to the best of my knowledge, none of bindings have come apart yet. I usually catch 3-4 threads of both backing/binding on each stitch.

I now machine sew all my bindings. I know they will not come out. I use a bit smaller stitch. I back tack at all corners.

This is how I do it also. ... except I have no idea of the kind of needle I use. Does it matter much?

As well as catching enough of the back and batting, every few stitches I catch the line of stitching that sewed the binding to the right side too.

My stitch is similar to Tartan's also. I use a double thread.

Tartan's way s mine too! I am going to look for those needles with the larger eye! I knot my thread at the corners and about every 20 stitches on the sides. I have never had to reset a binding but it is easy to do this way and if any comes unseeded it will be a quick fix!

I put my bindings on using my sewing machine. I think it's quicker and much more durable. If I decide to do a hand binding, I use a ladder stitch. I've never had any problems with a ladder stitch becoming unsewn. I will admit that I shorten my ladder stitching more than I would if I were using it on clothing.

I've never had a binding come undone and I do almost all of mine by hand. By traveling the thread through the binding and batting you don't see the stitches and they are secure. I don't press my binding for this reason as it is easier to travel with the thread under a softly folded binding than one with a sharp crease. I use one strand of thread and a fine needle.

Like Tartan (and many others), my needle travels into the backing/binding and then comes up about every 1/8” to catch a few threads of the binding...and then back into the backing/binding. I machine bind baby quilts that are surely going to get a lot of washing.

Another here who machine binds all my quilts. I just am not able to do hand sewing due to physical issues. I attach to the back first and then fold over to the front. Not perfect but it's the best I can do, and no one has complained yet. LOL, to my face anyway.

I don't use thread, instead I find johnson and johnson non scented dental floss, in the white rectangular container, does not twist or turn and will not break, it is easy to thread into a small needle, and buries into the binding, batting very well. I used to make porcelain dolls and this is what we used to attach the hands, feet and heads.