Here is THE BEST tip for you and everyone on this site. Go to YouTube and type in the subject line "Quilt Binding," or something similar to that. Voila! Up will pop many short videos on how to produce the perfect binding. If you can't follow one, there are many others. This is my go-to help source for many quilting issues. :) Try it, and write me back to let me know how it worked for you. This is Sew Hooked

I'm working on a table runner. When I'm done, I'll attempt binding again. I'll let ya'll see it when I'm done. :)

I hated binding too until one day I saw Martha Stewart doing one on her show. She turned her's to the front and machine stitched it with the quilting appliqué stitch. I even ended up buying the Pfaff sewing machine she used because I was so impressed with how easy and nice it looked. I also learned from experience that making the binder no larger than 2 inches wide makes for a binding that lays flat and looks straight.

That is known as self-binding. It is utilitarian but has downsides. First, it is only one layer thick, and if that 'binding' wears out, it'll be more difficult to replace. Second, when the quilt is quilted, it shrinks a little but the binding can't and the edges of the quilt become 'lettuce-leafed.' It's almost impossible to avoid this