Skill I Need to Master: How to get Binding so it's the Same Width on Each Side (Machine Applied)

So I've pretty much mastered how to cut binding, how to miter corners, how to make fake flange binding.  I have failed miserably with getting the binding so it ends up being close to being the same size on both sides.  I realize that by using the machine I will have a line of stitching showing, but my widths are so uneven - it really looks awful.

I still want to learn how to hand stitch the binding, but since most of my quilts are for charity or for babies I need to get the machine binding so it looks better.

Oh, and after that I want to learn how to apply binding for scallop edges and so there are points and different angles in the edge.

I need to make a point of adding a daily session of doing different parts of making a quilt so my skills do not have to be relearned each time I work on a project!  But this binding business is the finishing part and I need to figure it out.

Cutting Binding on the Straight Grain:
Sew Very Easy: How To Make Quilt Binding
She likes binding strips cut 2.25 inch.  I add the step of pinning the fabric before marking the line and that works well for both straight grain or binding cut on the bias.
https://youtu.be/sXXXEQUaLEU

Cutting Bias Binding
Take up to about 3/4 yard of fabric.  Press and trim the cut edges so they are even.  Fold a corner up to make a square.  Press.  Pin to secure the fabric.  If you want fold the fold edge again and pin so the fabric does not move.  Pin so you can cut the folded side half the desired width.  Then put new pins in and remove the ones that would be blocking the next cut.  Just continue cutting carefully.  This way can cut two strips with each cut!  The cross the edges so they are at right angles (as she shows in the Sew Very Easy: How To Make Quilt Binding video).  I find it helps to keep the ends so I can see them to easily check that the fabric is lined up correctly.  I have a collection of these end pieces, thinking of what to do with them!   I can get between 8 and 9 feet of binding from a fat quarter.  I am saving my left over binding to join together and finish up some scrap quilts I've made.  Guess I will try trimming them down to 2.25 inch strips...

Easy way to start and finish applying the binding on the first side:

Sew Very Easy: How to Bind and Finish a Quilt
Folding the start to make a little pocket, and inserting the end in the little fabric pocket.
https://youtu.be/dPDbVfE24pc

Sew Very Easy: An Easy way to sew the binding on your quilt top

This one shows making the pocket at the start, pinching the fabric at the corner, using a nail file to help when doing the corners, and inserting the end in the little pocket to finish it up. She hand stitches the last edge though.

https://youtu.be/9DGNhbaA-3U

Sew Very Easy: How to Sew Faux Flange Quilt Binding

She has great detailed photos on how to do the miter corners.  Much simpler than the way I did this a few years ago...  Her flange part it larger than what I did before too...

https://youtu.be/9DGNhbaA-3U

Sew Very Easy: How to hand sew binding on a quilt
I haven't tried this, just found it tonight when looking at binding tutorials.

https://youtu.be/eztGVPEDvMc

Here finally is a tutorial discussing the width of the binding:

iCandy: Quilt Binding Tutorial

Hmm I think I was cutting my binding too wide.

https://icandyfiberart.com/quilt-binding-tutorial/

Hmm, another one at 2.25 inch binding strips

The Crafty Quilter: Best Tips for All Machine Binding

https://thecraftyquilter.com/2018/03/my-best-tips-for-all-machine-binding/

I remember going to a workshop where the teacher suggested cutting the batting and backing so it was a tad larger than the front (to get a full binding) - but guess that only works when you sew the binding to the front first.  I tried that for the second baby gift, but since it's a curve edge it was difficult to measure the 'tad' larger...

What a shame that I didn't take time to do this binding review before making my recent baby gifts.

From this review, I'm thinking it's the width of the strips (of course) that were too wide so that is why I needed to pull the fabric over more so the binding would be full.

I will need to make another one just to double check all this reading!

: )

Then I can move on again to learning the scallop edges, different angles edges and hand stitching finish!