I dont think either one is better then the other. I do both. Each has its own qualities. Hand piecing and quilt gives me time to relax and really spend time with the quilt. Machine lets me do it faster.

I dont think either one is better then the other I have a 2 100 year old quilts from my family that were hand pieced and quilted that are in great shape. Then again I have a 70 year old quilt that was machine pieced and quilted and is falling apart.
I am not saying that hand is better then machine I am just saying you never know what is going to happen when they hit that age

My grandmother was thrilled to get a sewing machine. Her quilts were hand-pieced before that machine, but machine pieced after. She still hand quilted because she loved to relax and quilt at night after all her work was done. I cherish both the machine pieced and the hand pieced quilts equally. I have hand pieced and now machine piece. I have hand quilted and machine quilt and send out to a LA. I doubt that those who receive my quilts think any less of them because I have mastered the mechanical world than if I had only done them by hand. I have too many quilts bouncing around in my brain that need to get out to only hand piece. I just don't have the time. Anyone who would refuse a gift of love over such a silly technicality as machine vs, hand pieced doesn't deserve the quilt. Besides most quilts are made to be used, not put in a closet or on a shelf for sometime in the future. I love making and giving quilts. So, for the most part I will continue to machine piece and keep making quilts.

Speaking only of my own work and considering the quality of my work: too big stitches,threads twisting and tangling until they break, knots that are either too big, too far from the end, or dropping off the thread altogether so there is no knot at all, and the incredible amount of time it takes, I much prefer my own machine work. Do I wish I had better hand skills? yes. Do I value hand stitching? yes. Do I kep practicing so I get better? yes, on small pieces.Do I de-value my own machine work? NO! Its still a quilt. And it will keep you warm.

Is a baby delivered with foreceps still a person?

Hmmm... I have heard this, especially when I started quilting again in 1999. I even took classes in template cutting, hand piecing and hand quilting. Unfortunately, my hands did not like it so I went to another LQS and learned things like a rotary cutter, cutting mat and machine piecing. I got hooked.

I have a friend who claims that it is not a quilt unless you use one of the "original" patterns -- none of this artsy stuff. I ignore her too if I am in the mood.

imy very first quilt was completly done by hand.after that i figured that i knew how the do hand piecing, i saw nothing wrong with machine piecing it goes much faster and you really can't tell the difference,my opinion anyway. and i could move on to hand quilting the part i actually enjoy the most, also in my opinion there isa visual difference between hand and machine quilting, but thats just me, i probably not an opinion shared by most. i think your quits are lovely and loved by all who use them and isn't that what counts?

No one back then would make a quilt by hand if a sewing machine was available. Rotary cutter and mat Im sure they would switch to also.
They HAD to make them by hand.
I use a machine and will until something better comes along.
Life is to short and Im to old to spend the time it takes to hand sew. To many patterns out there to try, variety is what I enjoy the most, and learning a new block pattern is fun.

Besides, sewing machines didn't just spring from the earth unsolicited - someone had to see a NEED for one, and then someone had to design and make it, and then someone had to use it. Or we'd still be quilting by hand.

I recently had a similar discussion with friends, but centered around the actual quilting, and specifically machine quilting.

A LQS does a very nice job, and with speedy turn around, using computerized quilting. Is that less worthy than a quilt done using panto's? Or quilting on a LA, but entirely free motion? Or quilted on DSM?

My quilts are not going to be museum pieces, or of any value to me and hopefully the recipient. In most cases, the recipient won't even know the difference. So can I just use what works for a given top and let it be? If I need/want something specific, have somebody do the custom work, be it free motion or guided, and otherwise let the computer do the driving...

It sounds good in theory, but still tugs at my heart!

i think a quilt is a quilt.no matter how its made unless its factory produced.
hey even the amish who are revered as doing everything old fashoned use sewing machines and rotery cutters. so there to all those quilt police. are they going to look down on the amish for not being "oldfashoned" enough?