tupoms

I just finished sewing the binding on the back by hand onto a very large queen because I'm not very good at doing it by machine. That experience & this post has motivated me to try my next project by machine again. Do you sew the decorative stitch from the front of the quilt and I will glue baste it first just for good measure.
ava

roselady

I also like the look of hand sewn binding. I like my bindings to be really narrow (1/4") there is no way I could sew that by machine and have it done well and look nice. I also love the act of sewing the binding by hand, it is relaxing to me.

cheezythequiltmaker

I agree I have never managed to get an effect I am pleased with. Why spoil the final piece for the sake of a little time hand stitching. I must admit though I have never tried all the fusing the folded edge to the back in place or glue basting before machine stitching.

I actually love hand binding the final edge. I always use double fold binding and mitre the corners. I never butt end the corners as again that just looks yucky to me and once you learn how to mitre there's no point!

Each to his own. As I say to my students, if you are happy with it it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. but if it's gonna bug you, pass the stitch ripper!

patchsamkim

With hand surgery I had years ago, I am not able to do hand work for very long, so I do all my bindings by machine. Usually sew to front, bring extra to back and stitch in ditch, but sometimes will do a blanket stitch, feather stitch, or another decorative stitch as I sew. Machine bindings are very durable!!

sewcrafty

Love that answer! I actually hand sew all of mine. I just like the way it looks and I enjoy hand sewing.

dunster

To each his own. I really don't mind doing the hand sewing. It's that final touch on the quilt that I can do while I'm watching TV, and it's fun because it means the quilt is almost finished.

susanwilley

I sew my binding by machine also. I do not have the patience for hand sewing at all....do not like hand sewing. All my sewing is done by machine. I haven't tried sewing to the back first, will try that with the quilt I am finishing now.

irishrose

I do mine by machine. Sew to front, fold to back, stitch in the ditch from the front. If I can't find where I started when I get back there, then I don't see the reason to hand sew unless the quilt is handsewn. This may get me in trouble - nothing new about that, but I do not care for zigzagged binding. It just doesn't look finished. I'd like to try a blindstitch if my machine's blindstitch went in the right direction, but it doesn't.

Holice

Do the bindings anyway you want....staple them if you want to. Some of us find it relaxing, a sense of pride in doing hand work, believe it makes a better looking binding etc etc etc.
I don't understand even discussing it. Beyond accuracy in cutting and piecing, quiltmaking is a personal choice. I guess even if you don't want accuracy and are ok with mismatched seams....it is still ok.

fabric lover

A quilt friend of mine always does it like that. It works great , but I think I prefer handstitching on the back for a wal quilt.