My machine binding isn’t great. But I keep trying and I think I’ve settled on a method that works for me. It uses Elmer’s School Glue.
I use 2 1/2 inch strips to make my binding and press it in half, wrong sides together. I stitched it to the front of the quilt with a quarter inch seam. Next, I pressed it away from the quilt top to completely open the seam on the front.
I add a thin line of school glue on the back of the quilt as shown below.
Then I press it in place, making sure I cover the seam line.
Finally, I stitch from the top, right next to the binding.
This is what it looks like from the back.
And from the front.
I didn’t have any issues with not catching the binding on the back and I think it looks much better on the front.
Hope this helps someone! I will wash this quilt before gifting.
Have a great day!
KatyQuilts 
What a great idea for quilts that will get heavy use! Like gifts to certain people who excessively wash their quilts… I know some of them.
Wow, that looks great! I need to try it. Although I do love hand stitching the binding down. It’s so fulfilling!
Looks great. Your work is always so neat and tidy!
Hi Katy, I’ve used a method like this before, but instead of glue I used a type of adhesive thread in bobbin. After folding binding and iron/heat set in place, I then switched to regular thread bobbin and the clear nylon thread for top stitching. Sew down binding from the front along side of binding just like you did in pic.
I have used glue on the corners of binding, but never tried using it all the way around. I used to use an applique glue. Elmer’s sounds easier. I will have to try this next time.
I also hand bind my quilts but I think I am going to give your method a try on a machine quilted quilt.
I love using Washable School Glue in my sewing room too! Great tip to use it on the binding. Could even do that if you wanted to hand-stitch the binding down too. No more clips all around! Glue, iron, sew! Perfect!
Your binding looks great! I use the same method without the glue and cut 2.25″ binding strips. I use a Juki and the compensating foot for the final stitching on the top of the quilt and it always sews very nice.
The final hand stitching of binding is always a bottle neck for me so this is very interesting. I tried machine stitching but the result was so stiff; I need to experiment some more, clearly. Thanks!
ceci
How does it work on the corners? I have a friend who uses this method and loves it. I usually hand stitch a binding.
Can you stitch right away after pressing? I think I’m going to try this! Thanks for sharing!