How many machine bind their quilts?
 

I do not like to bind my quilts. I have 9 quilts waiting to be bound. That must tell you how much I don't like binding quilts. I want to machine bind them all.

I know they don't look as good. I know that 100%. My LQS owner bound my last quilt and she machine bound it with flowers and it looked wonderful. I want to try it. It wasn't a straight stitch, so it didn't matter that it wasn't straight all the way around.

It was a wide flowery stitch, about 1/4" wide. What is your opinion? I use to hand bind years and years and years ago. I need these done by Christmas and the only way I will get them done is to machine sew them.

I even send them out to be bound (shame on me). But I want to do it myself and machine sew them. Is that so awful? The people they are going to don't quilt. So they won't know the difference.

I have done machine binding when I was on a time crunch too. Make a little practise sandwich and try a few different stitches to see what look you like. When I did mine I sewed the binding from the back first so that I was putting the decorative stitch on the top side and this let me have a little more control over the placement of the stitch (less critical on the backside). Good luck.

You could make the binding wider, like 3 inches, don't press in half but do fold in half, and sew on the back of the quilt, then flip to top and use one of the pretty stitches to stitch it down. The reason why I said wider, this way you get past the seam on the back and you won't be sewing on and off of it which does not look nice. Your stitches on top will appear on the backing. Choose a busy print and it won't be so noticeable. But, pulling the binding to the top, you will see exactly where the seam is on the backside and make sure you pull it enough over that you will be past that.

Someone else posted about not pressing the binding because the crease needs to be flexible.

A lot of times I like to make a wide backing especially when using fleece, flannel or minkee, and pull the backing to the top of the quilt and hem it down. There are several ways to decrease the bulk on the corners. You can google it if interested.

I do, almost all of mine. I use purchased bias binding a lot too. I pin everything so it comes out nice. Sew on the back side first, then wrap to the front and topstitch. I have used decorative stitches on a few, but mostly just a straight stitch.

I machine bind all the time, because my hands just can't take the hand-sewn binding. I will sew my binding to the back of the quilt & then bring it around to the front, then I topstitch at the edge of the binding using blending top & bobbin threads.

I truly admire those of you who can hand quilt!

I have tried to machine bind the quilts for the same reason, lack of time, but I am never happy with the results, compared to the hand stiching. I have a friend that uses the backing for the binding, and she does a beautiful job. I have a problem catching the quilt top, so I found if I trim the side of the quilt even, instead of leaving a quarter of an inch of batting and backing, I get better results with maching sewing, but I still am not happy with the corners, so when I can, I try to hand sew. If I sit and sew and do nothing else, I can get a full size quilt hand binded in 8-10 hours.

I hand stitch the binding on all my big quilts, but machine sew on the small charity quilts--a SID or decorative selection--yesterday I shose to SID two of them. It is faster, but I LOVE the hand work when I have time. It is so much nicer looking.

I hav always done hand binding for all my quilts - bed quilts and wall quilts, until the last queen size quilt. I was already quite tired, so I machine bound it, and voila! It looks and feels good - neat and sturdy.
I guess from now on, I may machine bind my bed quilts, but still hand bind my wall quilts.

You need to do what works for you! I'm learning there are no rules, just have fun making them.

Here is a method very similar to what I do to the corners when bringing the backing around to the front of the quilt: (the last 2 minutes of video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUn8ffH-vh8

The last four I completed with machine and was pleased. They will be sturdier, last longer after washing. I cut 3" wide, don't press in haLf, sew binding on back, turn to front, mostly use zigzag stitch. TIME SAVER

I always machine bind. I wouldn't quilt if I couldn't use my machine for the entire project. I love pressing the pedal and making it hum.

With very very rare exception I machine stitch my bindings. I do this for several reasons. I can put more stitches per inch than if I hand stitched. The tension on my machine is closer to perfect than when I hand stitch, it takes so much less time. My hands hurt less when I machine stitch.
I suggest you attach the binding ( use the width you would typically use) as you normally would stitching the binding to the top. Before stitching down the back , use the steam a seam 1/4 inch on a roll( fusible) , and press the back side of the binding , covering the stitch line a few threads over toward the center of the quilt. Once the binding is fused basted into place.. stitch on the right side of the quilt close or in the ditch of the binding seam. I use invisable thread on the top side.
This goes so quick and the results are very good. I have seen other that use glue to baste the binding in place prior to sewing , but I find the 1/4 inch fusible to be less messy, faster, and more consistant bond.
Give this a try on a table runner or something small.

