Okay, I cut my binding strips 2 1/2", sew them all together, and sew them onto the quilt. The problem is that when I pull the binding to the back of the quilt to hand stitch it, I HAVEN'T SEWN THE BINDING STRIPS COMPLETELY TO THE QUILT!! So on the front, I can see the batting and the edge of the quilt top... lovely. And so I go back and restitch it, which results in the binding being uneven.

I don't know how that happened, since I cut the batting/back so it was 1/4" from the quilt top. I then attached the binding at 1/2" - 3/8" (it varied :oops: ), but still, on one side I found 6 areas where I missed the quilt top.

I've seen a lot of threads talking about how to hand stitch the back, and that's the easy part for me. What I can't figure out is what I do wrong. This happens every time I do binding, and I don't know what's going on! :cry:

Any ideas on what the heck is going on??? I really want to keep doing the french binding method, rather than gluing it or faux binding methods.

Question part 2: I took a binding class awhile ago and the teacher said to cut 1/4" from your quilt top. Then you attach the binding 1/4" onto the quilt top (or 1/2" from the edge of the quilt). When I used to cut right to the quilt top and attach at 1/4", when I turned it over, I had a ridiculous amount of excess. So the teacher said if I do it with 1/2" on the top, then I won't get that excess when I turn it to the back (which did work).

But I'm thinking that's where my problem is showing up. Since if it's not perfectly straight, but I'm sewing on a straight line, then I'm picking up those exposed batting areas and voila, total mess. So I'm thinking that if I cut the binding strips smaller, and cut right to my quilt top, then I shouldn't run into the batting problem........

What do you all do???????

I square up my quilt having the backing, batting and top all the same (I don't make the backing/batting larger). I lay the raw edge of the binding right up to the raw edge of the quilt and sew 1/4". When you flip to the back to sew it down it should be fine. If you find you have excess when you flip it to the back then cut your binding strips 2 1/4" instead of 2 1/2".

Hope this helps.

I have never heard of the way the teacher told you - seems more complicated than it needs to be. I always have squared up the quilt/batting/backing and then sewn the binding to the edge. I do pin it like crazy because I have run into the same problem you did - skipped places on the backing... so frustrating... pinning, pinning and more pinning has greatly reduced my frustration!! :) I pin about every inch or so - helps alot.

I make sure that my top is square before quilting. I then attach the binding, lining it up with the edge of the top and stitch 1/4 inch from that. I don't pin just stitch slowly. Once the binding is on, I trim the batting/backing using the top as I guide. This way I never have to worry about missing a layer and my top was already squared so upon trimming everything else is to. Hope this helps

I'm not sure what the teacher was trying to tell you either, but if you have made sure the quilt is square and you put your binding even with the cut edge of the quilt, pin, pin, pin, and when you sew, try using the longest stitch you have and then check it. If it looks o.k. restitch using the normal stitch length and if not, you can easily remove the areas that need adjustment and not the area that looks right. I have to do this a few times and after I got used to binding, I could just attach the binding without the "practice" run.
Hang in there, you will get it. Pam

Laybugquilter,
Ditto...this is the way I do it as well -I find that it works like a charm...

I hate binding too, but mostly because it just isn't fun to me! There are wonderful tutorials out there that may clear things up for you. I like this one:
http://sometimescrafter.blogspot.com...rt-series.html

Hey - I LOVE doing bindings! send them to me!!!!

Check out this tut from Sharon Schamber - It's the ONLY way I do bindings :thumbup:

http://sharonschambernetwork.com/fre...gel/index.html

I do it exactly like your teacher says. If you're cutting 2.5 inches, it will make .5 inch wide double binding this way. You need to line the edge of the binding up with the edge of the top, not the edge of the back and batting. Then you do need to sew carefully, and straight.

Ditto on the sharonschamber...she's amazing and I now love doing bindings!

Gosh, i'm not an expert but many years ago, in home ec classes, we were taught the batting, front and back were to be the exact same. I always cut mine to match, then put my binding on. I have no trouble with how they look and it's always clean and straight.

I had that same problem on one of my eariler quilts. I had not pinned the binding before sewing it to the quilt. I make sure to pin now, and do not have a problem. Hope this helps.

I have always told my students to cut and square up their batting and backing to match the same size as the quilt top. They cut their binding pieces 2 1/2" wide and make enough for the entire quilt. I usually suggest 8-9 strips 2 1/2" x 45". I show them how to attach the binding so the raw edges of the folded binding are matched with the raw edge of the quilt. Pin the entire binding in place, make their mitered corners and finish off. I have them sew their binding approximately 1/4" from the edge of the quilt (or the width of their quilting foot as it is much easier to sew the binding down with the quilting foot.

