I think your quilt is very striking and beautiful. I think it is awesome that you did one in the old fashion way. I'm sure you have appreciation for earlier quilters work. I think they also took a very long time to finish one as time to work on them was after everything else was finished, or during a quilting bee. Even if you you never do another totally by hand and no shortcuts you will have had the experience at least once. I remember reading once in regard to hand piecing vs. machine piecing someone stating that if our ancestors had sewing machines they would have used them too. And one advantage of hand piecing is it is portable. Congrats on a great quilt.