I've done it both ways and all have held up. Hand-sewing is quite relaxing while you're watching tv - just use one of the hidden stitches like a ladder stitch or narrow blanket stitch and it will be just fine.

for my 'better' quilts, i hand stitch to the back. for utility quilts, i machine stitch to the back first, then machine stitch to the front.

I machine stitch to the front, press and turn to the back - set with a little washable glue so that it covers the stitching - then stitch in the ditch on the front. I catch most of the back, but often have to "fix" a few little spots.

Me too!!! Love the hand finish work!!!!!

I hand stitch the back, usually with one thread; sometimes with two. About every inch, I take an extra stitch and "knot" the thread. It still doesn't show, but would stop any break. And the fabric on the binding wore out on one quilt, but the stitching was still intact.

I always hand sew the binding on the back using the ladder stitch. One day I may be brave enough to try machine stitching the binding to the back first and then machine stitching the front.