Debo, it's sad when a shop doesn't cater to all type of quilters. Believe me there are still hand piecers and quilters. I think we sort of lurk in the back ground. I belong to a BOM at our local quilt shop and occasionally get called to come to the shop to show someone what hand piecing and quilting LOOKS like. I am the only one that is hand piecing the BOM. I am not concerned in how fast I turn out quilts but how relaxing the process is. Its not like I am in a race to see how many quilts I can make. And if you are making quilts to use to keep warm machine piecing and quilting make more sense.