Jenny Doan has an excellent tutorial on bindings.

I stop 1/4" from the end and then pivot and sew diagonally into the corner, this sews the miter in.
Sharon

I just caught this episode of F&P show 2312. Patrick Lose was the guest star (Moda Marbles fame). He showed techniques on machine applique with a zigzag stitch but the binding information was what I found very fascinating. He showed how you can take just a bit of the bulk of the binding out with the sewing to the corner technique. It sure must be a lot easier if you have a DSM with the thread cutter. :)

I use a method that marks the precise spot to stop stitching to make a perfect miter corner on both sides. It involves folding and creasing, and then precisely lining up the edge.

That little wedge is there even with traditional binding technique. And if you're like me and don't sew in the corner at all, you don't even have to pull out the stitches.

So my technique:

1. Sew to seam allowance's <seam allowance=""> distance from the end of a side.
2. Pull the quilt out, fold binding 45 degrees, fold down.
3. Start sewing new side at <seam allowance=""> seam allowance's distance from the edge of the previous side.
4. Finish all.
5. Clip off wedgie, per Patrick.

Gonna experiment with clipping before I try it on a "real" quilt.</seam></seam>