I just had to put in my 2cents here. There is room in this great craft for all catagories. For those who love the hand quilt, my hat is off to you. I admire your work beyond description. The EQ workers are awesome and can do the most beautiful work. Likewise, I truly admire the long arm quilters who do such beautiful and intricate work. Quilting is no longer necessary for warmth, it is to be enjoyed at whatever level the quilter truly enjoys. There is nothing wrong with doing what you like best and then combining with another talent to compliment your beautiful work. I would never claim to do a part of the quilt that I did not do, but certainly appreciate the talents of all those who complete the project from start to finish.
My thing is that I work full time and have so many other phases in which I contribute to my church, family, etc. If I had to do the hand quilting and other "old techiniques" I could never complete a quilt. I appreciate every quilters work in whatever form. It is awesome to see the modern art quilts being sewn today because they are true art. Such talent is remarkable. On the other side, I am in awe of the handquilters who spend the hours and hours devoted to those delicate stitches. Then there are the so talented LAQ's who add so much love to the quilt tops that someone else could or would not want to do. There is room for all talents. I just enjoy the process and appreciate all the talents involved in each technique.