those are truly beautiful.
in my experience hand quilting is slower than empires. i quilt on a hoop and can load about 4 stitches on the needle at once. but...it's not grab and go. the quilt can't rest in the hoop, so every time i sit to quilt there is a process; make sure i know what i'm quilting (usually i use templates and because they wear off as i move the quilt, i draw as i go), mount the quilt, thread the needles, make tea....
you see where this is going. it's incredibly soothing and rewarding, but it is not fast. it took me more than a year to quilt my grand's queen size quilt, with the caveat that hand quilting in the summer is not so fun. being draped ina warm and cozy blanket when it's 40 degrees is no one's idea of a good time.
good luck with your project. it's utterly fantastic already
aileen