If it is a bed quilt or throw, I cut my binding strips 2 3/4 inches, fold in half, sew the binding to the back and bring it to the front sewing it down by machine also. Most of my quilts are utilitarian and are used and washed, and they also look very neat and tidy. If the quilt is a wall hanging I cut the binding 2 1/2 inches, fold in half, stitch to the front and hand sew to the back. There are a lot of good You Tube videos on binding using many different methods. Good luck choosing what works best for you.