Originally Posted by cjtinkle
Hmmm... I tend to think just the opposite. Machine quilted and stitched quilts are just as beautiful, and more durable, so I personally believe them to be the superior product. :)~~~
The one and only quilt I've made to date was back in 1978. My father saw a quilt he really loved and asked me if I thought I could make one like it. Fortunately it was just a simple trip around the world in that old reliable combination of red (cranberrry) and blue (deep cobalt).
I cut all the patches with a template and scissors because rotary cutters had not yet come out. I hand pieced the top because that's how the Mennonite women I knew did it. I hand quilted it because, again, that is how the Mennonite women I knew did it. I did cross hatch quilting 1/2 inch apart across the entire quilt to make puffy little diamonds. My stitches weren't great, about six to the inch (I measured) but they were adequate to the job.
Took me eight months from start to finish. The top was faster because I could just stack squares in the order for strips and carry them around with me to piece whenever I had a spare moment. The quilting I did was mostly during a night shift job I had as an telephone answering service operator (with permission from my boss). It was one of those jobs where someone had to be there and ready but very little ever actually happened.
That quilt has been on my father's bed ever since. It has been machine washed and dried once a month (due to allergies). The colours have faded slighty and the edge of the ruffle has gotten a little threadbare but the quilt itself is still in good condition.
All in all, I think that quilt has been pretty durable. I'm not sure how machine piecing or quilting could prevent fading or the wearing of the edge of the ruffle (both of which are common weak links to any quilt made in any manner).