binding

[Lizbeth]

I hate sewing on binding. How do you sew it on the long arm I have Lucey, usually when I take the quilt off I have to trim it, before I can even sew the binding.

 

Does anyone sew the binding then turning it and stitching it by hand? It takes me forever doing it by hand.

 

Thanks, Lizbeth

[ffq-lar]

Binding is quick and easy when the quilt is on the longarm. Works best if the quilt is perfectly square, but if you have a side where you'd trim the border a bit before you bind it, it will still work.

 

Take your binding and start at the right side about in the middle. Adjust the starting position so no binding seam hits at a corner. Pin the binding end down and align the edges of the binding and the top. Start stitching the binding down about 6 inches below the start. You can pin the binding along the area you can reach until you get some practice. Use a longarm ruler as a guide, stitch down the usual quarter-inch in from the edge, removing the pins as you get to them. Needle down and advance the quilt carefully as you go. Pin the next section and stitch. As you get to the corners, it's the same method as you would apply binding on a DSM---stitch to within a quarter-inch of the end and stitch a 90 degree angle off the binding and onto the batting. Flip, align, and fold back the binding. Pin in place and stitch the binding across the bottom. Continue back to the start, leaving another 6 inches of binding unstitched at the end. You can unload the quilt and finish an invisible join of the binding on your DSM, or manipulate the binding on the machine and stitch the invisible joining while it's loaded. That's a tricky technique which I won't go into here.

 

If the quilted top needs to be trimmed straight before applying the binding, use a long ruler to mark where you'd normally trim and place the binding up against the marked line instead of against the edge of the fabric.

 

If you don't like hand stitching the back of the binding, stitching by machine is acceptable (except for most show quilts). You can use a decorative stitch in the ditch of the binding seam, being sure to catch the back binding edge. Or you can stitch it down from the back.

[Neher-in-law5]

Since I don't have a longarm on the frame, I do all my bindings by my dsm.  First I trim the quilt.  Then I stitch the binding to the backside all around, join it and be sure it is all on.  Then I pull the binding to the front (kind of scraping the first seam with my fingers to get it all out smooth) and stitch with a straight stitch from the front.  I don't do any hand stitching on mine, but none of my are for shows and most are meant to be used and last.

[Fastquilts]

I do lots of bindings on my regular sewing machine and I personally think they look great.  I sew the binding to the back and flip over and sew to the front.  I have given some classes on how to put the binding on also.  I will take some pics tomorrow and put on here so you can see.

[Cagey]

I use this method for attaching the binding; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2hWQ5-ZccE

 

I sew it to the front and then when you do the back, glue the binding down an 1/8 of an inch inside of the stitch line from the front.  I mark that line with a ruler and a water soluble marker.  This way when I SID on the front side up against the binding with invisible thread, the binding on the back has a nice uniform stitch line that fully captures the back of the binding.  

 

If you are going to show the quilt, you will need to hand sew it.  I say find someone that loves this at your local guild, that does nice work, and pay them to do it.  They probably will not charge you all that much, as they will be getting their fix while they watch TV.  

 

Cagey

[Mercedes]

I think I'm in the minority - I sew the binding on the front with either the long arm of the DSM then flip the binding to the back and use the clips to hold it in place.  I then do small hand stitches to sew the binding on the back.  I also sew the diagonal corners together by hand to make the corners set right.   Yep, it takes more time however I love the look because you see no stitching on the front or the back.  I even do this on the charity quilts I make.  

[sewingpup]

I do mine on my DSM....first I trim the edges...then using my walking foot...I stitch the binding to the back....then I stitch it down on the front with my walking foot but I also use a smaller serpentine stitch...so if I wobble a bit, it doesn't show all that much....there is  stitch on my bernina 630 that I can adjust the length and width of the serpentine stitch to what I like...I make mostly bed quilts....and a few wall hangings but I usually match the binding to the border and using a thread that blends will...Lin

[Merryjo2003]

I always put my binding on with the longarm.  Easy peasy.  I do this as a service for customers, too!