I usually do it the second way, but I get much more square quilts if I do it the first way! The reason I like to sew the binding before trimming is because I like having the extra backing and batting there. Sometimes when I have trimmed first my seam allowance isn't wide enough and the binding pulls loose, which is a huge pain to fix.

Donna

Always the second way, same reason that Donna says, if I trim it first there's a big chance of me sewing off of the seam allowance and that is a pain to fix.

I've only done it the first way. I don't think my quilt would be as square if I attempted the second way.

I square and trim, then bind.

bkay

I don't understand how you would fold the binding corner back to turn the corner correctly if it wasn't trimmed. Long ago my quilting friend taught us to leave a 1/4 of binding and backing outside the edge of the actual top so that our bindings would be full. I cut it that way when I square it up. It leaves me a tiny bit of fudge room since I sew the binding 1/4 inch from the actual edge...on the quilt top, but with binding and batting extra.

I must be missing something. How can you sew the binding on and then trim? Wouldn't you be cutting into the seam allowance? I simply can't picture it. I always square the quilt first and then attach the binding with a 1/4" seam. I don't trim the corners, and they turn beautifully. What am I failing to see?

I line the binding up with the edge of the quilt top and sew it on. Then I trim off the excess batting and backing.

Donna

So you square the quilt TOP first before adding batting and backing, then sew on binding? Wouldn't the actual quilting (before binding) then distort the edge? Or do you quilt after binding? I also don't see how you can get a really straight and square edge that way.

Different strokes for different folks. Whatever works, I guess.

Please explain what you mean when you say you don't trim the corners. How can you fold over the binding without trimming corners?

I baste the sandwich in the 'seam allowance' and trim at the edge of the desired seam allowance. I can make any corrections needed and only then add the binding.

My experience if fairly limited, but I trim as soon as I can! I like it nice n tidy before the binding goes on.

I sew the binding to the front (I think some sew it to the back first). When I get to a corner of the top I fold the binding up, turn the corner, then fold it back down and start stitching down the new side. Works like a charm. After the binding is stitched all the way around I trim the edges even then fold the binding to the back and hand sew.

Sometimes I do get wavy edges doing it this way, but sometimes I have issues when I trim first.

Donna

Oh, I get it, Donna. You line the binding up with the edge of the top while the batting and backing still extend beyond it. When I’m finished quilting, the top edge is often a bit wavy, so I don’t think that method would work for me. Also, I machine stitch the binding to the backing, fold it to the front and machine stitch close to the folded binding edge on the front. So I have to trim first.

Susan, I’m not sure I can explain well enough, but I’ll try. I make sure I have a true 90° angle at every corner as I trim the quilt. I use a 12” square ruler and line it up carefully. I sew a 1/4” seam when I sew on the binding. I stop sewing 1/4” from the edge when I come to a corner, and then continue sewing to the right at an angle into the seam allowance and off the edge of the quilt towards the point. I do the standard folding turn with the binding at the corner making sure the fold line of the binding lines up exactly with the edge of the trimmed quilt. (Maybe this is where you can get extra fabric that needs to be trimmed if the fold hangs over the edge of the corner. Just a thought.) I start stitching the new side right at the trimmed edge. I make the standard mitered corner when I top-stitch the binding from the front. Sorry this got so long.

I trim and square the quilt before sewing the binding on it.

I do it the same way as Lois has explained...works great!

Just reread what I said. It makes no sense because it says binding in two places where I meant batting