carol45

I machine sew to the back first, then bring it over to the front; then I use Elmer's School Glue to glue the binding to the front exactly how I want it. Then I use a decorative stitch--I like the serpentine best--about the width of the binding, with thread that matches the binding, and sew the binding down with that. I do this on baby quilts to get a strong binding attachment that looks good. With a dark binding, you have to look really closely to even see the serpentine stitch.

madamekelly

I could not make it work no matter what I tried, so I just bought a binding foot. Works perfect after watching a few YouTube videos for demonstrations.

meanmom

Have you ever made a Faux piped binding? This is my favorite binding. There are lots of you tube videos on how to do it.

1screech

I use what I call the serpentine stitch. It is number 4 on most Bernina machines. I sew the binding to the back and then use a washable glue to press it down and then do the serpentine stitch. It is like a zigzag only has individual stitches in the spikes. It looks nice an is easy to do. If you send me a PM, I can send you a picture from my Ipad. I don't have the pictures on my laptop.

Macybaby

I had trouble with machine bindings until I stopped pressing the binding in half, now they go on super easy and fast. I try to line up my stitching so it's close to "in the ditch" on the back side, but don't worry about it not being perfect. I can bind a queen size quilt in about an hour start to finish, and I don't leave my machine to join the ends either.

jokir44

I saw on Donna Jordan's machine binding tutorial that she doesn't press her binding in half either. It seems to me that it would be easier to handle pressed flat. MACYBABY, can you tell us why you think you have better luck with the unpressed binding please?

Macybaby

All I can suggest is - try it. Without the crease pressed in, when sewing the fold down, I never have the binding trying to creep out from under the needle, I never have it trying to roll and getting a tuck in it. It always folds over and lays even and nice. I use to pin and try all sorts of things to keep the binding laying flat and even, and now that I don't press, I never pin anything and don't have the problems.

Binding has become a very easy task for me, I use to hate and dread doing it, and now it's a piece of cake. The only thing I changed was I don't press the binding in half, I just fold it and line up the edges and sew it down.

Last year I did a project that needed 120 "potholder" blocks finished at 6". I used bias binding and cut and sewed it into a circle before attaching it - that was a lot of practice sewing bindings and corners. I think I've already completed about 15 quilts this year, so I sew a lot of bindings.

I did a Craftsy class for making a bag last weekend, and right at the start the instructor said that at her first class, one of the students suggested she not press her binding, so she tried it and now she tells her students NOT to press the binding before sewing it on- as it goes on much nicer.

jokir44

Thanks for your info Macybaby. I will give your way a try on my next quilt. I have two going simultaneously so good practice for it.

Rhonda K

I don't press it first either.

Here is a great explanation as to "why".

Why Not to Press Binding in Half -

cranberry

My friend taught me her way of doing a machine sewn binding. She cuts 3" for the binding, folds and presses. Sews onto the front as usual. Then she presses with steam and starch all the way around to get the binding flat and even on the back. Then she uses a wide decorative stitch along the edge of the binding along the back to sew the edge of it to the quilt back. On the front, the decorative stitch shows as a sort of border just beneath the binding. She often uses a honeycomb stitch or the one that looks like little off set boxes. It looks nice, but I felt like it was not as soft feeling as handstitching (it can be kind of rough when you rub across it) and would definitely opt for a looser stitch like a serpentine for a baby quilt.
Also Rachel Hauser has a tutorial for a zig zag binding on her blog, Stitched in Color. Her tutorials in general are well-written.