I always tied until my DDIL came into my life and started me FMQing. I attended a quilt show in a very small town in Wisconsin where I live part time and two of the ladies at the show were demonstrating tieing quilts. A quilt is called a quilt if it is pieced - it has nothing to do with how you afix your layers (apparently). I was so pleased to watch and listen to these ladies. It is a preference. Tie if you like or sew if you would rather. I do find that the "tied" quilts seem softer and fluffier and the quilted (or sewn) quilts are stiffer and less fluffy. I have had to retie some of my blankets. I use yarn. The ladies at the quilt show were using string.