Ok so I just started quilting quilt number two, actually my first attempt at any kind of actual quilting (first was just tied). I decided to stitch in the ditch, even though some very smart people advised me against it ... I just didn't trust my ability to do long, straight lines and the idea of not having to mark anything was appealing, plus I have that handy low-speed setting so I thought I could manage. Well I quickly got tired of going slow :-( and eventually paid the price for that. Some of my quilting actually looks pretty good ... I managed to stay in the ditch or very close to it. Other parts look ... Excuse me ... Craptacular. Like seriously wonky. Can I rip those parts out and do them over or would that really mess up my quilt top and end up looking even worse? When you take a couple of steps back you can't see the wonkiness but up close it looks really bad in places. How many of you as beginners can remember feeling similar horror when quilting for the first time??

Practice makes progress!!!

We all have to start somewhere. It sounds like you may be too critical of your own work. Most of us are!

The best judge is using the "3 foot rule". Stand back 3 ft and if it looks good, it IS good! There is also the rule about a man on a galloping horseback, if he can't see the mistake, it is not there! :)

Seriously, be proud of what you have accomplished! Know that each piece will show some progress and move on. Be happy you have completed your project!!!

Post a pic so we can tell you what a good job you did!!

Do the galloping horse method - if you couldn't see it whole riding on a horse, it's all good! :)

Besides - practice makes perfect!

I think it probably looks worse to you than it would to anyone else. I know I see the flaws in my quilts but others say they look beaufitul. Try to not be so hard on yourself. Besides... not supposed to make a perfect quilt anyway... ha ha ha

Don't be so hard on yourself! I'm sure it looks fine! I think you should not rip any out and finish it and wash it. Washing wrinkle really hide a lot :-)

I am always surprised at the things that I think are bad no one else even notices.

I agree, it's probably fine and once it's finished and washed it will be even better.

Oh I don't know ... Now I'm kind of tempted to post a few pictures and see if you all still think it looks fine! Seriously it looks like I had one hand on my quilt and the other on a glass of whiskey! LOL!

I did have a 'problem quilt' years ago. I rented a long arm and for whatever reason the last 3-4" of the darn thing would not quilt right. I removed the thread twice! No dice. I thought poo, poo, poo! Finally I just said forget it. Clearly that area was not meant to be quilted. Although it still bothers me, that strip is still not quilted.

If your materials are of good quality, it should be alright to remove the stitching. Just get comfy and have a new, sharp ripper.

Too funny! Thanks for the laugh!

Whiskey sounds good to me. With ice please. If there are places that you think are really bad, you can take the stitching out. It's a pain but it can be done. I would wait a day or two and see how you feel about it.