Sometimes it only takes a simple question to cause a whole lot of action to take place. So, last week reader Carole commented on a post and asked a simple thing. "So how's all that binding coming along?" Uh. What? Binding? Well, I had to confess to Carole that it wasn't coming along in any way shape or form. I've had quilts waiting literally for years for me to sew the binding on them.
So, on Saturday, I went up to the sewing room determined to make something happen. I decided that hand-sewing binding is not a task I enjoy. I procrastinate, sometimes for years, before my quilts are completely finished with their bindings. The reason I picked up that little Christmas quilt was because I had actually pulled the binding fabric and labeled it for once. It was right there, just waiting to be sewn on. I cut the binding out, attached it to the quilt, did a lot of pressing and pinning, and sewed that binding on by machine. I don't know what took me so long. It turned out great and was done in a matter of less than an hour.
Then I sewed the bindings on the Base Camp runner and a FQS Halloween table topper from a year or two ago.
This pinwheel quilt was next. This has been waiting for its binding since pre-COVID days. I could actually have been using this pretty quilt, which has a kind of late summer/early fall vibe.
Now it's on my front porch where we can finally enjoy it. It is a perfect August quilt. Years. Years it was waiting for me to sew on the binding.
So, now it was noon and I had bound four quilts. I had lunch, read for a little while, then went back upstairs to do more. Honestly, the process takes minutes by machine instead of hours or days to do by hand.
This summery basket quilt has been downstairs by my tv chair, outside next to my back porch chair, and outside on the front porch all summer long. I brought it out along with my hand sewing kit and wonder clips, determined to hand-sew the binding on. I would move it from place to place and never pick it up. Since May I have been moving this darn thing all over my house, thinking I would sew the binding on. Well, it got sewn on Saturday by machine in less than half an hour.
This Lella Boutique Christmas quilt has been making me feel guilty ever since I got it back from the quilter. But did I sew the binding on? Of course not. Well, I did on Saturday. Another one done.
This is Lucy, a scrap quilt I made for Halloween years ago. I finally got it quilted, and yay me, I didn't make it wait another 10 years for its binding.
Seven quilts. I machine-bound SEVEN QUILTS in about six hours. It was only 3:30 and I was starting to do the binding on my ModaBlockheads 3 red white and blue quilt, but my husband begged me to come back downstairs so he could turn off the upstairs AC. So, I was going for eight quilts bound in one day, but will have to be satisfied to have done seven.
If you are wondering about the quality of the stitching, I have to tell you I am totally, 100% satisfied with it. At least it is done, and actually looks good. I have gotten faster and better at it with practice, and it is not difficult to do at all.
This is the underside view of a corner, which was initially the trickier part of the process. Easy peasy now.
This is what the stitching looks like on the top. Honestly, you can barely see it. I pin carefully, do a lot of steam pressing and then stitch in the ditch. Occasionally, a small portion doesn't get caught in the stitching, but it is a quick and easy fix when you get to the end. I inspect the binding edges underneath and make sure they are all sewn down. If not, I just go over that little section again.
I am a total convert to machine sewing my bindings now. Thank you Carole, for your simple question. It really lit a fire under me!
28 Responses
You go girl! What a great accomplishment! I admit I am not Johnny on the spot with bindings either, especially Queen or king size 🤭❤️
Nicole, I was just like you and hated sewing down binding by hand. I complained endlessly! When I learned to sew binding on by machine it was life changing! I love to hand quilt so those quilts get hand sewn binding but all others machine sewn. You will get even faster the more you do! I know people who absolutely love hand sewing down binding but not me!
WOW! 🤩🥳 I’m sooooo impressed! Kudos 👏 you and now you can enjoy those quilts! Great job! 👏
Huge round of applause for you! And you get to use these beauties now!
I just saw a reel on IG where the quilter used 1/4 inch fusible tape to secure his binding before he sewed it down. I’m going to try that next time I bind.
You are very welcome! You go girl. The stitching looks amazing. I am so afraid the back will look nasty. I almost hate to ask, but I gotta, how many more do you need to bind? I bet you have inspired quilters everywhere! Come to think of it, I have 1 to do. Hot weather has been my excuse.
