I have just completed my first solo quilt. I duplicated one my mom made in 1939 which consisted of 30 14" blocks (5 across and 6 down) with an appliqued tulip on every other block. I decided to add a border and have ended up with an enormous quilt. It is going to be very difficult to quilt on my standard sewing machine. I decided to try and 'stitch in the ditch' around the big squares on the machine. Would it be acceptable to then use a small quilting hoop and hand quilt around the tulips? Or, should I just find someone to professionally quilt it? Please share some opinions :)

It is your quilt you can quilt it anyway you want It is acceptable to do both.There are no quilt police here I have seen some that had both. I have done both on one. It looked good. Good luck

I've done that on two quilts, one was an oversized king and there was no way it was going to fit in that area right of the needle. The other one had windmill blocks and everother block was solid, I miandered in the solid and thought it would be enough but decided to go back and hand quilt the windmill blocks. Both turned out fine

I have done both on many quilts.

No reason you can't!

Go for it! I often use both hand and machine quilting on the same quilt.

As someone else said "It is your quilt". Whatever anyone does on their quilt is unique to their design. "Go outside of the block" and be creative. Good luck!!

Thank you all so much, I am so excited over this whole quilting thing. It is contagious!! I have learned so much just reading from this posting site!

I have done it too. Came out fine and I was pleased with the results.

I agree with the other posters. There is no reason not to quilt it in the way you suggested. It's your quilt and the designer (you) have all of the design choices.