Sewing quilt sandwich together
 

You have all been so helpful with my last post, thank you so much. I am ready to attach my binding but am unsure of something: how close to the edge of the quilt do you sew before putting on binding? My last row of stitches on all sides ends about 2-3" from the edge. I feel like I should tack it together closer to the edge before binding. Or is that something the binding is strong enough to handle alone? If I do sew closer to the edge, how close do you all suggest?

Thanks ja again for all the support. You have given me hope I can finish my first quilt!

Forget the above post! I have only finished sewing my horizontal lines and not vertical. Just now it hit me that after I get all my lines sewn, they will all reach the edge in the pattern of simple blocks. Oh gee do I have much to learn...

on a side note, I tried to find a way to delete this post, but could not. My apologies.

Kate, never apologize, we all had to learn at some point, and even after years are still learning.

I do like to put on my walking foot and do a larger stitch around the perimeter of my quilt before attaching the binding. Some people just attach their binding directly. No need to delete a post as all questions usually end up helping someone else too.:)

I also sew a long stitch around the edge of the sandwich. The quilting stitches may not always go out to the edge especially if you have a border.

This is something I've never done, sew around the quilt before attaching the binding. Maybe I should?? Anyway I just so a 1/4 inch to sew it on and haven't had any troubles yet. I did use the Fons and Porter binding tool yesterday for the first time and I loved it. So easy to use and binding is perfect.

I used to trim off my batting and backing fabric before adding binding. Not any more. It became too frustrating trying to keep all 3 of those layers flat and even while adding binding. Now I attach binding first, then trim off the batting and backing.

I know everyone has their preferred width for binding. My preferred width is 2.5". I use about a 3/8" seam allowance when adding my binding. When I trim off my batting and backing fabric I generally leave at least 1/4" to 3/8" of batting and backing beyond the edge of my quilt. Since I like a full binding, I find it's easier to trim off a little bit more as I turn my binding, than to wish it was fuller.

Like posted earlier I too stitch around the perimeter of my quilt using my walking foot and a large stitch before attaching a binding. I stitch just under 1/4 inch from the edge.

I also stitch all around the perimeter of the quilt with my Accufeed foot before adding my binding.

I also like to add a basting stitch near the edges of the quilt. It anchors the layers together before binding. I then trim off the batting and backing. That's just me. And I prefer at least a 3/8 inch finished binding, but a half inch suits me better.