and the bindings are always full. sorry for the disjointed posting. been working in the flowers and am a bit tired. smile

Am I the only one that uses 3" binding? I sew down about 8" with maybe a 3/8" SA. I wrap the binding around to see if it's going to cover. If it is too wide I adjust my needle so I can end up with the right amount for both sides. Sometimes I sew mine down by machine and sometimes I like to hand sew it. Usually small projects I sew down by hand and use only 2 1/2/ wide binding.

I do it the Sharon Schamler does; I use 2 1/4" and cut the binding the length of your fabric, this makes for a more stable and straight binding (and border fabrics too) then I will take small drop of Elmer's School (washable) glue and iron it down doing one side at a time and stitch it down, doing this all around the quilt. You will have even binding and it will not wave or pucker on you. Yu also do not need a walking foot and I stitch it with the 1/4".
Go to you tube and check out her "Angel binding method" it makes dooing binding so much easier!

Glad to know I am not the only one out there who can not sew a straight line. :D

1/4 for me

I sew the binding to the back using my 1/4" foot as the guide; then turn it to the front and sew the edge with a straight seam or a decorative stitch. With a straight seam, on the back it often looks as if I had sewn an outline stitch in the border along the binding to match the outline stitch I do on the other side of the binding. I cut my binding strip to 2.5" as so many of you do.

I do the Sharon S. method, "it works for me' ,come's out right everytime. DottieBug

I also like Sharon's method. I always trim after attaching the binding that way my walking foot is completely supported. If I have way too much extra I will cut the majority of it away and do a finish trim after attaching the binding. And I can't say enough good things about using Wonder Clips instead of pins. I was never happy with the results of my attempts at machine finished binding til I tried them. I still prefer hand finished binding. I use a ladder stitch with 1/8 to 1/4 inch stitch length. It's invisible and stands up to machine washing.

Depends on the size of your binding. I usually cut 2 1/2" for large quilts and 2 1/4" for small wall hangings. You are supposed to sew 1/3 of the way in from the raw edge. Just experiment a little. Good luck!

That's how I do mine, too. Well, I trim first but the rest is like I do it. I'm sorry you don't like to bind... it's one of my favorite parts of making a quilt! I find it relaxing somehow... I know -- I'm weird!