Do you use a rotary cutter rather than a pair of scissors? Need I say more?

I'm a real throw back use both but my preference honestly is scissors but there is nothing like that rotary for accuracy when cutting borders and strips. I'm just now getting comfortable with the rotary and glad it's finally happening but even so, I can count on one bad cut per session. I really have to pay attention to the markings on the ruler to avoid goofs and am pleased I'm finally getting better.

Isn't it the point to create more quilts in whatever manner? Here in Japan, most quilters are just learning to use sewing machines for certain quilting chores, but my great-grandmother used a sewing machine extensively. However, she still had a frame she dropped down from the living room ceiling and had friends over to quilt by hand. They did it for the companionship. And they surely got more quilts finished by working together.
If you begin to have problems with your neck, back, and hands, should you give up hand quilting? The point is you shouldn't have to stop creating just because the method changes.

Purest I guess will be the ones that will have a problem with machine vs hand and even their machine vs someone else's longarm; but,after looking at 5 quilt tops folded, hanging and just waiting on me, well another person with a longarm doing the job (with me paying her or not) just seems a whole lot nicer than those tops just collectiong dust and becoming UFO's. Excuse the runon etc. But I'm typing as I'm talking in my mind. Heck I may hand piece and then sew on the machine and then quilt by hand or try quilting on my machine all on the same quilt. What ever it takes as long as I'm not putting it in for some one to judge. Oh glory be, that thought puts the fear of God in me. I like my quilts and I really don't have to have them judged. Besides I'm already too hard on myself as it is. I sure don't need anyone else telling me everything I did wrong. I come from the addige that if you ask someone about the service, he/she will always find something negative. Worked there for over 40 years. I'm forced retirement. Guess this is the one good thing-no more negative answers to my service. LOL Beth

LOL I love this board, you never know what you will read next! I have so much fun reading all the comments, keeps me laughing even when I have had a terrible day!

Me too. The rotary cutter is quick, but oh so dangerous. I will never feel comfortable with it. The minute you do, goodbye finger.

LOL. We'll I've gotten the occasional nip from my very sharp scissors a but after 28 years of doing daycare, I'm a real good cutter so scissors are my preferred tool but I love how fast the rotary cutter is now that I'm no longer intimidated by it. The key for me was, you won't believe this - change the blade frequently. No wonder I was annoyed and frustrated. I won't tell how long it took me to realize the blade needed to be changed just like scissors need to be sharpened or replaced. Silly me.

Very interesting thread. I don't enter contests, so it doesn't matter. I machine piece, hand quilt, and am learning to machine quilt, so I can finish my UFOs. I think cheater fabrics are great to practice with, so anything goes!

Computer quilting isn't cheating, I work in a quilt shop and it makes it more afordable for some people, if you are having it machine quilted what differance does it make, you know what you are getting before you leave your top, and there is a lot more to it then just putting on and walking away and letting it do it on it's on, it never happens like that, we have both a regular longarm & a computer one and I love the computer one, but then I can't & didn't like to hand quilt, but I LOVE to piece tops, this way they they get finished.

I am like Eleanor Burns. I quilt with my credit card! For me, the creative part is making my quilt tops. I don't see myself ever hand quilting as it hurts my hand when I hand sew for long. I won't ever own a long arm and don't have room to spread out and try free motion quilting on my regular machine. I will stick to quilting small items. That is my speed.

I don't have a problem with computer quilting, but I don't know anyone who has one. They are an expensive add-on to a long arm. It would be about my luck to set it, leave it, and have it malfunction on the quilt. Yikes.