I too prefer to hand quilt. It is a great time to let my mind roam, to watch (listen to) TV, to work out a problem. Although I've been doing it for quite a while, it was extremely slow for me. Until, I bought "that perfect stitch" by Roxanne McElroy. Not only did my speed increase tremendously, but my stitches are more consistent. I do machine quilt, though I'm not very good at it.