Originally Posted by sewcrafty
I'm disappointed that there aren't more quilts hand quilted. I truly believe that there should be 2 separate categories. One for each. IMHO the 2 don't and can't compare.
Sadly to say I thinks its a sign of the times. As people find themselves short on time, they find faster ways of doing something.
There were more machine than hand quilted quilts here in Houston, but hand quilting was well represented. Nothing up to your standards, BTQ, and I think you should enter next year. You would win hands down! The BIG MONEY winners are all machine quilted because they are sponsored by the different machine companies. I don't know of anyone who sponsors big-money prizes for hand-quilting, but there may be someone.
As far as hand vs machine, I say you are comparing raspberries and apples. Both are fruit. One ripens slowly and one quickly.
I am a machine quilter/piecer. I have hand quilted, but it's too slow a process for me, and in fact I enjoy the piecing much more than the quilting, which, frankly is a chore I prefer to pay to have done.
My mother actually said to me once that "Quilts that are made by machine aren't made with the same love as one that is hand quilted". So I promised her that she would NEVER get another quilt from me, because they aren't made with love. And I've kept my promise.
And chiara, that was VERY well said!! :-P