I like hand quilting simply because it is by hand. I feel the quilt is more ME when I am done. Hope that makes sense.

I piece by machine, but hand quilt using a lap hoop, pc snap frame or without a frame/hoop. I love doing it that way personally. It is how you feel and enjoy. I am scared to death to try machine quilting, plus I just enjoy the hand motion. On my next quilt I am thinking of going back to hand piecing - this last one I pieced by machine just really made me mad - Will post pictures when I get it sandwiched and quilted -maybe a year from now. :) Just do what you like to do and just make it fun and not hard work.

I started in quilting a few years ago, machine quilting midarm to help my wife finish some of the many projects and tops she gad piled up. I had gone to a quilt show and was really impressed with the artful peices. Being a retired finish carpenter, I thought Id give it a try and have really enjoyed it. Have tried the hand quilting and hand bindings to appreciate what many enjoy doing, but find it far too time consuming when you have so many projects and I like seeing thing DONE. I am getting a lot of requests to finish tops and and machine binding, small baby quilts etc so they can give them to family and friends while their still at the age they can be of use. My hats off to those of you who choose to hand quilt and I appreciate the endlees hours and dedication required to you put in on your quilts. I have to prduce 3 to 4 quilt a week so I find my machine is my preferrence.

I have several projects going at once. I do both hand quilting and machine quilting. Some people hate one or the other, but it's nice and it's handy if you like to do both. Hand quilting is much slower, but I'm better at it than I am at machine quilting. Also, there's nothing that says you can't do both hand and machine quilting on the same quilt.

I enjoy both.
If I am sewing "home alone" I use the machine in my sewing room. When hubby is home of an evening I hand sew in the loungeroom watching TV with him.

I find hand sewing (whether it be quilting, hand applique or whatever) relaxing of an evening but I get more done on the machine during the day.

I'm a hand quilter by preference and thoroughly enjoy doing it and fine it relaxing and theraputic but I am trying to learn to machine quilt because several of my friends in my retirement community have arthritis and can no longer hand quilt or sew anything by hand. As you get older you have to look at things differently and since I love quilting so much have decided that it would be wise for me to learn machine quilting now so that should the time come where I couldn't hand quilt, I could still be a quilter. Those ladies do miss hand quilting but said they would really miss quilting more so they machine quilt and do beautiful and awesome work. Aren't we lucky to live in a time where we have options like that.

I'd say follow your personal preferences but open your mind to other possibilities in the process. I'm also learning different methods of quilt as you go as well, just in case and hopefully I'll be able to continue enjoying quilting for many more years in one form or the other.

I have always hand pieced and hand quilt. since the old hands are not as nimble as they use to be, I have started machine piecing but there are some patterns that I can only hand piece if I want them to go together right. I love to hand quilt. don't have a quilting machine. not sure I would like it.

I say either one you would like and/or both! I do both depending on what look I want as the end result. One is not easier than the other to me...machine is maybe...."maybe" faster, again depending on what you are trying to accomplish. I enjoy both though.

I do both on the same quilt. I may hand quilt some parts and machine others, all depends on how I feel and what the quilt says. I always thought that was funny what the quilt says and had never had one talk to me until recently. I had a quilt in the frame ready to hand quilt and for some reason could not get my mind around the hand quilting on this one. I am not a fancy quilter in either hand or machine, usually just do echo hand and either sitd or just a diagional. Very simple, but this quilt said no hand. Go figure. I know I am getting a little old, but I don't hear voices YET. lol. Its whatever you prefer, its your quilt and I do like both in a quilt.
Since I am so simple minded that is.. Opps did I say that outloud?

Rita

I did nothing but hand work for years.. I have actually had other "experienced quilters" stand in a shop and argue with me that I had machine pieced a quilt. Then I was told that I did not know how to quilt...despite the piece laying there with my needle still attached, because I do a stab stitch or needlepoint quilting as some have called it. Recently I learned to use a longarm and have started machine piecing and quilting. I think both have merits.. depending on the pattern I can sometimes hand piece faster than I machine piece.. some blocks that I love to hand piece I wouldn't even attempt on the machine. Other quilts go way faster on machine. as far as how long they last, I strongly disagree with that lady. Just look in the museums.
Hand stitching can last just as well as machine.depends on the materials and the workmanship.