Absolutely impressive! You were able to have your own quilt show by the evening☺️
That is absolutely fantastic! I am so impressed. Yay to Carole for lighting a fire under you. It also provided us with a quilt show – double bonus!! 🙂
Glad you are now a convert to machine binding! If I ever make an heirloom quilt,I will do the binding by hand, but I haven’t made one yet😂 When I do my machine binding I sew it to the front of the quilt, press it, then turn the binding to the back and use school glue (very thin line of it) along the quilt back, then iron on the binding strip to the back. Holds great, no pins/ clips! Your binding looks terrific though, keep it going!
I machine sew binding on any quilt I think will have a busy life and it’s a wonderfully freeing process. Glad you’re a convert and I so envy your energy.
Applause, applause!!
Hugs!
Incredibly impressive, Nicole!! Feel free to send all of your quilts for me to bind! I love your Lucy quilt and I should decide on my fabric colours for it…cuz I need another project haha!! How many bindings to go??
This is very encouraging. I have been mulling over
trying machine binding. Your result look wonderful. Did you find a tutorial or website that was helpful in getting started? I have tops that could be finished if I can learn to do this. Thanks for the post.
YAY! Good for you! Isn’t it a wonderful feeling, getting something completed that’s been hanging around for a long time?!
Wow, how wonderful! Now you can actually enjoy all those fabulous quilts! I confess I sometimes enjoy hand-stitching it down, and other times want the quick finish. I prefer to use Elmers glue to baste it down, for me it’s easier and more accurate than pinning.
Ok, now you’ll have to share your technique. How wide do you cut your binding? How do you get the backside to barely be noticeable? Inquiring minds want to know;) I hve around 15 quilts that need binding:/
Wow!! I’m impressed….I’ve begun to sew bindings by machine but it takes me longer than you. Wrestling around big quilts “kills” my shoulder if I do more than one a day! I believe I have 4 large quilts to bind now. You (and Carole) have inspired to bind one today.
Way to go! Such a big payoff for one day’s sewing!
When you put your mind to something you really dig in! I see a machine binding tutorial in the future! Congrats on getting those quilts & runners to the finish line! 👏👏👏👏
WOW just WOW! I have many quilts that are pinned and ready for quilting that are piling up. And several tops that are completed. Can’t even think about the binding! I do more machine binding now, especially if I think the quilt will be used a lot. Hubby doesn’t care if the ones I make for us are hand- or machine-sewn, so only my special quilts get the hand work.
Sue S has a good point. Machine bind the more utilitarian quilts, hand stitch the special ones. I have been thinking about that a lot – not all quilts need to be hand done. It is good to define/have guidelines.
I have a plethora of quilts ready for binding right now, because I lost my long arm quilter for months and now have three long arm quilters catching up my backlog. So that is a lot of quilts coming back to me at a steady pace.
I do numerous charity quilts, those can be machine stitched. Ditto baby quilts. Also quilts that are going to family/friends who do not know anything about quilting/sewing, can definitely be machine bound.
I am so pleased for you that you reduced your back log so painlessly. What a cheerful day that must have been.
Good for you! I’ve been machine binding my quilts forever. It’s the only way it gets done.
everyone is raving about the beautiful binding work(including me) but no one is commenting on the gorgeous quilts?!
I mean that pin wheel on the diagonal is gorgeous! I don’t recognize that one. I also don’t remember the Halloween table runner? It’s gorgeous. I just love the basket quilt. I really have to make a basket quilt.
I’ve been deep in hand binding a bday quilt for the little boy next door. It’s sailboats made from old Fig Tree fabric lines. On the back is a map of the world. I’m almost done.
I need to go back and catch up….
Wow, wow, wow. Beautiful quilts and machine binding looks great. I machine bind my quilts but do the opposite of you. Love the way your quilts look. I think you shared a tutorial on how you did your quilts. Need to check that out.
I am so impressed that you finished so many bindings in one day! Even using the machine, I’ve never done multiples in one day. I also have 14 finished quilts that need binding, so I’d better get with it!
Geez Louise Nicole! Your machine binding looks fantastic! I have been procrastinating for years to learn and now you have inspired me.
Did you follow a YouTube or some other tutorial?
Many of us hoping for a link to a tutorial that you would recommend.
Yay for the finishes! Beautiful quilts. Love them all.
Love your quilts! So inspiring! I have also just started to machine bind. Still having some issue with the corners. Have been practicing on my donation quilts. I have been using a bi-level foot on my machine that helps for perfect stitch placement. Any recommendations for tutorials?
Wow those bindings look amazing! What a great job you did and what a relief to finally be done and able to enjoy them! The quilts are wonderful too!