Divokittysmom, I've never been told that it's not really quilting. lol ....... I just get .... that's not what I like to do or why are you doing that by hand. Piecing a quilt is not the only way to make a quilt. Do your friends feel that all those Baltimore album quilts done in the 1840's and even today shouldn't be considered as real quilts?
You know, as long as you enjoy making applique quilts that is all that matters. As far as I'm concerned applique takes a lot more patience and talent to make all those stitches disappear.