I have such a problem with a making a perfect 1/4" seam so sometimes my points aren't perfect, but actually I do tend to line up my seam lines pretty good. None of my blocks are ever uniform in their size.

I guess at this stage of my quilting experience, I am happy with it just being done. I work 2 jobs and don't have as much time as I'd like to quilt and I tend to do small stuff like table runners and bow tucks bags. I hate doing the backing for a quilt and I'm horrible at squaring everything up, just haven't got the knack of doing it properly.

I make them to the best of my ability, but, though I will redo a point or whatever that is below my 'standards' at the time, I won't fret if the odd thing is a tad off. But I am gradually improving, each quilt is a little better than the one before, so I content myself with still going in the right direction.

If I live long enough, I just might produce a perfect one! LOL.

For me I guess it depends on the reason I'm making a particular quilt and what I want to accomplish. Perfection isn't something that's humanly attainable. I certainly try to do the very best I can, and I will sometimes take things apart to achieve that "very best" level. Some might say it isn't perfect, but I know that it is my best -- at least at that time in my current level of experience. :wink:

It depends on what I'm making and who I'm making it for. If it's a commissioned piece then I try to make it as perfect as possible. Everything else - I have fun with and, yes, it's good enough.

Just think, if our quilts were all perfect there would no room for improvement. Therefore we couldn't chalenge ourselves to do better. My Mom and Dad always told me to do my very best I could with anything I decide to do and they would be ever so proud of me, I taught my children the same and I try to do the same with my quilts. I haven't been quilting long so theres a lot of room for improvement, but it is a learning process,and I don't think anyone sits down and makes a perfect quilt. Better to have it loved and drug around than to have it on a shelf in the closet. So far mine have been used and loved. Good enoug gets my vote.

Good enough suits me too! Am not interested in showing my quilts in the local county fair, so am not striving for perfection. With that said, want to do a really good job for the recipient. Am making a quilt for all 14 grandchildren. YIKES - what did I get myself into! :-)

I think you said it "I quilt to relax". As long as you enjoy what you are doing and are happy then that's all that matters. I don't do "good enough"...I do "it'll do"...same thing :D I try to do as best I can but I know there's always things wrong but..."it'll do". Besides...I bet your quilts are lovely :)

I use to worry about it until I went to a quilt shop and found errors in every quilt. Sure they werent as noticable as mine but they were still there. No one is perfect.

Well said Grammyx3, my thoughts exactly. I give most of my stuff away, and to non sewing people at that, and they cant see the mistakes. I beleive every quilt has to have a mistake, because then it makes it unique

I tell people I'm making a blanket, not a museum piece. I do the best I can and do it with love and prayers for the recipient. That's sufficient. And no one has ever said "No thanks, Judy. It's not perfect or good enough. You keep it."

I am not against the idea of "good enough" but I believe one can always improve their "good enough" through learning. wether it is learning an easier way to do something that in the end is less stressfull and easier to do "perfect".

Its kinda like children in school. Yeah they can read "good enough" in first grade but can they read "good enough" to get them through the rest of their life? NO, they must continue to learn to improve on their skills!

My quilts aren't perfect by any means of imagination. I try to match up seams and not have my points chopped off, but if they are, they are, I'm not "undoing" them. As long as you're happy then that's fine, because most people who receive them as gifts don't see the imperfections.

Is good enough OK - maybe. I am a college professor and I always remind my students that nothing we do is ever perfect. We should try to do the best we can and attempt to make each thing better than we did before. In quilting we should always strive for the best (would that be perfection?) and be happy with whatever we accomplish if we have tried our best and had fun along the way.

At least that's the way I think of my quilting - I try ot make each one better than the one before. Either I learned a new technique, the colors work better, I'm happier with my points, the quilt pattern and the piecing seem to work better together, or whatever. Quilting is my relaxation, but I still learn something with every quilt I make (sometimes I learn I never want to make that pattern or use that technique again - LOL!). I don't have to worry about perfection, but I do hate it when it gets near the end of the quilt, I've pieced the same block 100 times, and I start to not care any more and get sloppy. That's when I have to step back and take a deep breath and figure out what is good enough.

I have taken out a few seams when the poor piecing was clearly visible from across the room, but I currently have one where the points don't quite match, but frankly I can't see it from 5 feet away so I'm not going to undo anything - its good enough!

One reason I think good enough is just fine is that I greatly admire the quilts I see at shows, but I find flaws in every one. One of the major prize winners at the Des Moines quilt show had some clearly visible unintended background showing between two pieces of the largest applique motif in the quilt. However, the judge obviously decided that the rest of the beautiful quilt outweighed that flaw. Another prize winner had skipped stitches right at eye-level in a prominent spot. Am I being critical - not at all - just couldn't help but notice that even the prize winners aren't perfect.

I quilt for enjoyment and relaxation. I don't like to see obvious (to everyone)"errors" but I don't make perfect quilts. I just enjoy the process and LOVE when the receiver is happy with their gift.
Colleen

That is a tough question to answer. I generally do not settle in my own work. I am my own quilt police and I would be upset if I did not do my level best. My best, however, is not perfection. I still make utility quilts that can (and do) get dragged over the floor or end up under a cat (my favorite storage place - lol).

When I look at everyone else's quilts on the QB or other places, I do not judge the bits. I look at the sum of the parts and appreciate the creativity and workmanship that the quilter put into the work.

If you are happy with your work, and you feel good about it (or even just OK) who am I to criticize you or your work? For starters, you are finished - and that is a lot further than I am with my stack of UFOs.

