How To Machine Bind
 

I am adding a new thread because the How To is getting lost in the other discussion.

There are several ways to bind by machine. I believe that a good machine binding results in the same evenness of the stitching on the back as the front. This means that if the binding is sewed first to the back and then flipped to the front, the back stitching should be even and not weave on and off the edge of the binding. With this said....
1. Which side do you attach the binding - back to front or front to back.
2. How do you line up the fold over to get even stitching on the other side.
3. How do you stitch the mitre.
4. What stitch do you use in the final sew - straight or decorative ( includes zig zag)

There may be other suggestions, if so please discuss.

Now folks, this thread is not meant to be a discussion of the preference of hand over machine. It is a discussion of the techniques of doing machine binding.

Tks for posting this Holice. I'll be watching this thread closely.

I put a written tute on the board years ago addressing this issue.

1 - I sew the binding to the back first. Then I iron/press the binding away from the body of the quilt.
2 - then I fold the binding over and press it again toward the fron of the quilt. You may use a glude stick or school gule if you want with this.
3 - I like to hand stitch the mitre after all is done because I prefer the look.
4 - I played around with the stitches. The one I really like looks like shichen feet.

For me the ironing is the key. I avoid any pulling and it is ready to sew without any difficulties.

AliKat: When you fold the binding from the back to the front....how do you line it up with the stitches that are showing on the front. The positioning of this edge would appear to be important not to stitch over the fold in the back. Do you try to catch the edge of the back fold or just off (in the ditch). This appears to be the one important part that few if any describe. This is the part of machine binding that judges look for.

Just had this same discussion at my quilting group yesterday! Responses were all over the map...
0. ( you didn't ask but...) How do you prepare binding?
Unless I'm doing a scallop, I cut it across the grain, 2.25", and do not press it in half.
1. Which side do you attach the binding - back to front or front to back.
I attach it to the front first, using my 1/4" even feed foot
2. How do you line up the fold over to get even stitching on the other side.
I press 3 times: Once to set the seam (avoiding fold of the binding)
The second time, I fold it straight out, really giving it a tug to make sure that there's no tuck in the binding. again not pressing the fold
The third time I press it back over the edge, pressing the fold in, making sure the binding is even and fully filled with the batting. I press to within 2 or 3 inches of the corner. dealing with that section as I sew it.
3. How do you stitch the mitre.
OK, I know you are supposed to do this, but I don't. Send in the police.
4. What stitch do you use in the final sew - straight or decorative (includes zig zag)
I usually don't need to pin or even glue. As I sew, I just hold the quilt up a bit from the bed and feel with my fingers to make sure the binding stays in place. As I come to a corner, I stop and manipulate the binding so the corner lays flat and pin this small area securely. I sew a straight stitch from the front, stitching in the ditch.

My binding is narrow and the excess binding makes a bit of a flange in the back, but it's just fine with me! I will say that I do not enter any shows or competitions. If I did, I would hand stitch #4, and stitch the miter closed.

I like simple and here is how I do it. I cut the binding 2 1/2 and iron only the diagonal joins. I fold it over and sew it to the back about 1/4 inch. I turn over the quilt and sew it to the front using a serpentine stitch my Janome has. I aim to have the left bite just a tad bit over the binding onto the quilt.

I am not a show quilter and the majority of my quilts go to charity. I want a very sturdy quilt that will hold up to numerous washing. Quilts For Kids requires the binding to me all machine sewn. That is what made me learn this technique. It was so fast and easy.

I won Best Of Show in my guild show---viewers choice only no judges----and used this technique. That is my avatar picture. If I did a real show quilt---I would do the traditional binding with the hand sewing on the back.

After sewing binding to the back I fold it to the front and hold in place with those small red clips.
Sew onto the front by following the back stitchs as you take out the red clips. This way you are stitching in the ditch on the back.

I use clear thread in the bobbin and sew to the back and fold over to the front and sew it down with a regular stitch. I cut my binding 2.5 inches and I do not sew any part of the binding - I think it was Peckish that suggested this and my bindings have gone on without a hitch since I stopped ironing the bind. My quilts are made for use and not for show so no hand sewing for me :)

When you fold the binding over (either side) do you align the edge to:

1. before the stitching line
2. on the stitching line
3 or after the stitching line.
4. or wherever it lands on the other side.

How do you align if your seam in stitching binding on is not consistenly even.

Several of the above comments said "I don't enter my quilts in competition so it is ok with me". What exactly do mean by this. Do you have a different standard of quality if the quilt is entered in a show and one made for charity.

Is there extra effort made when entering the quilt than charity quilts.

I fold so that the stitch line is under the binding far enough to top stich close to the edge of the binding.