Pressing Quilt Binding Before Final Sewing
 

Do you press a quilt binding after you sew it to the front of a quilt but before sewing it to the back? I don't; I just flip the binding up after I sew it to the front and start hand sewing. I was wondering if it would be helpful to take the time to press the binding before final sewing.

i finger press the seam. the binding strip i have pressed before i sew it on ..finger pressing the new seam seems to work fine for me. and has for many years.

Funny you mention this as I'm ironing some binding right now. I do the French bias method of making binding, so I fold the raw edges together as I press. I pin the heck out of it as I put it on -- raw edges of binding and quilt together, I sew on the top of the quilt and fold over and hand blind sew on the back. When I'm doing the hand sewing I don't use any pins or hair clips or anything, too many gouges in my thighs from the pins and just didn't like working with the clips.

I've never seen nor heard of anyone ironing while it is on the quilt, seems like a really good way to gunk up an iron if you use poly batts, but no issues I guess with warm & natural.

I don't. I press binding in half before sewing it to the front of the quilt, then hand sew to the back. I like the way the binding turns out with this method so I'm not tempted to change it. There are people who don't press the binding in half before sewing, just fold it in half and feel that it makes a nicer binding that way. That method always sounds interesting to me, but so far I go back to my tried and true method.

This is exactly what I do. I had no idea so many did not iron the binding after attaching it to the front. Actually, I don't remember this ever coming up before.

Same here, for the same reason.

Tartan and Prism 99 - do you only use 80/20 or 100% cotton?

I do not press after sewing to the back. I flip to the front and sew it down. I fold binding in half raw edges together and press before sewing it on. I only sew by machine holds better for donation quilts.

Aha!! I agree about the "ridge" thing. I'm going to try the "press before I sew" method on a 44 inch charity quilt I'm finishing up and see how things go. Thanks, ladies.

FWIW, I learned from someone here to NOT press the binding and that works out much better for me for better handling of the binding.

I don't press it after sewing either. just after cutting and piecing the strips.

As Pudge mentions, NO to pressing binding in half prior to the first stitch down. The outside fold surface area is slightly larger than the inside fold. Pressing in half results in a fold line that is off from the true fold line.

YES I press the attached binding away from the qiilt. It helps me make better corners.

I almost always do a bias binding and I don't press at all. I match raw edges when I sew it to the back of the quilt, flip it to the front and use my zipper foot to sew it to the front of the quilt. I hold a couple inches in place with my hands(no pins or clips) keeping the edge of the binding right at the seam. Using a zipper foot helps me keep the binding right where I want it and my stitches right at the edge where they should be.

Cari

No pressing for me, other than pressing the joining seams open on the binding before I sew it to the quilt. I use 2 1/2" bias binding, fold it in half, and sew it to the back snugly. I roll about a 16th of an inch to the back to extend past where I sewed the binding on, then I use the clover clips and my 1/4" sewing foot, lining up with the 1/8" seam and sew the front down. If I do it right, it looks like I have used a bias binding foot and sewed it on and nowhere do you see the original seam line. I admit I do have to do some ripping because I like it to look good.

I do as Tartan and Prism does--pressing that binding "open" after it's on the front. It doesn't matter what type of bat is used (I've used everything) because you aren't touching bat with the iron.

I do but just press it so there are no folds...I just did a “large” king...118 x 126....and it took all of about 10 minutes. It also helps the corners hold the miter well.

I also press the binding away from the body of the quilt - but I do not press to the "fold line" of the binding. The battings I used were Warm and Natural. I think it's easier to use an iron than to finger press all the way around the perimeter.

Me too, as it does seem to make it easier to fold over the binding.

I've never done this but I'm going to give it a try. Binding and I don't get along very well :)

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.

I use Sharon Scrambler's method of binding. One of the best quilting things I ever learned. Love the glue basting down. I glue then iron down and wait til next day to finish. Then I wash it.

I also used to press my binding in half before applying it, but since I read on the board about not doing so, and tried it, I am totally devoted to the not pressing. I do finger press the joinings of the binding, or use my wooden stylus, as I go along. I do not use bias binding as I find it both too wasteful of fabric and not better in appearance than the WOF way I cut it. With bias, you are still showing a seam on each side, and mine never seem to be that bulky.
I do stay stitch the edge of my quilt to the backing around the edges before I trim the quilt. It's extra work but helps me keep those edges of all layers together.
I cut my binding just a little wider than most, at 2.75". I do all machine binding and that little bit extra helps me keep the seams neat. I stitch the binding to the back first then fold it to the front and stitch it down. My stitching foot has a little mark just where I need to line it up for nice even stitching on the front.

I will stitch to the front, press it away from the quilt. Then I do glue basting & press the binding down. Usually I can SITD on the front soon after that. I'm stitching 1/8" or less from the binding & catch about the same amount on the back. This gives me the most even binding on the back.

I always press my binding to the outside of whatever side I sew it too. THEN I normally sew to back and flip to the front, glue and press in place, then machine stitch all around in one continuous stitching. My mitered corners are nearly perfect this way. I've used the glue and press to the back for hand sewing the binding too. Works great.
Here's a video of how I do mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsLWzBUTpC0

This is a good example, no matter which side you sew the binding to first.

Well, I did it, I pressed the binding after I sewed it to the front and before I hand sewed it to the back. Wow, it worked fabulously. Have to update my notes on binding a quilt to include this step. Thanks to those who posted information about the technique.