Very informative post with so many suggestions. I do both machine and hand and do prefer the hand as I find it more relaxing than sitting at the machine but that is just me. No matter if it is done by machine or hand it is still applique and if you prefer one way over another there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Just enjoy the process, there are a lot of great video on you tube, a couple of my favorite are Pat Sloan and Geta Gramma but there are many more out there I just can't think of their name off hand. I took a class at a local quilt store and it was very informative and now I go to you tube for a memory jolt of how to do a particular type of applique. No one is perfect so just go for it and enjoy the process.