I was just wondering if I have been doing this wrong since I am sort of a self-taught quilter. When I am ready to add the binding on my quilt, I always trim the edges, including the batting and backing so I have a straight edge to sew the binding onto. Is this the best way to do this or do you leave it all on so you have some extra batting to add to the binding part to make it not be flat? I am open for suggestions and your reasoning. :-)

I trim the edges too.

You should leave at least a 1/4" of the batting sticking out from the top. This will help "stuff" the binding and make it firmer. Judges at quilt shows will look for a nice stuffed binding. Plus, if you don't have have your binding stuffed, it will fold in half and then it will start to wear along the edge and split, especially if it is washed a lot. Many antique quilts have split bindings just because they didn't fill the binding enough and they were used and washed a lot.

Me too!

This was very helpful. I will try it on my next one. Thanks so much!

I do the same.

I do a basting stitch where I think the future seam allowance is going to be. Then I lay the quilt on the floor with my biggest mat underneath and cut the excess away. I am able to double check the straightness against the parquet flooring by lining up my long ruler with the squares. I move around the whole quilt this way - makes the corners square. If I cut off some of my basting I pin that portion to hold the sandwich together. Then I sew my binding on.

Every time I do a large quilt this way I swear I'll never to it again. Never crawl on the floor again. Never, never, never. I don't listen to myself. When I finally manage to get up I head to the medicine cabinet for pain relief and die the rest of the day. :)

Yeah, but then your binding has to be at least 1/2" wide (showing). That's not a look I want most of the time.

I always trim the top/batting/backing even and then attach the binding.

Here are Sharon Schambers video on binding (there are 3 parts):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PE0Yq9iGlc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3vHI7rgZpw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W--xgi4nux8

Makes GORGEOUS, stuffed, firm bindings.

I trim mine and square up as much as possible if needed and then sew on the binding. I use a generous 1/4 inch seam with a 2 1/4 or 2 1/2" binding, folded over, and the binding is usually "full". I watched an Eleanor Burns show once where she marked the sides of the quilt and then sewed the binding on and then trimmed off the excess quilt. I tried it once and couldn't make it work for me.

I'm with you on this.
I know many people successfully use this method but I know for sure I'd slice right through whatever I wasn't supposed to cut. :mrgreen:

I echo/ditto all this!

I trim the edges

I have been applying my binding on the top by long arm. Then I join the two free ends on the DSM and then trim. I had always trimmed 1st when I applied by DSM, so this is something new for me. I like not having to clean off my whole sewing table to be able to get the quilt under the needle. Who knew?!

I trim the edges. But I didn't know all this! Guess I'll try it this way next time!

Thanks for sharing.

I trim my quilt (front, batting and backing) so I have a nice clean edge to work with. I use the french fold technique for binding. I use a 2 1/4 inch binding, fold in half and then sew my binding to the front of my quilt at 1/4 inch...so that the rough edges of the binding is along the edge of the quilt. Then I fold the my binding towards the back and blindstitch it in place by hand.

With this method there is no loose areas in the binding as it's wrapped around the full edge of the quilt.

I've always applied the binding and sew to the front by machine, then trim all the way around and then turn and hand sew it down to the back. I use double folded and usually trim to 3/8ths. My binding is always "stuffed" never knew any other way to do it.

Same here, I square up the corners and trim it all up. I sew my binding with about a 3/8" stitch and fold over and hand sew the back, filling the binding with batting.

Good advice...thanks for sharing.

Ii trim

I trim all mine and sew the binding on..never had a problem with a flat binding or not being "stuffed"...even when entered in a show its never been a problems for judges....so I will continue to trim

I trim and then serge the edges. Nice clean edge to bind

I seem to be the lone wolf here. I sew my binding down to the front side of the quilt; then trim and turn over and hand sew binding to the back. My binding is always stuffed.

