I take about three measurements side to side and top to bottom to check the size accuracy. As for squaring up? I don't do that unless the quilt looks really out of whack to me....and they usually don't. I sew around the perimeter of the quilt right on the edge with a basting stitch using my walking foot. Then I trim the batting and backing right up close to that stitching, then sew on the binding.

Teresa

I make my own bias bindings and they are narrow. I do just exactly what Teresa does. I've never had a problem doing it that way and simply don't want to work with the bulk when using the narrow bindings. Another thing I do is inadvertently cut material I'm not supposed to when trying to trim thicknesses with those sharp professional Gingher scissors. I've had to repair several quilt tops because of that, so now want all the superfluous material out of the way first.

I do what Teresa does also but with one less step. My wonderful LA quilter, Eileen at Designing Quilts (shameless plug) stitches around the perimeter for me. As she does this while the quilt is in the frame, I'm always sure to have a squared up rectangle to bind.

Here is a link that might be useful: Designing Quilts

I guess I am just a cheater. I make my outside border about 1/2 inch wider than I really want it. After I quilt it I lay it nice and flat and using a long ruler measure from the inside seam of the outer border and cut to desired size. At the corners I make sure it is square and keep cutting using the inner seam as a guide. Even on the frame mine seem to get a bit wonky, with the outer border just a bit wide I can be sure it is the size I really want, and is "full" all the way to the edge.

beverly

That's a good "solution" (not cheating, lol), Beverly, for those who are challenged to get things squared up and for beginning quilters!

Teresa

Thanks everyone! When I sew a border, I use Beverly's "add a 1/2" cheater method" after she posted it awhile back. I also have been squaring like Beverly squares, then measuring to make sure the sides and middle are the same - but I have been folding the sides together - not using a tape. So far, so good, but I think I will start using a metal tape measure.
I do measure and try to square as I piece the quilt along the way, so maybe that is also a key for me.

I do pretty much as Beverly does but have never stitched before I put the binding with one exception. When I made the scolloped edge on the last baby quilt it called for marking and putting the binding on before I trimmed, for that I did stitch on the markings. It worked and I liked it for the scolloped edge but will not used for a st. edge as it is more work. Jayne