LIKE YOU, I ALSO USED TO HAND QUILT EVERYTHING, BUT AGE IS CATCHING UP WITH ME. MY HANDS WILL NO LONGER ALLOW ME TO HAND QUILT, AND I DON'T LIKE TO MACHINE QUILT SO I TIE ALL MY PROJECTS THESE DAYS. I NO LONGER MAKE LARGE QUILTS - JUST LARGE THROWS AND BABY QUILTS. LIKE YOU, I MATCH THE EMBROIDERY FLOSS TO THE FABRIC AND USE SQUARE KNOTS. MY GRANDS HAVE USED THEIRS FOR MANY YEARS, AND THEY ARE JUST FINE. JUST COMPLETED 2 WALLHANGINGS FOR AN ABUSE RESOURCE CENTER AND TIED THE 3" SQUARES ON THE BACK. MATCHED THE FLOSS SO CLOSELY THAT YOU CAN SCARCELY SEE THE STITCH. TURNED OUT BEAUTIFULLY.