I personally like the look I get better with hand stitching the binding to the back of the quilt. I have done several quilts where I stitched the binding to the back of the quilt with a machine decorative stitch (had to have some justification why I needed those built in stitches LOL) and that was a fun look.

Yup I did wonder with my 2 nd quilt or so and now I sew it on by machine. If I do hand sewing I like to needle turn Hawaiian style quilts and /or hand quilt.

I machine sew my binding onto the back first, then fold it over and machine stitch on the front side. I want my bindings to last. My hands can't take all that hand stitching either. But to each their own.............

Good point! I'm new at this and wouldn't have thought of that...

I've sometimes sewn the binding to the back, then turn to the front and use a decorative stitch to attach the front side. You have the initial stitching from the back to make sure the front stays even. I do this a lot for kids quilts as they get really hard wear. I've gotten some nasty comments from the quilt police for doing this, but--who cares what they think? Its MY quilt and if I like it, that is it!

I just finished my husband hospital quilt and I just folded over the backing and machined stitched it to the front with a decorative stitch. Maily because Iwas running out of time. I have machine quilting on bindings and taking them out because I did not like it. I think it depends on the quilt I am working on.

I am trying to find a way to attach binding that is good for me. I'm getting back into quilting after years of being away from the craft. I lost all my equipment in a house fire. At that time I had folders that I used for binding. It was very easy and just one step.

This is almost how I do it, but machine stitch, sometimes I use a decorative machine stitch, so if I get off the binding & stitches show on the back fabric it still looks good. Especially since 99% of my quilts are for children (of all ages) or babies I like to make them so they can be thrown in the washer & dryer many times. I like to think my quilts are actually being used. And I have arthritis in my hands so any handwork is difficult.

I am so relieved! Because I was not machine sewing the back side of the binding I thought I was taking the "sissy way out" and hand sewing it. To me it is so relaxing to sit and hand sew it and ponder the thought of another cherished quilt nearing the finish line.

I do a blind stitch by hand on the back and every 4th of 5th stitch I do a double stitch. That way, if it should come undone, the whole binding would not come loose.