I'm sure this is a silly question but I tried binding and it kinda sorta scarred me....is there any other way to bind other than, well, binding?

there is birthing... top face up, backing face down, batting next. sew around leaving turning space. after turning, you can sew around the outside again if you like.

When I first started making quilts, I would make the backing a little larger than the top, and then roll it over to the front and hand stitch it down. Now I Sew my folded 3 to 2 1/2" strip onto the back first and roll over to the front and stitch it down using a walking foot, folding the strip up forming a diagonal, and then straight down to make my mitered corner. I have looked at tutorials online to figure out the best way to do this. The one I have never tried, because of my lack of a large table, and no desire, is the envelope method.

There are many binding methods. I like the machine binding with flange that is a tutorial by Charismah on QB. Some people like to buy the satin pre-made binding and put that on. You can also buy binding lollipops? There is the "birthing" method that someone mentioned but it's not as easy as it sounds. Some people fold the front extra fabric to the back or the extra backing to the front as binding. Do what you think will look best for your project.

Bringing the backing to the front is the way my grandmother always did it. I have an old baby quilt that my great-grandmother made and it has a "knife-edge" binding where they tucked both the back and front in and then top-stitched it all the way around. I have done traditional binding, back to front wrap, and pillowcase or birthing style.

On the first quilt I ever completed, I didn't know how to make binding and didn't have any quilts around to look at so I measured my sides and made "cap-stone" like things to bind the edges--like a waistband on skirts or pants. It worked out somehow but was definitely not the easiest or best way to do it! Why I wasn't smart enough to bring the backing to the front, I have no idea.

I would suggest making a set of potholders for your kitchen or for christmas presents...practicing binding is the best way to get it done the way you want it to look...I cut mine 3.5" to finish at 1/2" because it is double chanel binding. you cut it so that it is double the finished amount you need. you match the raw edges together, lay them on the raw edge of the quilt and sew at 1/2" thru all layers, with ALL raw edges together. now when you turn the fold over the edge and around to the back, you have a finished edge to blindstitch down. it will be smooth and finished and is much easier to do than a single layer binding as the bias is cancelling itself out as you fold it over... do not press these folds, that gives a 'wear' line and is not needed. bias binding is not needed for every project, this same process can be used on straight-of-grain strips, however, the reason you use bias on a large, heavy or heirloom piece is that the single thread on the edge of a quilt will wear thru and then the entire binding is loose.... when bias is used, the threads folding over on the edge are each moving on an angle and so are not stressed at the same point. in addition, it is much easier to move bias into curves and around corners. give yourself a chance, bind everything you work on for awhile, potholders, coasters, even armholes and hems...in no time you will feel confident enough to put lovely binding on your very best projects...

What part scared you? Maybe it would help if you could see someone else do a binding. Have you tried machine binding? You sew the binding on one side, flip it around, do a decorative stitch on the other side? That way is the favorite method for a LOT of quilters who don't like to bind.

You can skip binding if you lay the right sides together and sew all around except a little spot to turn the quilt. Then top stitch!

there's lots of different techniques-
you can cut bias binding, fold in half- machine stitch to front of quilt- fold to back- hand stitch down-
you can cut straight grain binding strips and add them the same way-
you can cut strips, machine stitch to the back of the quilt-fold to the front-and machine stitch down- using a decorative stitch- or a straight stitch- or even a blind hem stitch
you can do a facing method- where you make a facing- attach it to the raw edges- fold to the inside
you can do a birthing method- where you do not have a binding at all-
or you can fool around with something small(a pot holder or placemat maybe) and come up with your own edge finishing technique....that's how new techniques come about- when something doesn't (work for us) we find a different way.