celwood

I always finish my binding by hand. True it takes a long time but I do it while watching TV. I just did a queen size quilt that took me about 9 hours total

lindaschipper

Somehow I always find it easier to work from top to bottom instead of bottom to top. Maybe it doesn't make much sense, but it seems to put less strain on my wrist.

Debbie32900

I love to sew the binding by hand. I'm doing first quilts for all 6 grandkids. When I presented the first one, I told my DGS that it's not binding. It's SWAK...Stitched With A Kiss...

weezie

When I am piecing or cutting, the first time my mind wanders off (as it tends to do), I make an error! However, when I'm hand-stitching binding, my mind can go anywhere it likes and I make no mistakes. It's very relaxing. Ditto the seam ripping job I'm doing now. I am almost finished removing a wide border (one I thought would be right for the quilt, but is definitely not) and a narrow one (same huge quilt); I was NOT looking forward to this task, but I can really 'zone out' while I remove 1000's of stitches.

Jratcliff

Binding is my TV watching thing since I can't just sit and watch TV.
Make sure your needle is a nice sharp one that hasn't been used for years, like mine!
When you pull thread from the spool, place that end on your shoulder. That is the end to knot. That way your thread won't twist as you sew. It all has to do with the twist of the thread when it is being manufactured.

mjhaess

I always sew my bindings by hand. I have never done it by machine.

homecaregiver

To me, sewing a binding down by hand is the only way to go. I have a friend who sews them down by machine and they just do not do justice to a quilt that she has put time and money in to finish this way. Yes it does take time but to me, well worth the effort.

Pickle

I really enjoy binding by hand, I think it adds so much to the quilt and it also lowers your blood Pressure when you sew and relax!
Have a good day!

nunnyJo

It is hard but the rewards are great. just can't like those done on machine.

BettyGee

I know it takes a tad longer, but for a finished look there just isn't any substitute for hand sewing your binding. There have been times when I've been in a hurry to finish a project, waited too long to start, and I've used the machine to add the binding. While it turns out okay, it just doesn't look as nice. Thread Heaven is a great product, I used it when I was seed bead weaving and have now found it to be useful in hand sewing as well. Get a cup of coffee, a nice comfortable chair, a good old movie and sew away.