shoot. i just sewed the binding to the front.
 

how do i now sew it down on the back?

i am categorically NOT hand stitching.

darn it.

aileen

I usually stitch mine to the front, then fold over and machine stitch to the back. That way, if the machine stitching isn't perfect, it's on the back! Sometimes I use a serpentine stitch to give it a more interesting look.

Seems like it would be easier to sew it down by hand than to rip if off and sew it over.

Some people might use a decorative stitch to sew it down on the back.

If you have enough "wrap around" - you could stitch in the ditch from the front.

i have tonnes. this doesn't seem like it should be too difficult....

The last time, I sewed it to the front, then pinned to the back and stitched in the ditch on the front. You just need to pin well (I pinned in the ditch to make sure it caught the backside). I was very happy with this method (which is the way my sister does hers) so I'm going to use it every time.

If there isn't enough to wrap around you can trim the seam allowance a tiny bit.

As Bearisgray said, you could SID from the front. Pull the binding around to the back and glue it down with some of that handy-dandy washable glue, making sure you cover the stitching line with your binding fabric. Then SID. The glue will not gum up your machine.

I basically do the same as Raggiemom, except that I turn it over to the back and stitch ON THE RIGHT SIDE just as close as you possible can to the binding. It's stitchine in the ditch. I usually cut my binding a little wider to give a little extra width on he back so that the stitching is sure to catch the binding. If your seam can be trimmed a smidging, do so and the binding will wrap far enough for you to catch it. I've done this several times. Makes a very sturdy binding. Good luck!

Oops! I see that someone had the same idea. I was too long in typing.

It didn't even occur to me to trim the seam allowance to make the binding fit! Good suggestion.

I fold the binding over to the back bit by bit and put straight pins in from the front to hold the binding in place. making sure to cover the machine stitches. Also pin the corners. three pins if necessary. Sometimes i miss stitching the corner, but not often. if so, i go back and hand stitch it closed later. I machine stitch from the front, right next to the fold of the binding. works quite well.

I just ALWAYS hand stitch to the back. It just looks nicer........sorry and I have arthritis in my hands. I do it in the evening while watching TV.

I don't understand your dilemma. I always sew my binding to the front of my quilts and then hand sew it down on the back. I love to hand sew binding. It is the end of the quilt adventure and a time to take the time to enjoy the fabrics and reflect on the time spent with it. After all they are like friends, we spend so much time with them.

To me binding is like the after party, the best part!
peace

Her dilemma is that she does NOT like to hand sew the binding. Not everyone does (I hate hand sewing binding).

I agree with ube quilting. I enjoy sewing the binding to the back by hand. I do sometimes sew both the front and back by machine, usually for a child's quilt that will get a lot of use (I hope).

this is a picnic blanket for a school ending celebration tomorrow. i just pulled it over and stitched. it's black on black on black and DONE!

aileen

i love hand sewing and very very seldom machine bind. this is a high utility object for someone with small kids, and i am out of time :)

aileen

the dilemma was - usually when machine binding i sew from back to front. makes sure that top seam is nice and clean.

think before posting clock! you figured it out by LOOKING at it :)

aileen

YAY! Done is cause to celebrate. :)

Same for me. I can hand stitch a border in 3-4 hours in front of the TV.

Glad you got it done!!

Seriously though, some people don't like hand sewing. Or maybe they can't (in my case, I can't). Just because some people love it doesn't mean everyone does.

My standard method is to sew to the front, use washable glue on the back to set it where I want, then stitch in the ditch on the front. I always think that I am going to hand sew it, but when I get that close to finishing something... always end up doing it on the machine. Only exception is if I'm doing something that I want to look more polished - or if I just feel like hand sewing something. Have done this on 2 quilts out of probably 20 or so, so clearly polished is not my usual criteria:)

I almost always hand stitch the binding down in the back, but if I don't I spray baste it down, put in a few binding clips to make sure it stays in place and from the front stitch in the ditch or use a decorative stitch--usually a zig zag.

That is the first thing that came to mind that I would do, stays in place very well.

I always sew my bindings to the front and hand stitch to the back. I get excellent miter corners doing it this way.

I know what you mean by some can't handstitch. I can't machine stitch binding down so it looks nice. It's a mess when I try. I've had workshops to learn how and still I can't do it and messing up on a big quilt is too much hassle to redo so I don't bother, I just handstitch it down.

I refuse to hand-stitch my bindings. Neither of my grandmothers did theirs that way so I'm just not used to it. It seems like just way too much work, and also just not quite as secure as machine sewn binding. (I'm sure it's fine in reality, that's just how it SEEMS to me.)

My binding is never perfect, but neither is any other part of my quilt so it all matches, LOL.

Always remember, your quilt your way. I hand sew the bindings on and think of the next quilt and colors I'm going to use.
If anyone doesn't want to sew by hand that is okay with me.

[QUOTE=stillclock;6762736]how do i now sew it down on the back?

i am categorically NOT hand stitching.

darn it.



Major drama going on at our house with DGS moving in. I finally got into my quilting room yesterday and sewed a border to my quilt, mitered the corners, joined the ends and realized that I should have kept it FLAT and mitered the binding. I can't take it all of because I won't have enough material so I may have to work out a way to cut the batting and backing
the size of the front then fold the "border" over to become the binding. Honestly, you would think my mind would stay focused when I sew but it doesn't :-(

I'd take hand stitching the binding to the back any day over what I just did.

I always stitch my binding on the front first, then turn to back, line up the edge of the binding with the seam line and sew just inside the seam with a narrow decorative stitch, and it works great for me.

I use a blind stitch by hand on the back on most of my quilts.

I always sew to the front by machine and hand stitch on the back

I agree. It's worth the effort, in my opinion. :)

I did a lot of binding with a zig zag stitch before I felt comfortable with SID with the final fold to the back. Still like to use a small zig zag on heavy use items like placemats and pot holders.

You could do a machine blind hem on the back.

In case you aren't from a garment-sewing background, google it. You should be able to find instructions.

I use school glue to secure it on the back then machine stitch it down from the front.

I love binding the quilt. I machine stitch front, and in a zen like trance, I hand sew the binding to the back. No, not really. But seriously though, it IS one of my favorite parts - kind of like when the plane lands after a long vacation: it's been a lovely trip, but I'm so glad to be done.

I always stitch to the front, didn't know i wasn't supposed to. did it over 350 times.

Use a bobbin thread that matches the perimeter edges of the quilt top. The stitches may still show on the top, but they will be far less obvious than if you use a contrasting bobbin thread.

good luck!

You're right, it looks nicer! But my fingers go into serious pain mode while i'm holding a needle to thread it, so hand binding is out of the question. I sure wish I could hand bind because that would mean my fingers were back to normal!

I always sew mine to the front and hand sew it down on the back....

I always sew on back, turn to front and machine sew but the other day I messed up like you. I was not planning on ripping out so I just pinned and sewed it on the back, it came out fine. If you have to sweat over something like that, quilting just isn't fun anymore. Just finish the binding as is and move onto the next quilt.