Hi Maude - I am a German quilter and love the same things you do: traditional quilts, scrappy ones, and just LOVE civil war prints! I handquilt all my quilts and like you like the sound of the thread going through the fabric. I started making quilts in 1972, so I am a bit ahead of you in numbers of quilts I made! I taught beginning patchwork for 19 years, but retired years ago and am trying now to use up all the fabric I collected over the years (a hopeless task!). This board is a great place to make friends! Greetings from Bavaria/Tyrol