I find I have the best success with cutting the binding 2-1/4 wide....and I have done both the sewing to the front and the sewing to the back first methods...if sewing with a straight stitch in the ditch, I will do either method, and if doing decorative stitch, I think it looks best to sew to the back of quilt first.
Most of the time though, I am making quilts to be used and I dont worry about the binding being perfect. I can't do handsewing for that long so no longer can do bindings by hand and am just happy to get the quilts finished.