Oh binding how I despise doing you. I use the lets get it done method since I do not enter competitions and they are mostly gifted. I cut my binding at 2.5 inches. I do not iron it, pin it or glue it! I sew it with a 1/4 inch stitch to the back and flip it over and pull the binding to the front and sew it down. Now the quilt is completed and I am ready to move on to the next quilt. I used clear thread sometimes. This technique did not work for a scalloped edge and my girlfriend rescued the finished DWR except for the binding that was thrown in the corner out of frustration and finished the binding by hand for me - thank you Clara Marie :)

I love binding, always handstitch the back (ladder stitch which I learned here.....most things I learn here). I find it relaxing.

It makes a difference if you are doing it totally by machine or hand stitch the back. I wouldn't rip anything out especially if you are a newbie. I use my 1/4" foot for accuracy. Many good sugestion listed above. Good Luck.

I think PaperPrincess' response is perfect! Go with what you have and call it good and finished!

I was helping the judge at a local fair. (I volunteered to help mostly so I could learn from her.) She said that the binding had to be even on each side, but not necessarily the same width on both sides. That was just one judge's opinion, and at the local fair level, but it did assure me that it wasn't a catastrophe if my binding was a little wider on the back.

Sometimes it works for me, and sometimes it doesn't! ~ so when I can, wrapping from the back is my go-to method. Only works when you plan ahead and the back fabric coordinates with the top.

Same question here. I actually sat down and did the math to figure out EXACTLY how wide my seam needed to be and it STILL didn't come out even. So I now concentrate on things being even on the front and even on the back. Whether the binding is the same width front and back is not important to me.

I also cut my binding at 2" wide most of the time. Some times I cut the excess batting a little bit beyond the edge of the quilt when trimming it and let the extra roll into the binding to make it fuller. You can also take a deeper seam allowance to take up the extra binding width. I don't mind the binding being wider on the back side either.

The rhythm of hand sewing binding is so peaceful and usually the last time I get to pet the fabric and reflect on the quilt before it is gifted. It is another ritual that I love about quilting.
peace

Many thanks for all of the suggestions!!