Sorry for the yelling, but I am just sooo discouraged!! I have watched a blue million videos, but still manage to screw things up. How do you figure what your seam allowance should be for binding? I didn't realize you had to do this, as I thought everything was 1/4"...not that my 1/4" is great.

What size of strip do you use when making binding? What allowance do you use when machine sewing? GAHHHHHHH!!!! I feel like Charlie Brown when he lands on his back from missing the football kick! :-/

I use 2 1/2" strips and I use a "just over" 1/4" seam allowance, close to the 3/8"

I always do double binding....cut strip 2 1/2", fold in half, then stitch to front of quilt with 1/4" seam. Flip to back of quilt and hand stitch!!! Works for me!!

Seam allowance for applying binding is 1/4". The size of the finished amount of your binding should be the perimeter of your quilt and I add 12", this allows for mitering the corners and overlapping the ends. The total length of the binding is many strips of (for me ) 2 1/2" fabric sewn together . Does this help you? Maybe I did not understand your questions.

I cut my strips 2 1/4" and fold it in half. I sew it on larger than 1/4" seam allowance. Usually mine pulls further to the back than there is on the front - no matter what I do. So I accept it, sew it down and move on. Sometimes finished is way better than perfect.

I have made at least 100 quilts and can say I dont mind binding but that hasnt always been the case. Recently I came across Sharon Schambers glue method for binding. It is so precise and the results are perfect. You can find the videos (3 parts) on youtube.com then search for Sharon Schamber binding. Go slow and you will be happy with the results. It is a little more time consuming the first couple of times. I use 2.25" strips but you may be more comfortable with 2.5". A lot also depends on how thick your batting is. I always use a thin batting.

OK. Go to www.quilterstv.com and under Quilters Cafe see if you can find the video on binding that I did.
But to answer your question. When you are doing patchwor and the blocks come out to the edge of the qult you normally have only 1/4 inch seam allowance for your binding. If you have a border then you have have a 1/4" or larger. I do borders so my allowance is 3/8"
Generally, for a 3/8" seam allowance I cut the binding 2.1/4" and double it. For a 1/4" seam allowance, about 2" is sufficient. As a general guide your cut binding for a double fold binding is 6 times the width of your seam allowance. But you have to adjust to make sure this is ok as sometimes it is too wide for me.
Look for the QuiltersTV show I did on bindings. I believe you will find it helpful. Having sai all this, you will find each quilt has his or her favorite method of binding so don't be confused because they all work. f course, my instructions are the best....lol.

The quilt police will arrest me for typing this but......it is my quilt and I'll do it my way. I cut my binding 2¼ inches
sew it on the front side of quilt ¼ inch seam allowance doing both right and left sides. I turn them to the back and hand stitch them down. I then do the same for the top and bottom. I do not miter the corners. I fold the raw edges in and hand stitch on the back side again. Find a way that works for you.:)

i found and esay way to do them...let me see if I can find the video

Sorry you are having trouble. I have always used 2-1/4" strip, fold in half (length wise), my seam allowance is 1/4". Are you near a LQS, where someone there might be able to help or perhaps take a class? Hope you find someone to help you.