origamigoldfish

I have a large quilt that I am working on, and due to size and space issues I will not be able to use my machine to sew the binding to the front of the quilt. This is only my third or fourth project and I have no idea how to attach a binding on both sides of the quilt completely by hand.

I tried google for information but can only find tutorials on turning the binding and finishing it by hand. Every single one of them uses a machine to sew it down to the top side of the quilt.

Can I just stitch it down like I would the back side if I did use my machine?

Help me please, I am so clueless

quiltsRfun

Do you mean you don't want to use the machine at all or you don't want o use it when you fold over and stitch down? I can't imagine stitching the whole binding by hand. It would be pretty hard to get a needle through all those layers.

PaperPrincess

Why can't you use your machine? The only part that needs to fit under the needle is the binding, which is pretty skinny. I think many, if not most machine stitch it to the front, turn then hand stitch to the back. I machine stitch both sides. You can machine stitch to the back, turn it to the front and stitch close to the edge. You can stitch it to the back, turn it to the front, and use a decorative stitch. You can stitch it to the front, turn it to the back, then pin or glue baste being sure to cover the seam, then stitch in the ditch from the front. My favorite way is to use a faux flange:
Flanged Binding

Teen

Oh goodness....I'm not sure about hand-sewing binding on front & back. Can't you move machine to a dining room table or kitchen table? Or, move your sewing table away from the wall and place lowered ironing board on backside. I'd even set it up on a coffee table and surround the table with chairs to support. Last idea to offer would be to take machine to a friend/family house to sew on binding. I just don't know about the sturdiness of hand-Sewn binding front & back... You could totally come to my house..lol!

Maureen NJ

Goggle YouTube Sheri Driver and scroll down. She does a 4 part series for McCall’s on binding. It is my go to site.

SillySusan

I can't imagine hand sewing the binding on the front of the quilt. It seems to be a really tough job, but it must have been done by those long-ago quilters before sewing machines. It can be done, but be sure you have very good, strong thread and knot every couple of stitches (back stitch or ...) to make sure it's secure.

Another suggestion: Call your local quilt shop and ask if they know some one who can machine sew it for you. Just a thought or two.

dunster

If you can't machine sew either side of the binding, your best option might be to leave enough backing so that you can turn, fold, and use it as binding. There was a thread about doing this a couple of days ago. question on self binding

luvstoquilt

I love Sheri Driver! Wish she was still at McCalls! This is great advice!

joe'smom

I think it would be hard to do a proper running stitch through so many layers, so I imagine I'd use a back stitch if having to do this by hand. It is definitely not a thrilling thought. (Since you're only working at the edge of the quilt when doing binding, you don't have to fit the bulk of the quilt through the machine).

AliKat

Where are you sewing that this is a problem. You could put chairs around your machine for more space and less drag. You could ask one of your LQS's or church if you could use their tables to sew the binding on. Quilting buddies might have suggestions.