Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. last night, I hunkered down with a rubber finger (Staples) on my thumb, put in the BBC DVD of Bleak House (10 hours long) and finished my hand binding about the time I finished Bleak House (yawn). I do find hand work relaxing - I prefer hand quilting to machine quilting but I think it was just doing too much at a time that it got me down. I still have 2 sandwiches to quilt and one quilt to bind for Chanukah. I hope to hand quilt on the 12 hour flight. Think I can get through security with the needle/

I have found the new Clover Wonder clips to be helpful. I saw a review and bought some. I tried them on a project and they are great. I had tried the gluing method (using Steam a Seam) a quilt teacher showed us, as well as the binding clips.

Saying that, I still have several that need binding. I did machine bind a baby quilt and it worked wonderfully using the wonder clips. I think I will say that for me physically I prefer machine binding, but I do like how hand binding looks.

Cloudshadows... It's not cheating to bring the backing to the front of the quilt for your binding. Many of our
"foremothers" did it this way and I for one still do... It is considered a very traditional finish :)

I spent a bit of time working to get the machine binding to where it was exceptable. It was time well invested as I really hate doing bindings.
Machine binding does not enhance my love for this part of the process , but it lessens the time I spend doing it.

I hate binding as well. I cannot use a thimble, I've tried all different kinds but just do anything with a thimble on. I have tried the little metal circular ones with limited success. Usually I tough it out and just get it done, my middle finger always gets sure but I consider it to be an unenjoyable part of quilting..

i just finished putting the binding on 4 quilts...you should see my poor fingers...as you.....it is my least favorite part of quilting, but it is all that was needed to get them ready for xmas....now to take care of my poor bobos lol

I don't mind binding at all. What I do is cut 2-1/2" wide strips from the width or length of the fabric (I only do bias for scalloped binding), sew the pieces together using a diagonal seam...press the long strip together lengthwise, and that's my binding.

I attach, using a bit more than a 1/4" seam and turn my corners by sewing to withing the seam allowance amount (about 1/4" or so)of the end of the row, then I sew off diagonally to the corner. Cut the thread...the diagonal seam allows me to turn up the binding along that seamline, fold it back down so the raw edge of the binding is along the raw edge of the next side edge of the quilt...then sew along that side...starting with my seam at the edge...sew down to the next corner and repeat.

To connect the sections, I have left about 10-12" in the start and end of the binding strip. I put a little mark in the seam allowance of the quilt where my seam join should start. Fold the end of one of the sides (either the start or end) diagonally..press...trim leaving 1/4" seam allowance...fold over the seam line I pressed...lay that side on top of the other side of the binding..mark the seamline... and trim 1/4" from that marked line.. put right sides together and stitch. When you match two diagonal seams, you will see an overlap of 1/4" on each long end of the diagonal cut...you start and end your stitches in the "V" formed..and your seam will be perfect. The main thing to remember is that your seam starts on the line you drew on the quilt seam allowance. Sounds hard...but once you do a few, it will be 2nd nature.

Turn to the back and either machine or hand sew the binding down.

Do practice a bit on little squares ...pot holders, table mats, etc. I think people make it harder than it needs to be. I used to have issues with turning the corners also..but finally realized how easy it can be...and am now a happy stitcher.

I also bring the backing to the front and machine stitch using an applique stitch (looks like a blanket stitch to me, but the manual calls it an applique stitch). I've done the binding separately and just get frustrated! This way it takes no time at all. Have a friend who prefers the more traditional - machine sew to the front, pull over and hand sew to the back. They're wonderful. But ... when she's in a time crunch her quilts come over to me and get machine stitched. Whatever works. The quilt police aren't welcome here!

(I trim the batting to about 1/4 - 1/2" with scissors. Then use my ruler and rotary cutter to trim the backing to 1" all the way around. Fold that in half - it touches the edge of the quilt top - then fold it over, pin and sew. My corners miter nicely. I read on here a long time ago - finished is better than perfect and before I settled for this method I was drowing in UFO's. Now there's only one of those in the house - that for some reason I cannot make myself finish! The current projects I'm working on - one being pieced, one waiting to quilt, and some placemats that need to be sandwiched - will all get finished. I started last summer with about 11 pieced tops that I just hated the thought of finishing. Ahhhh - growing up is fun to do!) :)

try some tape if you can't wear a thimble

I dont mind binding. It means I'm almost done!!