Mom-6 I can never get a machine stitched binding to look beautiful it always looks like it hopped all over. I hand stitch the back and on small projects it really doesn't take that much time. I can do a doll quilt or runner in less than an hour.. not horrible. Its quilts that are sooo much work. they take me at least 7 hours. hard to do that in one evening! I have and its not fun. I have decided they are four day projects. otherwise my fingers are SO SORE!
I know themamahauser does a special type of binding that is like pulled over from the back but ends up with a pillow stitch front (double fabric binding???) and its very pretty. I have tried the regular pull it from the back over and well.. I end up cutting it by accident every SINGLE TIME so after blowing that many times I just say forget it and do it the regular way if anyone has a secret on how to do that correctly please feel free to share.
dustysmomma, thank you for the block ideas. I have no skill at paper piecing. it frustrates me, maybe one day a class on how to do that correctly? wouldn't that be lovely.