I'm no expert, but in my opinion I think that tying would be more asthetically pleasing to the eye. This quilt is extrodinarily beautiful in it's simplicity and handworked embroidery and in its' old fashioned look, and I think that tying would enhance it even more. That being said, some have worried about the strength of hand tying. I'll leave that to the experts, and just say that to the eye, tying would be beautiful.