Me Three! Edie

I always sew my binding on before I trim the edges of my quilts.
This gives me a little something to hold onto and tighten the backing fabric a little as I sew on the binding.
Quilters all have their preferences. Try a couple different methods and see what gives you the best results.

I always trim the edges of my quilt straight before I bind. I cut the strips 2.5", miter-join the ends, fold in half, and iron. I sew the binding onto the quilt with 1/16th of an inch of the quilt showing past the binding edge. I use a 3/8" seam allowance, and miter the corners. I have found there are at least 11 ways to create or sew on binding to create interest.

Interesting thread, since yesterday I watched a video (link from here) about binding. One thing she did was trim edges even, then sew around them to hold layers in place before sewing on the binding. The other, she actually trimmed the batting a little in from the edge. I'll have to find it again to see what kind of binding she put on that. I think Pieces2 had the best idea. Try a few ways and see what works best for you.

Thanks so much for posting the Sharon Schamber You Tube videos on binding. Just watched all three and I now have a new perspective on how to bind my quilts.

I was told to put sew the binding on first then trim, as that way you are sure the batting will be in the binding.

I usually trim but this makes perfect sense!

I sew using a long stitch all around the edge of the quilt and a 1/4" seam allowance. Then I trim the quilt so it is nice and even. Then I sew the binding to the back of the quilt so I can bring it to the front of the quilt, then lay the edge of the binding along the 1/4" sewing line and this makes a nice seam edge on the front as well as the back of the quilt. In order to fill the binding I would take a small strip of the binding and lay it inside the fold so the binding would have stuffing but now I believe if I would sew around the edge of the quilt using a 1/2" seam allowance then I would have stuffing in the middle of the binding.

This is exactly the way I do it and the binding.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

I trim the batting and backing down to closer to what I am wanting the binding to be then add the binding and once again trim to the exact size I need to make the binding "full" and then attach to the back. it works for me every time and I make my bindings really wide compared to most people. they are usually around 1" the widest I did was 2 1/2" on a twin size quilt. but that was for effect.

I do it the same way you do and my bindings are always full. I think the fullness of your binding is determined by your "seam allowance" when you put the binding on your quilt. If you sew less that 1/4", your binding will not match up properly. I was taught this method at my LQS. I do LAQ for others and because there are so many ways to do the squaring up of a quilt, I never trim the quilts before I return them to their owners.

I also cut my binding to be 2-1/4" instead of 2-1/2" because my walking foot edge that I use as a guide is less than 1/4" from where the needle goes in and on my old machine I had no way to change my needle position. Now that I can control my needle position, I still use 2-1/4" cuts because I prefer a slightly narrower binding.

I trim and square up the quilt using my rotery cutter - my biggest issue is getting where the ends meet to lay flat - if it is a kids quilt or not one for display I machine stich turning from the back to the front top stitching with a mating thread....

I sew a line of stitching about 1/8 of an inch from the edge, then trim before binding. the stitching keeps all three pieces (top, batt & back) together so I make sure it is all caught in the binding. The binding hides this line of stitching.

Thee and me! froggyintexas

It must be too early for me or else dementia is setting in because I am apparently the only one not following this line of thinking. Not saying you're wrong or in any other way criticizing but I just plain don't understand. Are you saying that basically the batting should be 1/4" wider than the top and backing (all around the quilt), rather than of equal size? In other words, the top, batting and backing should not be flush? I would think that if the top, backing and batting were flush, and the binding sewn on with a good 1/4" seam, the binding would be "stuffed" with the seam allowance. Could you straighten me out?

After the quilting is done, I sew a scant 1/4" line around the perimeter of the quilt and trim. Then I apply 2 & 1/4" binding on the front with a good 1/4" seam. Then I turn to the back and hand stitch.

That is my understanding too. I always trim flush with the quilt top.

I trim after I have sewn down the binding on the front of the quilt. Then I trim the backing and batting a 1/4" larger than the quilt itself. That way the binding has some body to it too. Then I sew the binding to the back by hand.
Hope this works for you. Jenny