I cut at 3.5", fold in half (I only do double chanel) and then stitch at .5"... so 3.5 folded is 1.75, stitched at .5 (with all raw edges together)... is 1.25 left to fold over again, now it's .75 left hanging over the edge..fold under and then there is a skimpy .25 left (the folds, seam and the depth of the edge all take up a bit) which i either blindstitch by hand or stitch in the ditch by machine for children's and donors' quilts.
This produces a standard .5" binding, which usually, but not always matches the last border. Any other width or color is purely a style choice... i still use .5" but most of my colorful children's quilts have all the scrap binding that i've used sewn together (on the slant, for eye pleasing) and then applied as normal, but letting all the colors just 'be' bright...
Last edited by deemail; 11-18-2011 at 06:58 PM.