As a judge in many county fairs for the State of Wyoming, I can tell you that the recommended binding is sewn by hand. If you have a flange, it is permissible to machine sew it. The thing they look for is on the back. Sewn straight and even, so it is as if you were sewing in the ditch. That is some of the rules we have to follow. I most always hand sew my bindings on, but I like doing it. Just a thought if you are entering a quilt ....