I've never had an issue with putting the binding on -- that is a process I enjoy -- it gives me a little time to study the quilt one last time. It is the last time work on that project and I like to think about the whole process. Hope you have finished your binding by now and can just stand back and admire your good work.

I got it done eventually! I find it quite hard to describe exactly what I was finding fiddly! I think it was trying to get my stitches even when they're underneath the binding and I couldn't really see them to be sure they are even. I'm not sure I did a great job, but as it was my first attempt at it I'm still pretty pleased with it!
I find it a bit odd that I didn't really enjoy doing it by hand, because I love hand quilting and I'm currently hand sewing a hexie quilt and really enjoying that. I don't think I would like to do a large quilt this way, but I might find that I want to on my hexie quilt, as I intend to hand quilt it for continuity so who knows!
Thanks for all your comments, and sorry I wasn't more specific about the fiddly!

I think the clue here is when Sisty88 says she normally "whizz" it through... Sewing by hand is slower than sewing by machine. I enjoy the peace I feel when I sit quietly and hand sew. If one is used to getting things done quickly then I can see why it would drive them crazy to slow down and do some hand sewing. I love the feel of the fabric, making my stitches small and even. It is one place where I can get away from the hectic pace the world around me is much of the time. If you have to have something done fast then hand work isn't for you.















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I also enjoy watching movies while sewing the binding. I really enjoy doing it. I find hand sewing relaxing.

I could in my younger days do 5' in an hour. Just look at how much nicer and more professionally your quilt will look. I would always watch TV. It is nothing simpler that a whip stitch that is buried. Come up and take a tiny bite of the binding and go back down the same place you came up and rock the needle and come up again for another bite of the binding down about a 1/4" from your previous stitch.

I enjoy sewing the binding by hand. I can understand that some people don't like to sew by hand but I never could understand why so many people find the process difficult or challenging. I don't use glue or binding clips. I don't even iron the binding to the back. I simply turn the binding to the back where I want to start, put one pin in a little ways down, and start stitching. When I get to the pin, I simply move it down a little further and continue. I like to use silk thread because it practically disappears into the fabric. I use the same thread for hand applique.
Works for me.

I machine sew the binding to the front, turn it to the back, pin it down for about a foot or so, then BASTE it, removing the pins as I reach them. Continue along until I get it all basted, THEN, I start blind stitching it together. Once I finish the binding, I remove the basting stitches. This way, I don't get stabbed by pins as I sew the back.

I tried the clip things, but I kept knocking them off. I figured that if I can baste it together to quilt it, then I could baste it together to put the binding on. Works for me.

I don't love hand sewing the binding, but I really like the look so I do it. I tend to try to do it a bit at a time. When I sit down I decide to sew just one threaded needle with about 24" of thread in it. Sometimes it goes so well that I decide to do a second. Since I'm only planning a small amount at at time it doesn't seem too bad. Also, if I leave it where I walk past it, then I'll often stop and sew a bit between doing other things.

I really enjoy doing hand binding now that I learned to do it with the ladder stitch.....no clips needed. I either sit on my porch or inside watching a movie when I hand bind and I do find it relaxing.