I have one started by hand. I put the blocks together with
a backstitch before I tack down the points. That way the seam holding the background together is inside. I don't know if that makes it stronger or not, but I like the way it looks better than a whip stitch.
I use a tiny slip stitch on the curved edge of each frame and a satin tacking in the points that form the corners. I'm doing sections so it isn't quite so heavy when I work on the frames.