Biniding Size??? Help this is my first binding ever
 

Hi, I am finally finishing my first quilt and I am to the point of putting the binding on, well cutting first. I am lost as to how big I should make it. I know people say it is your preference but I don't have one yet :) I hear 2.5" in a lot of tutorials I've watched but I have a small area that is about 1/4" that is showing the batting but I really really don't want to trim down anymore since it will make the top look "off."

Size of binding?
So if I go with a bit larger binding what would I change my seam allowance to?
With the 2.5" I hear a scant 1/4" but what about with a 3" binding would a bump up the seam allowance as well?

Thank in advanced. I appreciate any advice :)

Welcome to the board. How are you going to finish the binding? I sew mine by hand on the back of the quilt so I use 2.25" double folded binding. Most quilters who finish their binding my machine cut their binding 2.5". I was also in competition with my quilts and Judges prefer to see a snug binding.

I am going to machine finish- it's a Christmas gift and I am quickly running out of time. I guess I am used to the larger binding look from my kids easy fleece blankets. This quilting world is still new to me and I guess I haven't paid to much attention to what binding sizes look like on the quilt.
The quilt is a lap size if that is any help as well.

Oh and do the seams for the binding, when folded over and sewing down, line up generally?

As this is your first quilt I would go with the 2.5 fold it in half and then sew to your quilt with a good 1/4 in seam. If you did not trim your batting too close to the quit this will help fill out the binding. As you get more comfortable with bindings you can make them narrower if you prefer. I like the look of the wider bindings unless I am working on a small wall hanging

If I understood you right, you have a small area on the quilt's edge where the top is a little short. If it's more than 1/4" from the batting's edge, then a 1/4" binding will not work. If it's about 1/8" from the batting's edge, then a 1/4" seam for the binding would only be catching about 1/8" of the quilt, and that could potentially fray unless well quilted in that area. You are right that you can make the binding wider if you cut it at 3". One thing to consider is whether you will lose points on your quilt blocks if the binding is wider than 1/4".

Edited to add - the binding seams generally do not line up with any seams in the quilt. There are a few very special quilts where they do.

It is a jelly roll race quilt so no points will be lost into the binding. I wanted to start as simple as I could for my first quilt.

Yes there is a 4 inche length of 1/4" where the top is short.

I cut 2.75" width for binding and use about a 3/8" seam. I say "about", because the seam allowance depends on the thickness of the sandwich. I use a longer stitch length for a trial run of about 6" of sewing and then stop and see how the binding folds over. I am aiming for it to reach the line of stitching while having the sandwich "fill out" the binding. Once I see the trial, I can adjust to a slightly narrower or wider seam allowance. If you want to start with a little wider binding, say 3", you can still use this experimental process.

This is what I do - except I cut bias binding and cut it about 2-7/8" inches - why that size? Because that turns out well when I use the leftmost needle setting on my Pfaff 1471. It finishes between 3/8 and 1/2 inch wide -

I like the look of a slightlyl wider binding.

I think I may try the 3" binding this time around to make sure that chunk gets covered. I like the idea of the 6" trial to see if it works out well and then adjust or continue from there. I will be spending my afternoon/evening cutting and sewing binding :) Thanks so much for all the help. I will update on how it went when I finish.

I like to leave 1/8 to 1/4 inch extra batting to fill out the binding. If you are doing the jelly roll quilt you can set your binding this much from the edge of the quilt and use 1/4 inch seam. This will cover your shortage and fill your binding at the same time