I find that machine quilting wears much better than tying. The first quilts I made were tied and with repeated washing, the ties eventually pulled out and in some cases ripped the fabric. I used yarn for my ties and I know this is not as much a problem with floss or crochet cotton. I also find that I can machine quilt as fast or faster than tying. Many of today's batting will let you machine quilt up to 8" -10" apart so I can quilt a full sized quilt in an evening. Either method will work so choose what works for you.