Kitsie

I agree and if the sample pleases me, it will go into the quilt!

grannie cheechee

​I'm with you on only comparing to myself. If I compared to someone else I'd quit quilting. LOL

cathyvv

Revelation: Done is better than perfect because perfect never gets done.

annette1952

I don't compare myself to anyone else either. I just do the best I can & always strive to do better. I have a lot of fun & that is what it is all about.

K-Roll

bearisgray I love your random thoughts and questions...real interesting ruminations.

zozee, yes, I get the fear factor too.

On the upside, when I discovered chain piecing (don't laugh) it was a wonderful moment. When self-taught one lucks out when they discover even simple techniques. Of course, I am self-taught no longer - just wonderfully instructed by the members of this board. Another benefit of 'sewing through fear' is discovering how to manipulate various stitches, and conquering the fear itself. It IS just thread and fabric...and I now frame things as more puzzles than problems.

I use mechanical old-style machines, and feel terrific that I'm learning to care for them.

toverly

I agree 100% in that the only person I need to make happy with my quilting is myself. I am very protective of what I make and the happiness it brings. When my Guild puts on a quilt show, I participate not to win. I'd drive myself crazy trying to be perfect. But I participate to show others what I can do. I love it when people say, I didn't know you could do that.

pewa88

My breakthrough moments have been many,lol. The major one was when I realized that I would never be able to do custom quiltwork on the longarm and be good at it. I practiced and practiced to the point of no loner enjoying what was supposed to be enjoyable, not to mention all the stress that came with a "perfect" quilt plan and then quilting it. If I were younger then it might be something to pursue with a passion but I don't have time for that. Now I am good at edge to edge quilting and pantograms so that is what I do. I also have no desire to have quilts judged, I am my own judge. I quilt for me and do not need accolades or praise to do what I enjoy doing. (No bragging here at all, just making a point.... but I do quilting well.)

Wanabee Quiltin

I think my biggest success in quilting is recognizing what I like to piece. Last year I picked out the album block to make for a niece. When I was making it, I counted the pieces in just one block and there were 19 pieces. I didn't enjoy making this quilt at all. I now know to read a pattern first and look out for certain key points that I don't want to do. I am more of a simple type quilt maker, but my quilts turn our really pretty, mainly because I have very good color sense. I have learned a great deal in quilting and when I teach someone, I give myself a pat on the back.

JENNR8R

Buying a new machine is worth every penny, and I'm worth it!

pewa88

Yes Jenn, you are worth it.