I like my binding wide. so I cut usually a 5" strip and fold in half sew 1/4" to quilt and then fold over to the back. it ends op being around a 1" finished binding around the whole quilt. But it also depends on the size of the quilt that I am making. the smaller the quilt usually means thinner binding. I know that I am probably really really weird and totally in the minority here but it is what i like and you should play around with your widths till you find one you like best.