What I do:
Trim yardage to twice the length of backing needed (plus a bit extra if you’re like me)
Trim the cut ends of yardage so they are squared off
Fold yardage in half on crosswise grain, right sides together
Match up selvage edge on one side and pin from cut edge to fold
Stitch down pinned edge to fold using a 1” seam allowance
Trim fold off square to seam just completed
Trim selvage off leaving a ˝” seam allowance
Trim other side, before opening, so that total width from seam to edge is one half desired width
For two seams, as Lacelady suggested, pin and sew down both sides, trim the selvages and the fold as above so you have a tube, and then cut up the center of one layer.
The only real trick doing it this way, is making sure everything is squared up before you sew the edge(s) closed.