I use a 2 1/4" binding and sew it with machine to the back of my quilt. Then I pull it around to the front and use a decorative stitch to sew the binding down. I have used scallops, blanket stitch, and stars - whatever suits my fancy. The reason for using a decorative stitch over a straight stitch is twofold. 1. A decorative stitch adds another element of decoration. 2. A decorative stitch hides when you might miss the perfect line.