i love the hand quilting - it far surpasses machine quilting. but i have this problem - i'm already old and if i hand quilted something i might not get it done before my life on earth is over, so i have to hurry up and machine quilt, lol. is that a good enough reason?

I prefer machine quilting (even the simple stitch in the ditch)...I just don't have the time for so much hand quilting..... :lol: (may be if I would start younger I would have one done by now... :lol:

Well Im not YOUNG YOUNG but I am 29 so i figure (god willing) I have some time ahead to quilt away :)

I usually just baste my quilts using spray and safety pins, then quilt something simple...
I piece my backings, nothing fancy.
I hand stitch the back of the bindings..something I really hate to do.
Hope this helps
Kirsten

I hand quilt my quilts - RARELY tie - I just don't like the look of it - not saying it's bad!! I would love to one day get a quilting machine (probably never will :)) but only for speed - - I LOVE hand quilting and will do it until my poor fingers cannot move!! :)

bless u , i've never done any hand quilting and probably won't ever, i just started this quilt making about 3 years ago. and i've never had a hand quilted quilt either. none of my ancestors quilted. a hundred years from now people will still be in awe looking at your hand-quilted quilts, just such an heirloom.

very well said dojo :D

I love the look of hand quilting, but I just can't get the hang of it. So, all my quilts are machine quilted. I love that part of quilting. I just get into the zone and it really is relaxing for me.