Why Not to Press Binding in Half -
 

I don't Press my binding in half because the pressed in crease is not where the final fold ends up.
I do baste the raw edges together to keep them even and prevent puckering because I use bias binding.

The red and orange represent the two sides of a folded piece of binding.

The orange has to make four "outside curves" while the red one has a shorter distance to travel.

Hence - letting the fabric find its own "half" works out better for me.

Drawing is exaggerated.

I saw the light some time ago and stopped pressing my binding. It was very liberating!

i press mine. the fold always stays in the same place for me

I have been making some small things and practicing my binding. I usually press my binding and have noticed that when I am sewing down the back, the crease is not always the place it wants to meet the backing. Then I tried [I]very lightly [I] pressing that crease and had much more success. But on these small things, I have been folding and just lightly finger pressing and it has worked very well. Not sure if I would fold and baste before trying this on a large item. Shall have to think about it.

I quit ironing the binding based on a tip from someone on the board. It works well for me.

never happened to me, I always press!

I always press my binding in half. Once I sew it on the front, I press it to the outside, then I use hair clip to hold it to the backing all the way around. I have not had any problems this way.
Not sure how it would work without pressing it in half.
Mike

I too used to always press my binding til I too read somewhere that the fold is a forced fold and not the true fold, so since then I've not been pressing it; works much better for me too; think it 'fill's the binding better instead of leaving the outer edges rather on the thin side.

I do this, too. This step does help.

The bottom line - whatever works for you.

For me, because I prefer bias binding - I've found that if I lay the binding out on the ironing board, fold it to make sure that it is laying smoothly , pin the edges together, and then machine baste it about 1/8 inch from the edge with a longish, shallow zig-zag stitch is worth the effort to me. Sometimes I have to do a bit of "smoothing" to get the areas where the joins are to lay the way I want them to.

When I skipped this step, sometimes one layer would creep ahead of the other layer - even with a walking foot - and I did not care for the wrinkles/puckers that occurred in the binding. I also sew the edges of the quilt sandwich together about 1/8 inch from the edge.

That way I only have to worry about "matching" "two" sets of edges.

Maybe I am making way too much work for myself - but I am pleased with how my bindings turn out.

I totally agree with you.....that's how I do it:)

I've been pressing my binding since I started quilting. I will try this on my next quilt and see if I like it. I'm open to new ideas.

I did try this on a Table topper. I found where I had missed part of matching the raw edges(solid black), not convinced at the moment this is the method for me but I plan to try again when not working with black. I did see where the fabric seemed to lay nicer.

Bear, I'm going to try your method. Thanks!!

I always press because that's the way I was taught to do it, but I think I'll try not pressing next time.

I think I did this "automtically" - so did not even think to specifically mention it!

I never press my binding. I like the softer rolled edge to hand stitch in place. I do stitch my quilt sandwich close to the edge to hold it together then all I have to worry about is having the two raw edges of the binding aligned with the sandwich and stitch away. The stitching I did to hold the sandwich together is hidden in the seam allowance.

Don't press mine either.

I have always pressed my binding, but after reading about not pressing it I decided to try it. I basted the edges before I put it on the quilt, but was not happy with the way it turned to hand stitch on the back. I don't believe I will be one to change my way of doing on this.... always nice to give things a try, and a lot of times it is for the better!

I fold my binding in half and press, its always worked for me. My binding is sewn entire binding by machine, no hand sewing at all.
I don't want to baste the edges together, otherwise I'd have to undo it when I sew the final seam to finish the binding.
Sharon

I always iron my binding in half before attaching. I figure the fabric isn't "a quarter inch thick" LOL, and after folding, it doesn't really make much difference.

I just feel the raw edges of the binding stay together better after being ironed and won't go sliding up or down.

Pressing the raw edges evenly seems to "marry" the fabrics together so that one side does not creep while being sewn on. Then, like Tartan, I give it a light press and it works like a charm.

I also press my binding lightly then do as Tartan. It has worked well. If I were using bias binding I might try not pressing.

I always press and never had a problem with the crease. I am very happy with the way my bindings look.

I always press my bindings in half. Always cut WOF, always goes on real good, looks neat. Willing to try other ways but, not this one. I only machine sew on bindings.

Thanks for the tip! I will definitely be trying this on my next quilt.

I cut a 2" binding and use a scant 1/4" seam when sewing the binding. I do the same as Mike ... press it to the outside and then I press one more time on the fold that goes over the edge from the back side. I use 4 binding clips as I handstitch and keep moving them. I have no problem with this. The fold is just past the stitching line when I handstitch and the edge is full.

Even though there are pros and cons to this way, I think I am going to try it. Thanks for the tute.