NO!!! As a hand quilter and hand appliqué-r, I am saddened to read your post, quilter1. Art is art, and there are countless mediums with which to express oneself. The negative attitude of a few are giving the rest of the hand quilters of the world a bad rap! Each technique has its wonders and challenges. It surprises me to hear of quilters being so negative.... I have said before on a different thread that the quilters I have met are some of the nicest people on the planet. This small group is the exception as opposed to the rule! Please ignore them!!!!! I have seen absolutely gorgeous machine quilting that I could never, ever do with a thimble and needle... I do not understand how or why anyone would say such things. Sounds like you did the right thing moving on from that guild. The whole purpose of quilt guilds is to learn from and encourage each other. I hope you can find another group that helps rather than hurts you.