be all fingers and thumbs BrE
be all thumbs AmE

She was all fingers and thumbs - and worry.

For a minute they were all fingers and thumbs, feverishly stripping each other bare until skin shivered under moonlight.

"I seem to be all thumbs around a pretty girl."

"Even as a child, you were all thumbs when it came to doing up your hair."

"Even my old nurse used to say I was all thumbs.

Also, for those who are all thumbs, possibly a hint of frustration.

The English equivalent of the phrase is "being all thumbs".

Anne's finger were all thumbs, she was so shocked to hear that.

Help me dress; I am all thumbs this day.

But his fingers were all thumbs with a knot.

"You wouldn't expect a pianist to act as though he was all thumbs.

She could not see very clearly through tear-blurred eyes, and her shaking fingers were all thumbs.

How they pretend to be all thumbs when you ask them to mix the frozen orange juice?

It was slow, delicate work, and Pete was all thumbs.

"I'm not very good with my hands - my fingers are all thumbs.

The one is all thumbs (but what strong ones!)

So what if you are all thumbs.

My husband is all thumbs, so he cleans up."

So to speak, I was all thumbs.

Amanda, who had supposed he would be all thumbs, was having the tables turned on her in her own territory.

I need help with my hair, and you know that Wena is all thumbs."

As an apprentice weaver, Alanna was all thumbs; the girls were baffled.

Shooting the ball, she was all thumbs.

He was all thumbs while shaping them.

The kid was all thumbs when it came to powertools, but he took orders for a treat.

But on the carrick bend he was all thumbs.

At first, he is all thumbs.