Just like HUmbird, I can't hand stitch anymore, but even before Arthritis set in, I tied several of my quilts. I used the pearle cotton floss, matched my colors, tied at the corner of each block. They have held up real good, and I like the look too. They look a little more puffy and soft. When I asked my daughter what it was she wanted in her quilt, handstitching or pretty pattern blocks, her answer was the blocks. Same with DIL.