Hi and welcome from another ex-pat, this time living in France!
I too mostly hand quilt and piece but I've got more into machining since I joined this board (?) - so much inspiration and ideas, the hand work can't keep up! And now I need a new sewing machine cos my old Toyota just isn't up to the job!
I lived for a while in a village called Highclere, just outside Newbury so not far from you!
K x