I press just the seam area and not the folded area, makes a better crisp fold over for me. This works for me but may not work of others. My sister hand sews the binding to the back for most of my quilts now and she likes it this way too. I also go ahead and pin the mitered corners for her as she seems to have issues when she comes to them.

From reading this thread I can see where the not pressing the binding can give some good results. I guess my concern is that I would pull and warp the binding so there would be... blisters?...

As a related question, what width do you cut your bindings and when do you trim the back/batting?

Personally, I mostly make queen sized quilts and I like a 1/2" finished binding so I cut my strips at 3" wide. I'm lucky enough to have a friend's long arm to do the quilting and so have quite a bit of extra fabric around all four sides. Using the binding seam as a guide I then trim around the quilt with my ruler at a scant 1/2". The ladies in my small group pretty much all want 1/4" and cut between 2-2.25", and usually trim their back/binding even with the seam allowance from the top before attaching their binding.

I used to press it but found it very slow going because my ironing space is small and the quilt tends to drag on the floor. My way to get around this is to use a long machine stitch and baste it down so it lays flat. I've found that it adds a little time to the finishing, but it makes my binding lay so much better.

I use the Nancy Z. process for binding by machine. 2 1/2" strips folding in half. I sew the binding on to the front of my quilt. Then I press the seam, and then press the binding to the outside. Then I pin the folded edge on the back, and stitch in the ditch on the front. Then I press the binding. Guess that is a lot of pressing, but doesn't seem like that much work. I like the idea of basting the binding down first for large quilts. Have to give that a try.

I did not realize that there are so many ways to put a binding on. Thanks everyone!

I do it like you do. No press and no pins either. I can simply fold it over and hold it in place with my left hand while stitching it with my right.

[QUOTE=Iceblossom;8138660]From reading this thread I can see where the not pressing the binding can give some good results. I guess my concern is that I would pull and warp the binding so there would be... blisters?...

As a related question, what width do you cut your bindings and when do you trim the back/batting?

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Iceblossom,

No pulling when stitching binding. Lay it flat and then stitch down.

Binding is cut at 2 1/2 inches. I used to put on back first and then bring to front with a decorative. Now I stitch on front and fold to back. Then SITD and hope I catch it all.

Back and batting is trimmed and squared prior to attaching binding. I have added stay stitching first if needed in areas around the quilt top. Usually don't need it as the quilting holds it all together...hopefully.

Hope that helps!

I used to press mine. Then somewhere - maybe on QB - I read not to press it. So I sew it onto the front keeping the raw edges even. Then turn it to the back and hand stitch - unless it's a baby quilt and will get more washings. The fabric on the outside of the binding takes a tad more fabric to turn then the inner fabric. It works better - for me. If there is a crease in it from pressing it seems the inner part of the binding is sort of 'bunched up'. With no crease the binding can turn and lay better; it has for me anyway.

I cut my binding at 2 1/4 inches and I trim extra binding before sewing the binding on.

I always make bias binding 2.5 inches wide; fold and press before stitching to the quilt sandwich. I then attach it to the front of the quilt sandwich while the sandwich is still on the quilting frame (Gammill set up). After I remove the quilt from the frame, I trim the batting and backing 1/4 inch from the quilt edge, turn the binding to the back and hand stitch down with the binding just covering the line of stitching that attached it.