Iceblossom I almost always use striped bias binding too. My favorite part of quilting is finding the perfect striped fabric to use for each quilt. For this quilt the stripe wasn't quite perfect but it was as close as I could get. I used the binding fabric to add the baby's name to the front of the quilt and it tied in the stripe very well.
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Cari

Here is the method I use for binding. There are a few details that help with the corners. Pay attention to the corner folds. You want them at a 45 degree. Work the binding until the corner is good. Fold one side up and one side down to prevent bulk in the corners.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQgjp4Upt8w

You also want to start with square corners on the quilt.

Another helpful one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjShcNgYk0E

I have even used a small ruler and marked the stitching line right on the binding to help with the corners. Stop stitching 1/4 inch before the corner.

Good Luck!

This is the easiest way to join ends I've ever found. I refer to it every time I finish a quilt because I can never remember how to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BT1pl_IolE&t=332s

Watson

I like the tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Company. I always join my binding ends with the tutorial on pause so I can look at the pictures to compare to my quilt. The binding always sits perfectly flat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vCWpxBRs20&t=807s

while my mitered corners are not perfect, I have learned a couple of tips I pass along to my beginner classes. One is to make sure you fold up at a 45 degree angle and then when folding the strip back down, check that the left hand edge is lined up perfected--if it's cattywompus it won't fold over into a good miter. also, when you are backstitching at that fold, stop about one stitch before the top edge and make sure not to backstitch up into the seam allowance, it tugs when you are folding over for the miter. I use the F. & P. method for joining the ends--just pick up any F. & P. magazine and they will show in the back technique section (was just in latest Quilty issue). Good luck!

This is what I try to do, too. I also sometimes shave off little pieces of the corners to make sure I get a nice miter. Lately, I've been pretty good at this as a result. I never use bias because I have trouble cutting it evenly. But I do sometimes use WOF or LOF for rounded corners. I lay a salad plate down on the corner and cut around it so that the resulting curve isn't too sharp. Looks pretty!

I almost always use bias binding because that is what I first learned to use. It will not solve you problems. Time, experience and using the guidance of a trusted quilting buddy or some of the YouTube tutorials will help much more. I like the bias because it has just a little give and I was told that it "wears" better. Give yourself some grace and time to become comfortable with joining the binding ends. It take courage to snip those ends, but it also seems like magic to find that they will match perfectly and smoothly finish your quilt.

Hint: When joining the two ends, be liberal with the amount of space between the start/stop places where you sew the binding to the body of your quilt. Trying to join those ends with only 10 inches of "wiggle room" is frustrating. I find it easier to have 19 - 20 inches of space between the sewing start/stops. It made a difference for me when I was learning to make a good finish.

[QUOTE=Watson;8168734]This is the easiest way to join ends I've ever found. I refer to it every time I finish a quilt because I can never remember how to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BT1pl_IolE&t=332s


Watson, this is a great tute. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully I'll remember this when I'm next doing binding. The join is always the most confusing/difficult for me.

Love this! Where did you find sock monkey fleece?

Sharon Schamber for mitering corners. Julie Cefalu for connecting the binding at the ends. Both are on YouTube. I tried all the methods of joining the bindings and Julie's system works. Every time.