I hope this helps. pin pin pin!!!!!!!! that's a big key!

Cheers
Andrea

Okay, here is my awful quilting secret. I too hate binding- but for a huge different reason- my oldest son (who is now 29) almost choked himself to death when he was 2 years old on a blanket binding. He was playing superman and dived off his bunkbed and had the blanket binding that he had pulled off a blanket around his neck. By total divine intervention, I was walking down the hall when it happened. To this day, I have not put another binding on a quilt. And the quilt police have not arrested me yet. So I say that if it's giving you fits, don't do it. Just my two cents :) :) :) :) :)

I baste (long machine stitch or long zigzag stitch) about 1/8 inch from the cut edge of the quilt to hold the three layers together before applying the binding.

I use a wider finished binding (about 1/2 inch) because I like the look of it.
Also, because when I have the presser foot even with the edge and the needle at the left-most position, that's what it ends up to be. I think it's a lot easier to handle than a skinny little binding.

I also cut the binding on the bias - and I baste those edges together (I do pin them first about every six inches or so) - making sure that it's laying smoothly.

I also do a bit of practice binding with scraps to make sure it comes out the way I want it to. My first estimate at width is six times the finished width plus 1/8 inch. I usually have to try a couple of times to get it more precise.

Hmmmm, a little extra work but that definitely sounds like stitching once with big stitches to check will save me trouble... thanks!

After I finished putting on the whole binding, posting, and venting, then I remembered that I didn't do that right... :oops:

Thank you all for your helpful thoughts and links and ideas. I'm feeling much better about the next quilt I try binding on, lol. This one, I'll just glare at it and make it work.

I'm thinking I'm going to cut my batting/backing to the quilt top size, no excess. What size binding strips do you cut? When I did 2.5" and did this, it gave me waaaaaaaay too much on the back. I'm thinking 2" should be enough (1/4 sewed down, 1/4 showing on top, 1/4 on side 1/4 on back, x 2 strips = 2")??

Now I See - said the blind man . . . .

What's difficult with having the extra 1/4" of non-quilt is that it's hard for me to tell if I'm sewing 1/4" onto the quilt top. That's part of why I like what y'all said about cutting things right to the quilt top since then (in theory) it should be substantially easier to get to 1/4" onto the quilt top... No reason in making binding more complicated then it needs to be :mrgreen:

Ditto. My top, batting and back are all squared the same. My binding strips are 2 1/4". I don't know who you took your class from, but I've never heard of it done that way before.

Can you move your needle to a left-hand position? That might help a bit.

I try to use my Walking Foot when I put on binding. With all the layers, it helps keep everything together and happy. I definitely could try the left position with my normal foot

I have a Pfaff and the walking foot works with the needle in any position.

I don't know how other makes and/or models work.

I square the quilt and then I pin the binding with an even distance to the edge. My preferred method is continuous binding, so I only pin one side at a time. Then I finnagle the corner and continue. It is not show quality, but I have had no complaints and I have never had the problem you described.

From what I have been told, quilt binding should be "full", meaning that the batting completely fills the binding. Judges check for that, but more important the binding lasts longer and looks better if it's full.

I prefer the look of .5" binding and would use .25" only on very small wall hangings, but this is just my personal preference. I think some judges prefer thin binding. That doesn't matter to me, since I don't intend to submit any quilts for judging. As long as your method gives a full binding with consistent width, the method doesn't matter too much. You do need to select a strip width that matches your method though. I use your teacher's method with 2.5" strips, and I don't pin. I do use the walking foot, and my walking foot also allows any needle position.

Wow, never heard of that problem before.
I dont cut off my batting or backing until I have sewn the binding onto the front of the quilt. 1/4 inch onto the quilt top. I dont see how you can get a good mitre on the corner if you sew a larger seam.
I also machine sew in the ditch on the front to attach the back binding.
This is after I Elmer glue the binding to the back side No hand sewing for me.
Have never pined the binding to the front either and just stretch it a small bit as I sew it to the front of the quilt.
But I do square up my quilt top before I layer and quilt.

I'm thinking I'm going to cut my batting/backing to the quilt top size, no excess. What size binding strips do you cut? When I did 2.5" and did this, it gave me waaaaaaaay too much on the back. I'm thinking 2" should be enough (1/4 sewed down, 1/4 showing on top, 1/4 on side 1/4 on back, x 2 strips = 2")??

Lucy, (sorry, I couldn't get the "quote" to work)
I wouldn't make the binding strip less than 2 1/4". You have to remember once you fold it in half, you have half the width. Then place the raw edge to the raw edge of the quilt and sew 1/4". When you flip to the back it will "fill" with the edge of the quilt and you won't have excess.

