We make quilts for charity at our church, been tying them for over ten years and the thank yous we get are all positive. Only quilts we made years ago that we had to hand sew went to the Bethesda Home, a place for developmentally disabled people, they requested no ties. The people would take them out and maybe even eat them. We did not sew them like one does hand quilting for a show, but as one older lady said, make your stitches small enough so someone's big toe don't get caught in them. She was so funny and full of information.
I have seen hand quilted projects done so fine and close, I know they didn't have any batting inside to speak of. So hard and unfriendly, a piece of art, yes, but not cuddly and soft like you want a quilt to be.
Carol J.