The bane of quilting-binding
 

I really don't do a good job with my binding. The mitered corners and joining at the end are my problems. The straightways are fine.

I was wondering if actually cutting bias binding might be worth the extra step. I always just cut strips from WOF or use leftover jelly roll strips.

In 2019, I'm going to focus on making sewbaby blankie buddies to work on my quilting and binding. I made a few a couple years ago when our group was practicing quilting and binding. I make stuffed animals so I got the quilted squares from everyone and made the animal heads.

When did square binding go out of style? It was how my grandmother always finished her quilts. Of course she died in the 80's at 94 yrs old

I really don't think bias binding would help with the mitered corners or joining the ends at all. It would be very helpful on curves, but otherwise, straight binding is fine and less stretchy. There are so many binding tutorials out there, and tools to help. Not sure what your exact problem is with it. I'm not sure, either, what the square binding is that your grandmother did to finish her quilts. I think it would be just fine for you to do yours that way if it's easier for you. Just call it your family tradition. LOL

The sewbaby blankie buddies sound like a fun project, and a good way to practice binding. Good luck!

I only cut binding on the bias if I have curved edges (like rounded corners, a round quilt or scallops) or if it is a show quilt. In my experience, the challenges you face (when mitering corners and joining the edges) won't be any different if you use binding cut WOF (width of fabric, aka Straight of grain binding) or on the bias.

Bias binding allows you to sew curves and the tight ins and outs of scallop. It also provides better wear because the edge of the quilt is dealing with a criss cross of the warp and weft threads of woven fabric and WOF binding the wear is only on a few threads.

If by square binding you mean binding cut WOF, what makes you think it went out of style? By far many more quilters bind with WOF strips because it uses less fabric and is much quicker and easier to make than bias binding. I like working with bias binding but I don't always want to take the time to make it and I don't always have the extra fabric to make it. It does seem to "hug" the quilt better as I flip it to the back to hand stitch it but that little nicety is not enough for me to do bias exclusively and I think most quilters feel that way and will only use bias binding when dealing with curved edges.

One thing I find helps with the corners is to fold the second side opposite from the first. It took me a while to get good at doing it with the fold the other direction, but now it's easy.

A few years ago I was making 6" potholder type blocks for a project at work, needed about 20 a month for a year. I did bias binding on them and sewed them in a circle before attaching. Having 4 corners in 24" of binding really gave me a lot of practice doing them.

square binding-where you don't miter the corners. You sew off the edge, then keep adding to each side. Grandma died before I got interested in quilting so never asked her about it.

It is your quilt. Unless you are entering into a judged show, you can use whatever you want.

This is a tute on binding the way you describe your Grandma doing it.

https://youtu.be/pndIO3qM2GQ

Hey, that's exactly the way she did it. I always wondered about the raw edges. Thanks for posting that link.

I don't know why I can't get line breaks on this computer. Looks like my settings are the same on both I use, but this one doesn't break... I would agree with the statement that unless you want to enter a quilt in a show, you can do whatever you want. Even then, it's your quilt do it your way and if you get a point or two taken off for a square edge, so be it. I flaunt the quilt police all the time by pressing my seams open and have for decades, but about 10 years ago or so I started always using bias binding and always mitering my bindings. Nothing wrong (nor points taken off) for straight grain binding. I really like working with stripes and often choose striped fabric for binding because I simply like the way it looks as it marches around the quilt. I also typically use wider bindings than most folk, usually .5", sometimes larger than that. For me binding is part of the quilt it is a chance for another fabric/statement. Many quilters who have troubles with those miters are not stopping the .25" away from the edge. I know at least one of my friends tries to pin the entire edge to the quilt first and then wonders why it doesn't work... you really have to get that seam allowance in. As is getting the right angles for both the miters and for making your bias tube. If you are making bias binding and you are having problems with your seams meeting correctly, double check that you drew your lines right and then chances are your angle is off. The trick I learned to finish the ends easily and quickly every time is this. For one, I seem to need a lot more working room than other people. I leave 8-10 inches unsewn from the seam point at both ends. Before I start putting on the binding I make sure that the edge is correctly cut on the 45 degree angle. Then, as I approach the seam point I open up both ends of the fabric. I overlap the starting edge over the ending edge, and I draw the line with a pencil. Then I lift up the starting edge and draw another line half an inch towards the direction I want to cut off. This is important! If you cut it the wrong way, you can simply sew on another piece and try again. The half inch gives you your two quarter inch seams. Here's one of my quilts with a striped fabric binding even though I didn't use that fabric in the quilt.

I use to round my binding corners. I would pull the binding when sewing it on. Would fit like a glove when I hand stitched to the back. Now I only sew both sides by machine. I have not tried the rounded corners..