Prism99

If I am understanding correctly, you are sewing to the back first. Your problem is getting a good line on the front?

One thing I do is not cut the quilt first. Instead of cutting, I *mark* the cutting line on the quilt with a Sharpie permanent marker. If my marking is on the top, I then machine stitch using the longest stitch on the cutting line, using a contrasting thread in the bobbin so I can see this mark on the back of the quilt sandwich.

I do not iron the binding in half. It actually rolls better for the last step if I don't iron it in half. How wide do you cut your binding strips? I think it is easier to get narrower binding even. If using Warm and Natural, I cut strips 2.25" wide and use a 3/8" seam allowance. (Next one I try is going to be strips 2" wide and a 1/4" seam allowance.) With wide binding, the eye is going to notice variations more easily, I think.

I sew the binding to the back as usual, matching the cut edges of the binding to the marking. This way I don't have to worry about edges turning under on me or stretching out of shape as I sew. I sew with the binding on top and pull it nice and taut as I sew it to the quilt. With this method, I also do not have to use a walking foot (at least on my machine). Only after sewing do I cut the quilt sandwich right on the marked line.

Next step is to go to the ironing board, place the quilt backing on top, and *carefully* iron the binding away from the quilt body. I do not iron it so much that the binding fold gets ironed. This helps keep the binding even and makes it easier to turn. (Edit: I do think this is a very important step for me. Once I added this, my bindings started looking a lot better. Plus they were easier to fold over.)

I pretty much glue baste only the mitered corners, although occasionally I will glue baste all of the binding. I fold the binding over until the fold just barely covers the seam line and iron in place. (If something doesn't look right, I will lift the binding up and re-do it. If it doesn't come apart easily, a little water will soften the glue.)

Finally, the piece de resistance for hiding any little inconsistencies. I use a decorative stitch on the right side. One of the easiest to use is a serpentine stitch (on most machines, and looks like a large S). The serpentine goes both on and off the binding. A simple zigzag can look really nice too. The most difficult for getting binding to look nice, in my opinion, is a straight stitch.

One thing I am wondering is if your quilt edges are straight when you sew on the binding. I use a large metal T-square when marking to make sure that my corners are square and the quilt edge markings are straight. If you are cutting the edge first, then sewing on binding with a 1/4" seam (and especially if you are doing it without using a walking foot), there is a lot more opportunity to sew in distortions that will affect how the binding lays on the front.