When I'm going to cut the binding fabric, I measure the quilt. Two sides and top and bottom. Put those numbers into the calculator and add them. Write that down. Now measure the fabric piece. If it is 44 inches wide, you need to count that as 42, to be sure you have enough after it is seamed. So divide the number of inches around the quilt by 42. That will give you the number of strips you need. No, you don't have to add anything for corners. They don't take anything extra beyond the actual measurement of the quilt. You really need only 2 and a half inches (or the width of the binding) beyond the total number of inches around the quilt. That is the overlap to seam the ends.

If the piece I have chosen for the binding looks like it's almost not large enough, I measure the fold of the binding fabric and divide that by the number of strips I need.
That will tell you how wide you will be able to cut your strips. Sometimes I make a "lining" with trash fabric and put it on so you can't see that.
I never have a whole strip left over.

I always make extra binding and save the extra for binding other projects. It always comes in handy and saves time.

I have twisted seams on every single quilt it seems! No matter how careful I am I always end up with some.

I forget what I've purchased, such as patterns, books, rulers. And I see it again in the store, or on line, and I buy it again. When I get home, or get the mail, I've got two of the same thing. At least I am a consistent person.

Sometimes my binding on the corners is more rounded and not a nice square turn - what am I doing wrong?

My suggestion is to make sure the corner is square and then, when you get to the corner, miter it carefully. Open it and make sure you are happy with the result and then sew it down, using tiny hand stitches if you have to.

Thanks so much, carolynjo, I start a quilt dreading to have to bind it. Now I have a new method to try. It gives me hope.

Wide binding make better miters corners. I lay out strips for binding all around the quilt and then add one for good measure. The repeated mistake I make is not reading the pattern right.

I invariably start quilting a quilt, decide I don't like it and end up tearing out a bunch of stitches...sometimes a lot of stitches...like hours of ripping stitches...before I settle on the quilting pattern I end up with.
I also can never find my tape measure even though I have three and my sewing room is only about 12 x 12.

Watson

I have a problem with reading the pattern right the first time. So I have to read & re-read it before I start & as I go along, otherwise I will for sure make something wrong. This happens to me a lot with recipes also. I started noticing this about 10 years ago when I reached around 65 years old. Must be an old age thing with me....yikes!