bearisgray

I have decided that:

It is quite all right to be pleased with myself when something turns out very well.

It is also quite all right to be pleased with myself when I figure out why something did not turn out well.

I am also pleased with myself when I finish something - even if the project has a few glitches.

I may be a critic of my work - but I have chosen to say that I am my "best" critic - because I may be one of the more aware ones of what worked - and what needs to be worked on - for next time.

zozee

That's a really healthy perspective. When I'm trying to figure out why something didn't work, I prefer to go into detective mode. Unless I'm in a rush, or it's not the first, second, or third goof in a row. Then the only thing that gets altered is my personality! LOL

I like when people show their work on here and say "I'm really happy with how this one turned out" or "I had to fix /add/take away thus-and-such, but once I did, I'm glad I did." That kind of talk is inspiring to me. Or even, "I'm not sure I'd do this technique again, but I learned something." My mother always said you can learn something from any experience.

Rhonda K

Bear, Great attitude. Yes, it's a process to get there on your own personal journey. But such happiness when we finally get it. LOL!

I just found a mistake in a UFO quilt from 3 years. It was one of my very first quilts with 12 different blocks. I was so happy to finally "see" a block turned wrong. I ripped and fixed it. Then promptly found two flying geese turned wrong in another block. It's not quilted yet so easy to make corrections now.

I am so happy to find the backing for this quilt. Never knew how it should be finished. The backing takes this quilt in a totally different direction but says "me" finally. Plus a border will be added which wasn't in the original plan either.

Zozee, I love your expression about learning. I have given myself permission to not finish projects that didn't turn out and even trash a few. I'm not keeping them but can certainly appreciate the lessons learned.

liking quilting

I've had many people ask if I'll put my quilts in a quilt show. I steer away from having a judge give me a grade. I always say "I know where my mistakes are...I don't need a quilt judge pointing them out to me." I haven't made a quilt yet where I haven't learned something new. But, if we're not making new mistakes, we're not growing!

luvstoquilt

I believe my work gets better as I go along. Not long ago I showed a group of quilters one of my first efforts. It is really bad but I was so proud of it when I made it. I used to count how many pieces were in a square..less than 20 I would do! Well, I made a "Brides Bouquet". No problem, right? Ha! Not many corners match, there are places that hump up. Disaster? No, a learning experience and I am still proud of that mess. I have learned to laugh at myself and by showing this to that group it has helped a lot of newer quilters. I still reach for the stars and make some mistakes but I love this work I do.

DJ

Wonderful attitudes!

bearisgray

I would like for us to stop saying "we are our own 'worst' critics"

- perhaps we are our 'severest/strictest/pickiest' critics -

- but I sure would like to see the word 'worst' disappear from that sentence!

quilterpurpledog

I like your philosophy. It leads to happy quilting and joy of doing something beautiful.

Mousie

I actually like what you originally said so much I put it on my thumb drive.
I need the reminder.
As for using the word "worst", we will live up to our own rhetoric.
If you say your bad, you will behave badly.
If you say your good or growing, you will begin to believe it and thus end
up doing it!

Doggramma

Good thoughts! I'm trying to think positively about myself too. I had too many years of putting myself down, especially about my non- quilting life.