Machine quilting- do you attach binding to back or front first?
 

I just watched a you tube tutorial and she attached the binding first to the back side. I was always attaching to the front first and then flipping it over. Many times I had a few spots (or more!!) that didn't catch when I went to finish it up. I can't hand bind as I have bad carpal tunnel and my fingers are too numb....

In the tutorial I watched she attached to the back first, then when it was flipped sewed the binding onto the front. As long as you are careful with keeping straight it should work. No worries about what's happening on the backside as you sew because the opened side I'd visible to you the whole time...

What say the QB experts?

for hand finishing, i sew to the front first. when machine finishing, i sew to the back first.

This is what I do too

Same, attach front by machine, pin if you have to. Good luck..so sorry about carple tunnel.

I too, have struggled with which way to go.................I now attach to the front and stitch in the ditch to the back . I go slowly and I can adjust as I go I find the front looks better that way

Thanks ladies! I didn't expect such speedy advise.

I also learned that I was sewing much faster than i Need to be. I love the you tube videos. When I quilted years ago the Internet was an infant. No you tube. No online quilting shops. No blogs. I'm gonna get in trouble.

I do all my binding by machine. I sew to the back first, then turn and sew on the front. I cut a 2 1/2 inch binding, press in half, then sew on. My hands can't do a lot of hand sewing any more. My bindings turn out pretty good (I am satisfied). It is not perfect but neither any I. Try some samples on scrap fabric with batting. Good luck.

This is what I do too.

same for me.

So far (just a handful of quilts) I've always sewn to the front first. But it makes sense to sew to the back first if you're not matching a pieced border to the front of the quilt.

One thing I have done a couple times is cut either the front or the back of the quilt bigger all the way around, and then wrapped it to the other side to serve as the border. Then you don't have to worry about staying exactly along another seamline or catching the other side when you sew.

I attach the binding to the back and then sew with machine to the front. I no longer can do hand stitching. I use some of the decorative stitches on the front.

I do it both ways. Look at this tutorial for a fun binding: http://www.52quilts.com/2012/05/tues...c-binding.html

I still prefer hand sewing the binding to the back, but I did experiment with machine binding after a friend told me how she was doing hers. She machine sews to the front, then zigzags the raw edges with fusible thread. She then carefully presses the binding to the fusible thread on the back, making sure that the edge just overlaps the seam line made when she sewed the binding to the front. Then she machine stitches in the ditch on the front. Since the binding is fused to the back, the stitches just catch the binding at its edge.

I tried this method but didn't have any fusible thread, so I used a glue stick to hold the binding in place on the back before stitching. The results were pretty good for the first time trying a new method.

Sew to front and SITD for me except for the one I did with a flange.

Same as Irishrose. Since I've started cutting my binding 2 5/8" instead of 2 1/2" my binding
came out perfect. No missing spots at the back. Give this a try.

This is what works for me: if doing hand sewing, sew binding to the front and flip to the back to finish. If, doing it by machine, attach binding the the back and flip to the front to machine down. Sometimes I use fancy stitches on front
and sometimes just straight stitch.

Me, too!!!

i (like so many others) sew to front first-then turn to back for hand stitching;
sew the the back- turn to front- if machine finishing- this allows me to keep the front looking good, make sure it is all caught- i very seldom finish with a machine binding- if i do i tend to choose a decorative stitch of some sort for the front side stitching....generally i only do this type of binding for 'quilts for kids' quilts- because they request the bindings always be done by machine- since the quilts are laundered in industrial machines often- they hold up better/are more secure.

Yep, that's it.
Jan in VA

I do this too. I use a decorative stitch to sew on the front as I think it looks nicer than a straight stitch.

What type of batting are you using with the 2 5/8"?

Last binding I did, I was so pleased with how even I got the back on the machine, I wished I had started with the front. Now I realise that I might be far too hasty trying that on the basis of one experience.

Warm & Natural.

I stitch to the front and fold over to the back and hand stitch in place. I had carpal tunnel in both hands but had it fixed one at a time. I have never been sorry only wish I had gone sooner. Not a bad operation and recovery time was very short.

That sounds wide for W&N. What seam allowance do you use?

There is a method...believe it is called accent binding (sorry, I am in the family room and the information I have is downstairs and I have a cat all snuggled up in my lap. Otherwise, I would look for the information to pass on to you, smile). It is all done by machine. I just Googled "accent binding technique for quilts" and a few websites popped up. There are images for you to see. It has the look of piped binding and it is gorgeous when coordinating colors are used.

I sew the front first and hand finish..it's the only way I can do things right

I have stitched to the front and hand sew the back but lately have found that if i stitch to the back and then bring the binding to the front and use a simple decorative stitch it will take care of missed spots on the back...i use a simple ''looks like a chicken foot'' stitch...it has brought many compliments and gives the binding that little extra something...

It depend on the type of binding I am using. Some quilts I sew the binding on the front and flip it to the back and hand sew it. My current favorite binding is fake piped binding. If you google it there are tons of tutorials for it. You use 2 colors and sew it to the back and flip to the front. Once you get the hang of it it is wonderful. The hardest part is the corners. Look at the tutorials for it. Once you learn how it is awesome. I'm not good at explaining things. I cut my piping color 1 1/2 and the main color 1 1/4 inch. Try it.

I usually do the faux corded bindings. Those are sewn to the back first and then sewn on the front. Makes an absolutely gorgeous quilt binding.

That's the way I do it, too. I also cut my binding at 2-3/4 rather than 2-1/2 and take a 3/8 inch seam when attaching. Seems to work better for me.

I machine stitch to the front, flip the binding and use an short applique stitch to sew it down to the back.

Same as the other - when hand sewing the binding on, I machine stitch on the front. When machine stitching the binding one - I sew on the back first and then machine stitch on the front. I like using a blanket stitch on the front.

I use 2 1/4 strips. I sew onto the back, then flip it. I use steam a seam to fasten it down at the stitch line then sew the front with a blanket stitch (I think that's the one...looks like a continuous capital E). It catches the front and the back exactly the same and looks really nice (in my opinion).

I saw this before and did google it now: http://www.52quilts.com/2012/05/tues...c-binding.html

It's a really nice finish!

I sew on machine to the back then flip to the front. I was pretty impressed with myself when I decided to make a "puffy frame" on a wall hanging by leaving the batting in as filling. Of course, I soon found it had been done already. ;)

It depends on whether I want to highlite the fabric as a frame or match the back...I have done ittofit the project.

same for me. Had the left done 9 weeks ago & the right just 1 week ago. I'm slowing hand sewing down the binding on the last quilt I finished. I too wish I'd had it done sooner- mine got past moderate to severe.
love doing the flange binding

I sew to the front by machine and hand sew the back. I haven't had any luck doing the whole thing by machine.

I aalso sew binding on the back first--then flip it to the front and sew it down with my machine. It turns out fine.