I do both on a lot of quilts. I like to stitch in the ditch with the machine and then hand quilt to emphasize the middle of squares or beautiful flowers or letters on baby quilts, etc. Hey, I have had no one turn down a quilt but I also have a wonderful long arm quilter and about every 3 or 4 quilts I design one that needs her talents so I guess, quilt it anyway you want. Hey, like all artists, we all do our "paintings" err quilts they way we want to do so.