I knew I had viewed this video in the last few days, I just had to find it. This has to be the best way I've ever seen - even a child can follow it.

Link:- http://www.mccallsquilting.com/McCal...inding_Joining the ends.

There are four different videos about binding by Sheri Driver from McCalls. I hope this helps those who intimidated by quilt binding

By saying what do you wish to achieve? I would say a neat edge all around my project covering the sandwich edge.
Are you asking if we need it? Yes some edge is required .

I will say the only thing i do differently, is to snip the corners off a smidge - it gives me a bit of ease w/ the binding to get that square corner. That is a technique I learned in sewing construction. I do trim away the bulk - including pressing open the seams when joining pieces of binding - again those were all clothing construction techniques that I moved to my quilting.

This video was perfect. I cut the batting out of the corners yesterday when binding my quilt. What a difference...looks great! Thanks

I've read through all the replies. No one has mentioned using the walking foot. Every time I forget to use my walking foot for binding, I am reminded very quickly with some bad looking stitching. It is so much easier using the walking foot no matter whose method you are using.

I don't iron it in half, after I sew on the binding I then iron it, then flip the binding onto the other side, glue and iron down. Makes the binding perfect for sewing.

My problems seem to be consistency in width and bulky corners. Yes, I've watched all the tutes, your's Holice, Sharon's, the one mentioned above about trimming out the extra fabric in the corner. I've tried all the tips included (except the trimming the fabric one, which I just learned) I'm still getting the same judge's comments on more than 1 of my quilts. Are the widths on the front and back supposed to be the same? Is the consistency issue they talk about just the width of the front all the way around? I don't know. Who would have thought something so seemingly simple would be so darn difficult?

I'm one of the weird ones that like to do binding. I pretty much use Sheri Driver's technique. I love hand-stitching the binding on the back. I enjoy sitting down with the quilt on my lap that I have spent so much time piecing - especially if it is one I'm giving away. It's kind of like saying goodbye to it. I know - I'm weird! :)

My problem is the width of the binding being different from back to front. I sew to the back with 1/4", press away from the quilt, and sew to the front with 1/4". When I get that binding to the front it is never the same size as the back which is frustrating. Is this, Holice, where you are saying that the seam allowance should be changed from 1/4" to something else? I have also tried stitching to the front, turning to the back, and then stitching from the front in the ditch. Same thing, never looks good.

Patrick's corners sure helps to clear up that little problem that becomes a big one for finishing a beautiful quilt.

I love doing bindings, very restful. Having said that, i still have trouble with joining the end to the beginning and not have too much or too little. I get it right less than 50% of the time. How can i forget from one quilt to the next how to do it? Lol. So frustrating!

I have never seen this and I'm having trouble imagining it! Wouldn't there be a seam right on the edge, and wouldn't that make it very weak if it's a quilt that is going to get regular use? I'd love to see a picture, please. Meanwhile, I'll be googling Anita Murphy.

Thanks for this thread, Holice. I think I understand everything about binding, have seen all the usual videos, about all I really need is more ability to concentrate and sew straight. I like Sharon Schamber's method, and have recently begun sewing out to the corner as Jenny Doan does in her video. Her instructions are also extremely clear and simple for figuring out how to sew the ends properly.

Right at this moment, I have 5 quilts that need to have bindings. 3 already have the binding on the front and just need to be hand sewn on the back and 2 need to have a binding applied. My problem is that once I get the quilt top made and then sent to the LA quilter, I lose interest unless it is for some specific purpose. Then, for a long time I could not make up my mind what binding to put on it since I don't usually cut my binding at the same time. So...they sit and sit in my closet or hang on my design wall. Sad but true.
One time, I cut the binding and then when it came time to put it on, I forgot that I had made the quilt bigger and the binding no longer applied. Oh well.

Everything about binding scares me lol. I have bad hand joints so I do not see by hand. I learned that google and binding tutorials are my friend. Along with a lot of dagnabit I'm gonna do it even if it looks like poo. Thankfully a 15mth old doesn't get made over fudgey binding lol.

Hi Holice,I always wanted to finish my binding with no bumps,just nice and even.Then I found The Dread Pirate Rodgers Double Fold Binding technique.Fantastic !! Just google it and your problems will be over,No glue, just follow the instructions to the letter. Love Letty

There is a very simple solution for this. Whatever the width of your binding is, the ends should overlap by the same amount. For instance, if your binding is 2.5" wide, the ends should overlap each other by 2.5". Match up the raw edges, sew the diagonal seam, trim and press the seam open, and your binding will fit the quilt perfectly. This is how I've done it for years and it works every time.

I'm in the 2nd camp. Don't know how to do a blind stitch, tie the knot or hide the threads. I've taken a class or two but we always seem to run out of time before we get to the end...meaning doing the blind stitch all the way to a corner, making the miter, and sewing up the miter (to close the little gap) and how to knot, hide the threads and restart.

I admit it, mitered corners are the bane of my existence.

We're asking about two color binding here. Betty Cotton does this because her quilts are all completely reversible. The directions are in her book: "Cotton Theory Quilting". She doesn't really say how wide to make the front and back sides, but the seam is on the edge of course. She says press it open. Her directions are for 2 1/2 in. bindings, but usual directions ask for 1/4" seam to sew it on. And you need an additional 1/4" on each strip to sew them together. That would make the back strip 1" wide (allowing for the seam to sew it onto the front) and the front would be 2".
Someday I might even try it.

This may of already of been addressed, but I find most folks have trouble with how to join the ends together and how to make a nice sharp corner. One other thing that is how to figure how much binding a person needs

If you check out posts #33 and #35 on this thread, you will find a lot of information. I know it is a lot to read, but I hope it would be worth your while.
Post 41 on this thread is another one to look at. It sends you to a site that says it can't find the web page. So type in "binding ends" into the search box and you will find another method of joining ends of binding. It is class or entry no.2.
Then check the posts in the thread from today's Quilting Board that says "Mitering Corners" Lots of good information there also. Lots of good ways to do something; you can choose which one is best for you.

As for how much binding you need, it is exactly as much as the perimeter of your quilt, plus the width of the binding. If your quilt is 60 X 72, that makes 264 inches plus the 2 1/2 for the width of the binding= 266.5 inches. Divide by 12 and you have 22.2 feet or 7.4 yards.
A binding 7 1/2 yards long should do it. A little more is better than not enough, but we tend to over-do that.

My biggest challenge is attaching the two raw ends together once I sew the binding around the perimeter. I purchased The Binding Tool, after watching Jenny Doan explain its use on a Missouri Star Quilt Company tutorial, and if I use that I can do a decent job. But otherwise, it seems impossible for me to figure it out on my own.

I actually love to hand bind. It is like the putting the icing on the cake.

klgls,
I couldn't have said it better. I just realized that since all my quilts are given away, it is the last time I have to spend with them. Since I hand quilt, it sometimes takes me 6-9 months to get to the binding stage. It is also the one part that I can do sitting in the living room with my husband. I sit in my favorite chair, the quilt spread across my lap, and find the steady rhythm of hand binding is soothing to me. I get to watch my quilt as it inches closer and closer to being finished. There is much joy in that final stitch.