Originally Posted by ghostrider

Not sure how you get a 5/8" finished double fold binding from a 2½" cut strip (the math doesn't add up), but that's a fairly common cut width.

I always cut 3" strips and wind up with a finished 5/8" on front and back. I like wider bindings and they are easy to make full by leaving extra batting/backing beyond the quilt top. I trim 5/8" from the binding seam, then fold it to the back and hand stitch. The binding can be whatever width you like, but it should be proportionate to the quilt size and style...at least that's what judges have said.

Originally Posted by Extreme Quilter

I used to always make a narrow binding for all my quilts, doubling a 2-1/4" binding as many of you do. But when I attended an art quilt exhibition at Visions Art Quilt Gallery in San Diego recently, I noticed many art quilts finished with a pillowcase edge (without binding). That gave the quilts a free, unconfined feeling, which I thought enhanced their themes. My traditional quilts will still have bindings, but my art quilts will definitely sport a new look.

Originally Posted by Bobbielinks

I have been admiring some older quilts, probably made around 1950 and see that the binding is about 2 inches wide - looks like the bindings I see on blankets. I usually make my bindings - cut bias fabric 21/2 inches, fold in half, stitch on and fold over the quilt edge and stitch down again; ending up with about a 5/8 inch finished binding. Does anyone know what is the perferred width?