I use 2 1/4 too. Sew by machine on the front and handstitch on back most of the time. Sometimes I machine stitch from the front. Here is my question. When sewing onto the quilt can you make the binding narrower or wider by playing with the width of your seam to sew it on? Like a binding cut 2 1/2 wide and then stitched with a 3/8 seam? Does that affect the final product?

My binding has shrunk from 2 1/2" to 2 1/4"....I really like the smaller and tighter binding on my quilts.

Could that have been a typo error? I use 21/2", but i also leave 1/4"more backing/batting when I final cut the top prior to attaching binding, add binding as usual, but that extra 1/4" b&b fills that binding so it's not flat...just my way...

I also use 2 1/4 inch cut width and 3/8 inch seam and it works well for me. Sometimes, I have to change a bit because of a different batting. i try it out on a scrap piece of batting and binding so I can be sure of what I am doing. If your pattern calls for that extra width binding it must be for a different design feature. I can see it working beautifully, but, would be a bit different to trim and finish so the binding was full of batting.

I was taught to make/use 2 1/4" and now like 2 1/2" better. Lol!

I like 2 1/2 sometimes if the quilt is thick I use 3 inch.

Most of the time I cut mine 2 1/4 unless the backing fabric is bulkier, or if I used a thicker batting, then I go 2 1/2.

That's my go to measurement too. I repaired an antique quilt and it was 1" wide...cool look but a challenge to sew! But another option!

This is what I do.

OK...so I'm the oddball of the bunch. LOL! I was actually taught to cut my binding strips 4 1/2"! That strip is then pressed in half lengthwise to make it 2 1/4" wide. The raw edges are lined up with the raw edge of the quilt top and sewn using a 1/2" seam, then folded over to the back and hand stitched as usual. Obviously this explains why my bindings are never flat! LOL!

Donna