I'm in a bind!!! (Dumb question about binding)
 

My grandmother left me a number of quilt projects to complete - mostly squares but one is a quilt top. I am planning to machine quilt this one for my first machine adventure. My question is this - the quilt top already has about a4-5 inch
strip sewn around I presume is for the binding. However, I was told that you let the needle run a bit over the edge and then cover the machine needle stop with the binding. Should I take the binding off? I usually put the binding on at the
end. Please forgive my stupidity. I'm a real newbie at this!

It sounds like the strip sewn around is that border. You could do an all over quilting pattern then do a different quilting pattern on the border. Some quilts have no borders ands some have up to 4, depends on the quilt. After you quilt it then you will sew your binding on. Hope this answers your question.

Agree .. the strip is the border. Binding is not (usually) attached until after the quilt is completely quilted, blocked (if necessary) and trimmed down to size. Go ahead and quilt the border.

I argee the strip is a border. as a longarm quilter. you can quilt an over all design or quilt the border different, how ever you want to do it. Then when all is finished you add binding. look in the tut's here for binding instructions. there are some good ones. Remember when you go to quilt the quilt, the backing and batting needs to be bigger that the front, then you trim the extra off. the extra batting goes in your scrap bag for a scrap quilt later. good luck, sounds like fun.

would say the 4-5 is probably the border. You would quilt it and then add binding I cut mine 2 1/2" fold in half press it sew it on the front side first bring to the back and I had stitch the back.