Navy_Mom, nobody has answered your question about applying binding without any hand sewing. Eleanor Burns only uses this method. Instead of applying the binding on the front, folding it around to the back and blind stitching it in place, you stitch the binding onto the back (just like you would on the front) and then fold it around and edge stitch with the machine on the front to finish. I often use this method on garments, but the one time I used it on a large quilt, I hated it and ripped the whole finished binding off and did it the old way with the hand tacking. The corners are not difficult to miter...just use your fingers or a pin or two.
Make a small mock-up and try it before tackling a quilt to see if you like it and are are satisfied with the quality of the work.