Yes, hand quilting sure does dry your hands out...especially flannel! I finished 2 quilts made from DH's old flannel shirts last year and it'll be a long time before I hand quilt another one. I recently found Lavishea Lotion Bar at a local quilt shop. It comes in a tin and is a round waxy-like bar that you rub on your hands. It comes in some lovely light scents - I don't like the overwhelming aromas. I got the Pear scent. It absorbs nicely and isn't overly "greasy". A little pricey @ around $9 for a 1.25 oz bar but lasts quite awhile. As mentioned earlier in the post, Bag Balm is a very good product too.