What I hate is when you rip because your seams didn't line up as well as you wanted, you re-sew it and it still looks exactly as it did when you started. Arrrgh!
I don't check any signs, but I try to listen to my body. Some days I might want to quilt, but I'm just not up for complicated things. Then I just cut 1.5" squares for my postage stamp quilt (using a Klutz glove, because on those days anything can happen).