Hemming is the way a lot of people bind quilts. A lot of our older quilters find it much easier to do due to eyesight issues. Simply leave your backing a couple of inches wider than your quilt. Fold it and bring it over to the front and stitch it down. You can use a decorative stitch if you'd like to. It would dress it up a bit. Good luck and get cracking.

this is the way i do it when i don't have time to hand sew the binding

I sew all my bindings by hand sewing them on by hand. Much easier for me and I like the look. While I am sewing it on I am planning my next one.

I machine stitch my bindings (almost always) using the methods already described.

I always machine bind my quilts. I've sewn them to the front then SID onto the back. Or sew them to the back then decorative stitch them to the front. I am not much for hand sewing & my bindings have gotten pretty good over the years. My more recent ones definately look better than my earlier ones! Like most things I've learned about quilting, practice practice!

Thus far, I have machine bound all my quilts. I've heard about how much nicer the hand sewn ones look. But so far my quilts are going to people who will use them heavily and I'm not confident that the hand sewn binding will hold up. I like the look of the machine sewn binding and if you use a decorative stitch I think it would be quite pretty.

I have only ever hand sewn one. I had machine sewn to the top and rolled to the back, my goodness it took for ever, and in my humble opinion not near as strong as when done on the machine. What I do now is sew to front, roll to back, and make sure that it covers the stitch line on the back. I am a pinner (for everything) but have started using the Clover binding clips, cute little effective buggers. Anyway I then stitch in the ditch on the front (with care and taking my time) I started using a foot that has a flange down the middle (don't know if it is an overcast or blind hem foot) but it works extremely well to help keep you stitching in the ditch. If you use a good matching thread, you can not see your stitch line on the front at all since the binding kinda rolls back over it. I always take my time and inspect the back, I usually only have to catch one or two very small places I missed.....works for me

I machine stitched all 12 of the quilts I gave to family last Christmas. I sewed the binding to the back and then used a decorative stich on the top side. They looked fine! I was told by a lady in the guild that unless you are entering your quilt in a show that it was okay to do machine binding. Good luck and think of how great it will feel to have them all done and moving on to something more exciting. Plus remeber now to iron the binding in half :)

I machine bind my quilt's. Sew bing on the front, iron towards the edge, fold to the back and use Elmer's TEMPORARY WASH OUT school glue to attach it to back. Placing it just over the stitching line. Using my craft iron to dry it faster. Then turn it over and sew in the ditch. It makes that binding so much easier to do. YouTube has a tute on this technic.

Machine binding is usually faster and stronger. A few suggestions to make it easier.
1. Make your corners round. Just lay any circular item on the corner and trace around it. A saucer is a good size. Stay stitch the new line then trim off excess.
2. It takes a few minute longer but bias binding is easier to apply. It will go around the new round corners very nicely. Be sure to sew it to the back side first. I usually cut mine 1 1/2 wide so it's easier to handle. I use long superfine quilting pins to pin the folded edge of the binding just over the stitching line. Put the pins in perpendicular to the stitching line every 2-3 inches.
3. When stitching this edge down go VERY SLOWLY. It's much easier to control the line, and you can poke the edge in place as you go along with a sharpened skewer.
My machine has a double cross stitch that works nicely.

I just did a baby quilt last week that everybody is raving about. Good luck and remember to slow down.

Your advice about making the binding wide enough to go past the seam on the back when sewing the binding on the front is excellent. I will remember this the next time I want to sew the binding totally on the machine. Thanks!! :-)

I used to only hand bind; now I almost always machine bind. Machine binding can look very, very good. One of the keys for me is to avoid a straight stitch. I find that a decorative stitch can look very nice, but be careful not to choose one that takes a *lot* of time to sew out. I think it is a good idea to make several binding samples with different stitch types so you can see not only what they look like, but also how long they take to stitch out and how much thread they take. So far I have done mainly a serpentine stitch on the binding (with stitch pattern centered on the binding edge), but the next one is going to be a plain zigzag.

On my next quilt, I am going to glue-baste the mitered corners in place (and several inches before and after the corner) before maching stitching. I think this will help a *lot* to ensure that the corners come out nice. On a small quilt or an important quilt I might glue baste the entire binding, similar to what Sharon Schamber does, but on the ones I have done so far that hasn't been at all necessary.

