I always baste too. Inside the 1/4" seam allowance although I probably use a bigger seam than 1/4" anyway.

I have been basting around the edge of my quilts before I bind, with all fabric and batting layers I think it gives a more stable base to sew your binding on without the chance of puckers. I machine sew my bindings on the front of my quilts and hand sew after turning on the back. I always use 2 1/2 inch strips folded over for my bindings, again, I think the width of the binding makes it easy to turn and the bulk of the binding helps prevent movement and puckering. Isn't it fun finding out how different everyone is - to me that's what makes everyone's quilts so unique, we all have our favorite ways.

Now why didn't I know that? Totally makes sense, but have not heard of this in the recent two years I have been making quilts. I will have to try my walking foot on my next project. Thanks for sharing.

I just did two flannel lap quilts and have four more to do (the tops are already pieced). I am using wool batting and it has been a challenge to keep the edges enclosed inside the binding. With that in mind, I've decided to serge down the edges before attaching the binding.

I like to stitch around the outside of me quilt about an eighth of an inch in just of keep the layers together. I like to leave some extra batting and backing on for stability. I rough cut some of it away just to reduce the volume of stuff to be dealt with. Then I sew on the binding with a 3/8 inch seam. I use a ruler to trim the excess so the binding turn is straight and full all the way around. I think a well done binding just adds to the beauty of a finished project-it is no place to try a short cut.

I always stitch around the edge of my quilt before I put the binding on. This way I don't have to worry about the different layers shifting when I am stitching the binding on. It also helps prevent stretching of the quilt. I do this before I trim the bat and backing.

My bindings improved a lot when I started using the walking foot. :)

I put a long basting stitch around the quilt edge before sewing on the binding. It is less likely to get the backing fabric kinked up when sewing the binding on. I learned this the hard way. I always use the walking foot when making straight stitches through more than two layers of fabric.

This is a good tute to watch. But I have learned that you do not need to take the quilt out of the machine at the corners. Sew on a diagonal into the corner and leave the needle down at the last stitch. Turn the quilt to sew down the next side. Pinch the binding to put the binding in a position to come down the next side. Lay this pinch down so the binding is in the right position. Now lift the needle and move the quilt over that 1/4 or 3/8 in. to the next seam line, and start sewing right at the very top. No need to cut that short thread.

I have also found a tute that shows how to sew the ends of binding together the way I do it. I'll try to find it.

Here it is:http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/5489
At about 15 minutes into the tute, she shows how to sew the beginning and end together.
Another thing that I do is: I press a triangle into the beginning of the binding strip. This is now the measurement of where to cut the tail of the binding, and also the stitching line for sewing the beginning and tail after it has been well pinned.

Me, too. I think that step is definitely worth the effort.