I use to make my own but now I use the Simplicity machine. I sew 2 1/2'' strips together and run it through the binding machine and I'm done. Double folded perfect binding. I have lots of binding made and stashed away. If I want bias binding I sew narrower bias strips and the machine makes perfect folds. It took several attempts to using the machine before I was thrilled with it but it was never the machine not doing it right it was me. I kept trying because the machine was a gift from my DD and I wanted to be able to say I love it. Now I can. :-D