My biggest problem so far has been the quilt corners, and I think the glue-basting before sewing is going to take care of that minor issue.

Edit: I just realized I do something else that seems to make binding go much easier. I don't cut the quilt edges before I machine sew the binding to the quilt sandwich for the first time. That way I don't have to worry about a distorted or stretched edge, or a flap of backing getting turned the wrong way. Instead of cutting, I use a Sharpie permanent marker to *mark* the cutting edge. (If I accidentally do this on the wrong side of the quilt, I follow this up by machine stitching along the cutting line with a contrasting thread, so I can see the cutting line on either side of the quilt.) When I sew the binding on, I match up the cut edges of the binding to the cutting line. Only after the binding is sewn on do I trim the quilt along the cutting line. Just be absolutely *sure* not to cut the binding at the corners! I often like to trim the tip of the batting off at the corner; just do *not* trim any of the binding there. You will not like the results!

I have to switch to machine binding because of arthritis issues. My former LQS (they closed recently) owner showed me how to do it. Before doing it on a quilt, make some placemats or something and practice a little until you feel comfortable with it. People who don't quilt don't even notice that it is machine bound, so don't beat yourself up about it.

I prefer machine stitching my binding on - I think it stands up to use and washing better. I stitch my binding to the back and turn to the front. If I am going to use a straight stitch, I lengthen my stitch because it looks better that way. As one of the previous poster's said, you want to make sure that your top stitch line does not land on the binding on the back - it looks better if it is on the quilt back itself.

I machine sew all my bindings. I usually use the same method as Linda described above
with Elmer's washable school glue. I've also used the decorative stitch on a wall-hanging.
As we say better finished than perfect. I know my quilts will never be perfect but I try
my best to make it look nice. Make a sample like a pot-holder just to practice and check
your seams, binding width and corners. I found I get nice corners if I just stop a short
stitch from the miter. The Perfect Binding Miter is also my best friend for those corners.
Costs $4 at Connecting Threads. Go for it.

I machine bind all of mine, as my hands can't take it for the hand-sewn bindings. I also want it done in this lifetime!!
I use a straight stitch or a dcorative one, but mostly straight.
Don't feel bad for wanting to do it all by machine. Most folks don't even notice it~

I machine all of my bindings. To me it just feels stronger and of course there is the speed of getting it finished.

I machine bind all my quilts. Sometimes it's a very narrow one, sometimes it's a wide one and sometimes I bring the backing fabric over to the front. It depends on the quilt; I let it speak to me. But I've never done a binding by hand.

Now, having said that, I also don't make quilts for shows; I make them for family to use.

I am amazed at how many of you machine stitch your binding. I am so relieved to hear this. I thought I was going to be put down for wanting to do this. Thank you all who took the time to write me and relieve me of my stress of guilt over wanting to machine bind my quilts. Now I will machine bind stress free. And thanks for all the tips. I think I can do a great job with everyone's help. I can probably knock all of the quilts out in a couple of months. I have to take breaks. Binding is not my favorite thing to do. Not yet anyway. It just might become bearable to do it by machine. Thank you all!!!

I use this method too, and I read or watched it somewhere where Sharon Schamber showed how to do it with glue. I can't remember if it was on her website or on you tube. with glue and an iron, you can get a very nice, straight, binding and stitching.

I always machine bind and often use a decorative stitch. Can't see well enough to hand stitch.

No, it's not awful to machine bind your quilt. I think it's just a matter of taste. I've done both machine binding and hand binding. But, now, with my physical disability I won't be doing hand binding anymore. Don't sweat it! I think we at times are so hungup on making the perfect quilt, when there isn't any such thing. My Mom always said there is more than 1 way of doing things. Make you quilt your way and enjoy the process!:):):):)

I still prefer to hand stitch the binding from the back, but my machine has some very nice decorative stitches. It does hearts, leaves, bells, stars and a lot of stitches without a name. If I need to machine stitch the binding I am all set, although few of the stitches qualify in the quick to stitch category.
Sue

I figure if your whole quilt is machine stitched why not the binding? Especially for kids quilts.

I put ALL bindings on by machine, sometimes with a straight stitch, sometimes using decorative stitches.......I abhor hand sewing and don't do if I can do it by machine. I have never had any complaints about a machine stitched binding either!

Laurafet that is great how you use the vine stitch on the binding. So cute