Believe it or not, hand piecing is not hard - the patience comes naturally. I started in quilting in 1979 when everything was hand pieced. I still enjoy handwork of all kinds - but machine sewing is great, too. Hand piecing can be quickly as you can "drudge" a,one the seam line so everything always lines up. I did a program for one of my guilds a few years ago and made them all hand piece a 4-patch. Yes, there was grumbling, but they all did it and just about every person did a great job. You might want to give a much simpler block a try - it just takes some different skills to get the fabric pieces cut correctly.
Have fun,
Sandy in Mooresville, NC