Okay, thank you for your input. I have 7 quilts to get done for Xmas. This binding mess was on Quilt #1, so I can try all sorts of different widths and cutting closeness and whatnot :mrgreen:

I never took a binding class, taught myself from one of the numerous books I have purchased. I trim top, batting and backing the same. I almost always cut my binding strips 3", fold, then sew a 3/8" seam. I like the look of the wider binding better, even on the smaller projects. I guess if I was binding something that had star points, I'd use a 1/4" width, so I wouln't lose the points, but since there's always a border, I'll go with the 3/8" width Different strokes, I guess.

I use Alex Andersons' book, "Keep Quilting," which is the easiest for me, as binding is not my favorite thing. It is the easiest, so here it is.
1. Trim quilt edges
2. Sew binding, 2 and 1/2 " in strips into one long strip.
3. Pin binding so it is flush on the edge with the quilt, starting in from a corner--about 3-4 ".
4. I always baste, as it turns out better for me.
5. Machine stitch the binding to the quilt. At the corners, stitch straight to the corner, but stop about 1/4" then backstitch.
6. Still at a corner, hold the binding up in the air, fold down so that there is a miter at the corner.
7. Lift your needle, then advance to the next edge.
Keep doing this all of the way around, then turn, check the corners that they are intact. I usually have to stitch mine a little with a needle and thread, but they turn out okay most of the time.
After all turned to the back and the corners checked, then baste and hand stitch.
***** I had to do this several times to get it to look good. Her method is the best for me. Good luck!!
marta
[email protected]
Let me know how it turns out for you; email above.

Like most people have said, I square things up and sew binding right to the top of my quilt. However, my machine doesn't like pins so I have learned to pin a little and then baste it in place before I goto the machine.

I haven't read all the other threads, but this is how I like to attach binding. It is different than what most books recommend, but IMO much easier in terms of achieving accuracy every time.

First off, I do *not* trim the quilt to 1/4-inch bigger all around. Instead, I ***mark*** that line with a Sharpie permanent marker on the quilt top.

Next step is to zigzag near that 1/4-inch mark to secure all the layers. (I pin first if there is any chance the layers might shift on me as I sew.)

Only after sewing do I trim the quilt, and then I only roughly trim it to an inch or two beyond the Sharpie marking. At this point, if for some reason I realize my Sharpie lines are not exactly squared, I can easily adjust those markings so my quilt becomes correctly squared.

To sew on the binding, I align the cut edge of the binding strip with the Sharpie line, sewing my seam 1/4-inch from that binding cut edge.

Only *after* the sewing is completed and checked do I finally trim the quilt edge to where it needs to be. (For example, I would check to make sure I hadn't run out of bobbin thread halfway through!) At this point I can adjust exactly how much I want to trim to get the binding filled appropriately -- not so tight it is difficult to hand sew the binding on the back, but not so loose that the binding isn't fully filled with batting.

Hope this helps someone!

Just my own personal preference. . . I always use a 1/2 inch seam and cut the binding to allow for that. And I sometimes baste the edges together at 1/4 inch before sewing on the binding. When it comes time to fold over and hand stitch, the edges can be trimmed if necessary to get the binding overlap correct on the other side.

Working on two doll quilts for great grandaughters. This A.M. I couldn't get bias binding to join properly, so I looked up my old faithful.
Happy Endings by Mimi Dietrich.
All about finishing the edges of your quilt. Everything fromBias binding, French binding, Rounded corners, Folded Mitered corners, Scalloped Edges, Corded Binding, Prairie Points, Making your own Ruffles and lace. This book is well worth the price and has many tips on how to do all of these things.

bettesmith

I always use my walking foot when attaching bindings. It insures even feed for a much smoother job. I cut my binding strips 2 1/4', attach it to the quilt top using a 1/4" seam. Works fine for me!
Anne

Sorry your having such trouble. Don't get discouraged, it takes practice.

I don't pin, but keep checking as I go to make all layers are even.

I like binding, it feels so good to get it done. You know your almost finished.
Suggestion- Make three layers with muslin and batting, maybe a 14 inch square and just practice.

Hope all goes well for you.

simple quilter

I was just going to say "practice on some spare fabric" when I got to Donna Mae's post -- she BEAT me! :mrgreen:

I'm totally backwards when it comes to the mitered corners. I don't stop 1/4" from the edge. I've never gotten them to be PERFECT until I started sewing right to the edge....then I follow the same procedure. Now I have great looking miters!!!! :D