WOW!!!, 1.25" squares, then sewn together makes them quite small but it came out wonderfully. As to why the wide binding, that seemed a bit too wide to me but what do I know? I also fold mine in half but I've come to like 2.25 from 2.5" binding but it also depends on what type of batting you're using also so that may have been your reason. What is "automated stitching for the binding as I've never heard of that? I used to stitch mine to the front and then hand sew to the back but now I stitch to the back and then stitch to the front by machine as my hands just don't like to work as nice as they used to as I age.
Again, nice job and it's so big too!!