I'm going to give the fusible thread in the bobbin a try. I'm thinking of doing that first run with fusible in the bobbin (which won't show) with a long wide zig zag. Might give the area more fusible coverage. Might not. Polly
"Pati, in Phx" I have done bindings a lot of different ways. When I was doing samples, of pre-quilted crib panels, for House of Fabrics, I usually used ready to use binding (Wrights). Or I used premade ruffled binding. It went on in one go, usually with a decorative stitch (and I rounded the corners of the quilts so I didn't have to miter them. Needed to be fast.) Most of the time I use a double, "French" binding. Have used it on clothing for years, all by machine, so sometimes do it all by machine on quilts too. But I also enjoy the hand sewing part of the binding second side. However, I don't pin, or use clips or anything. That seems to just add to the work. When I do the machine stitching of the binding (first side) I pin a start point, with a tail. Quickly check the binding around the quilt to 1. make sure the binding is long enough. and, 2. be sure that I don't end up with a binding seam at a corner. (every time I forget to check it seems that I end up with a seam at the corner. which is a royal pain to deal with.) Discovered a long time ago that mitered binding corners are fairly easy to do, and look great. Then I hand sew the binding to the back, by turning and holding a bit at a time. No pins, clips or other. Don't really understand why you need to. (But that is me.... I understand that others have different ways they are comfortable with. But I always get stuck with pins. In most uncomfortable places usually.)
Sometimes I machine the second side down. That is when I will cut the binding a bit wider, to make sure the back side easily covers the seam line. If I am really trying to be good I try to remember to put fusible thread in the bobbin when I sew the binding to the first side. Then I can press the binding over the seam line , then stitch in the ditch of the binding seam and catch the back side of the binding cleanly. Works very well. Sometimes I just use a decorative stitch and sew right through the binding. On occasion I have used a blanket stitch, with the forward stitches almost in the ditch and the perpendicular into the binding.... can give a great look, especially if the quilt has blanket stitch applique. Or you want to add a color to the binding or something.
I have also used glue stick to hold bindings on the back.....usually because I need to get the quilt up for a class sample and don't have time to finish it properly, but also to machine stitch the back down when I forget to put fusible thread in the machine.
As for machine binding being looked down upon..... I have a quilt made by my great-great-great(?) grandmother. We've dated to the late
1800's, partly because the binding is the backing turned to the front and machine stitched down. That was one place they could use a machine and be sure that it showed. Which was a way of demonstrating that they had a machine to use. (the quilt is hand pieced, hand quilted, but the backing seam and the binding is done by machine.) So doing bindings by machine could be considered a "tribute" to our ancestors.BTW, I usually use straight grain binding, often lengthwise grain if I am doing binding the same a borders and cutting borders on lengthwise grain. Fewer seams that way. The only times I use bias binding is for curved edges, or decorative use of a stripe/plaid. And I have started looking for diagonally striped fabrics to use for bindings, because I can get the bias stripe look, but use straight grain binding.
As to how, If I am handsewing the binding down, the quilt is usually in my lap, over my legs. Not a great way to do things here in the summer. sigh. One reason I tend to do smaller quilts.
Any way you do it, have fun, Pati, in Phx