Blind stitch for binding

As Mud Pat! lol, no just kidding... I think I know what you mean and think I do it like that already. But I'll pay closer attention to the next one I do. :) Elly

If you're interested, Sharon Schamber has a free binding lesson on her web site. Go to and click on the Binding Lesson; it's well illustrated. I love her glue technique; it really makes getting that binding even very easy. But if you use it, be sure to heat set it, or it may not stick. The glue washes out very easily, and the tip she uses on the bottle is readily available at JoAnn's or Michael's, among other places. Look in the tole painting section. :)

This sounds very interesting Tia Maria! I must give it a shot next time I make a quick quilt.... errr when have I ever made a quilt quickly?... hmmm Maybe in the next 2 weeks before out exhibit on

You can use the machine's blind hem stitch a different way than was originally intended. It is often used as an applique stitch by just stitching along the top of the fabrics with the straight parts of the stitch running on the background fabric close beside the applique piece and the little zig zag part of the stitch zigs over to stitch through the edge of the applique piece. You would set the stitch length to something fairly short and the width to narrow so the zig just barely catches the edge. You could do the same with a binding, but I think I would set the width a little wider so it catches more than just one thread at the folded edge.

Of course there is also no reason you can't simply straight stitch the binding on both sides of a utility quilt. Debra in VA See my quilts at

That is the second time in two days that I have read about using the feather stitch. The other was about applique. I'm gonna have to use this stitch. Debra in VA See my quilts at

You did a great job on the initial explanation, but thanks for the clarification.

I like the idea of the WonderTape, hmmm..........

So many good ideas! I may try one of them yet!

On my last two quilts I sewed my regular binding on the front as usual. Then I used a blanket stitch from the front and used the hair clips ahead of my stitching to make sure the back was turned under good. They turned out amazingly well. I did go back and hand tack a few places that didn't catch well enough. These were sort-of-heirloom quilts. They were for my niece's and nephew's graduations. I have tried the fusible thread and not had any luck, but I was using flannel backings so I thought that might be the problem.

For all but the really special quilts I force myself to stitch the binding on by machine. What I have found to be the least frustrating and gives good results is as follows:

1. Cut binding 2 1/2", press wrong sides together.
2. Sew binding to the back of the quilt using my walking foot.
3. Stitch each corner and about two inches on either side of the corners by hand just the way I would if I were doing the entire binding by hand. Forming the corners by hand makes it much less frustrating when machine stitching around the quilt. By using the regular blind hand stitch rather than basting I don't have to remove any hand stitching when machine stitching is finished.
4. Mach>Has anyone tried this method of sewing the binding to the back of a quilt?

I don't even know what I did last time, but Mom said she wished she could do as good a job. Straight as an arrow on the sides, flat at the corners, and nearly invisible hand stitching on the front. I was just doing a wrapped binding though. I have better success with wrapping than with a separate binding. Debra in VA See my quilts at

You Go Gal! A Mom's compliment is about the best thing in the world to hear! ME-Judy