I decided that I would attempt to do the faux piped binding. In case someone missed it the tutorial is here:

http://tlcstitches.blogspot.com/2010...-tutorial.html

I cut my binding wider (mainly because mine is not a doll quilt) but so that I would have a little bit more room when I stitched. I think my strips are maybe 2.5". Ok, that turned out to be too wide but I am carrying on.

I am using my walking foot and the front looks ok but I am having issues with the back. My stitching in some places is on the back binding but in others it totally veers off. I've taken one side off twice already. The third time I went very slowly, kept everything in line and still my stitching veered off of the binding.

I don't know what to do. I have not done a total machine binding before and I didn't expect it to be perfect but I did expect that I would at least have my stitches on the binding. I've read the other posts on machine binding but they don't seem to address my specific issue. Does anyone have any advice of suggestions?

I'd suggest using Elmers Washable School Glue to baste your binding in place before sewing... works for me. :-)

Sharon Schamber has a video on youtube on how to baste with this glue. (Which, of course, I cannot get to come up right now...)

suggest lining up all the layers. Be sure you can just see the edge of the bottom. Pin with straight pins to keep it together. Sew a few inches at a time making sure everything is lined up.

i find that when i veer off I'm not watching all layers. Also lengthen your stitch a bit when you sew the binding on. The machine needs a bit of room to accommodate all the layers of fabric. I go up to at least 3 (default setting is 2.5) and if thicker batting, go even higher. It is still strong.

I have done 2 of these and really like the way they look...on the front! Like you, it was an interesting wobble on the back. I found that by using thread in the bobbin that matched with both the backing and the binding it looked a lot better. I also got a walking foot for my Janome because I can totally control my speed with it and not so much with my old trusty Elna.

I like the idea of using the glue instead of pins because when I take a pin out so I don't run over it with my walking foot, the material shifts on me. I will say, my second effort looked better than my first (and I didn't rip out anything!), but I am really looking forward to doing bindings completely on my Janome.

Guess it is like anything with quilting, the more we do it, the better we get and the better it looks! Remember, those posting the tutes on this have been doing it for quite a while and they certainly are NOT going to show you pictures of their oops!!!

Exactly the reason why I handstich the back on. I cant ever seem to get it right, so I machine sew it to the front and hand stich on the back, once I learned the correct stich to use, it goes so quick! And 100% less stressful. And it looks beautiful!

Okay, I just looked at the tutorial. Go all the way to the end and look at the picture where she shows the back of her quilt. Looks to me like the stitching is about an eighth of an inch off the binding. You've already sewn the binding to the quilt from the back so the stitch in the ditch doesn't have to catch the binding on the back. Hope this helps.

When I want to sew my binding by machine, I sew it on the BACK side, instead of the front, first, then the front last. It helps keep everything straight and if it wobbles a bit, well, it's on the back and not as noticeable. Good luck.

This is what I do, but that video looks mighty tempting!!

I looked back at it. I wish I could get a really enlarged pic of it. It does make sense that it doesn't have to catch the binding to keep it down. I'm thinking maybe that it is not square or something which is why it keeps veering off? At the beginnng of the binding it is straight and looks great but then....

My bobbin thread is the color of the binding and the backing is a white background with multicolored circles. Maybe I'll try using the varigated thread that I quilted with so the stitching is not as noticeable.