This QB is a support system and I bet that I would not notice the things that you claim to "settle" on.

SO bring on those pictures, will ya'?

I have my own level of "good enough"...I think every quilter does. I let lots of little ooppsses go by without stopping to fix them. When I get a big one, I stop and consider it and decide whether I should fix it. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

I made a quilt for my BFF who taught me how to quilt, and it had 2 vary large ooppsses....I didn't mention them to her until several months after I made it, and she swears she never saw them. She also vowed to never look for them...and I believe her. What appears imperfect to us appears perfect to the person we give it to with love. That's all there is to it.

I think a lot of quilters have been bitten by the Competition Bug, and that's fine, but the rest of us don't have to measure up to National Quilt Show standards. We can be our own home show standard!! :-)

Good enough is fine with me. With the quilts that I have made in the past I have tried so hard to make everything perfect and it has only caused me stress. So with that said, I have decided that from now on I will just relax and enjoy what I am doing and if they aren't perfect it will be ok.

I'm in the middle of making my first quilt. When I started, I think I over-did the "good enough" thing. When I went to put the blocks together, I had to rip out and resew 18 of the first blocks because I wasn't paying attention to the finished size. Now I have 7 strips that I have to somehow get straight enough so I can put the borders on. I have another one to make just like it. Believe me, good enough will be taking a back seat!

I try to do the best I can. I really try to make straight seams, matched points and intersections and straight lines on my FMQ. But if I do not then "Oh well". Use the galloping horse principle to judge your quilt. When you see the pictures you are not seeing them up close and personal to see any mistakes.. It is process that should be fun!

I always try to make a perfect quilt, haven't yet. DD says there is no such thing. I figure if I keep trying, I will at least get a little closer. My rule is to only try 3 times to get something to line up or match, if it won't I move on.

Like them to be colorful? yes. Pretty? yes. Most of the colors coordinate? yes. most of the corners match? yes Are these useful items ? yes
But Really... Will this matter in a 100yrs? no. will this help my stress level to be perfect? no Would I have as much fun with it? No

What's that song "Don't worry be Happy"
so Happy Quilting !! :)

I am my own worst critic,if it doesn't look right to me I rip it out and start over. Wish I wasn't that way it gets really stressful.As I am new to quilting.

Yep, I stay sane that way and less stressed.

Not how I used to be. Was too perfect and never got anything done. Lots of projects, few finished. Stopped that a long time ago. Life is too short.

You are supposed to be studying! Back to the books! LOL!

I am pretty much a "good enough" quilter but I think the longer you quilt and the more you do the "good enough" grows into more perfect automatically!

Good enough is GOOD ENOUGH for me. I occasionally have a quilt that I take real pains to make it almost perfect, but for quilts for the grandkids and greats, good enough is good enough. I expect them to USE the quilts. I'd rather they be loved than perfect.

I agree with Melinda.

I use to stress over mistakes, taking them out many times. Then I saw a program on the Amish women making quilts, they say only GOD can make something perfect. When I saw that I developed that train of thought and started enjoying my work.

The only time a quilt needs to be absolutely is if it's in a judged show, so don't stress over errors and enjoy what you are doing.

If its for myself ,its good enough.If I am making a gift or selling I try to do the best I can.

Oh yes . Especially with quilt tops I made years ago and am just now quilting. If it stays together it "good enough".
If it is for me I don't stress. However I have learned others think these "not quite good enoughs" are wonderful. But then none of my friends sew or quilt. hehe!!!
but if I am doing something to sell it will be as perfect as I can get it. I try to make it the way I would want to see something for sale.

Good Enough is fine. Quilting taught me how to slow down and take my time. I have yet to make a "perfect" quilt and I hope I never do. That would mean it is more of a job and not the relaxing passion I enjoy.

I'm with you. I sew for relaxation, too, and when I try to be perfect, it's no longer relaxing. I try and do my best- and enjoy the outcome. After posting a few comments on this board about the booboo's on a quilt I was showing, I realized I was just saying it in case someone else noticed it first. That way I had already acknowledged that there were booboos. Not anymore- I have one (my 2nd one) that I will NEVER post on here, but the rest I do/will and will just sit back and enjoy the kudos, whether they're perfect or not.

I am new to the quilting world, but way addicted already :mrgreen: I do shoot for the stars, pick out or design patterns that are mostly beyond my skill level, I do my best, and I am always happy with the results and look at every quilt as a learning experience. This makes the whole process very enjoyable and stress free. Of course it helps that I am noticing that the "best I can do" keeps improving:)

I agree, I will rip out if it's a bad mistake but never more than twice, lol then Ok is good enough

Hi Mattee.....
For me, quilting is supposed to RELAX me, not add additional stress to my life. (I have enough of that. Don't we all?)
I make quilts. I give away quilts. I do them at MY pace. (My sister is patiently waiting for two years for her quilt.) I make them ONLY for people I want to make them for. Do NOT ASK for a quilt! I absolutely CANNOT quilt on demand. I teach a beginner's course with retired teachers and have only learned the project in the months before the class myself! I make mistakes and the class and I solve them together. They know, I know, we are in this for FUN!
One of the best hints I can give you (and the quilting police do not like it but I don't like the quilting police!) is to work on the batting and the top together WITHOUT THE BACKING!!!! (Shhhhh....I hear the QP gasping and I see them holding onto their hearts!) Or do the back and the batting without the top.
I can then concentrate on smooth work on the one side. When that is done, I then attach the other side and concentrate on doing it without puckers. It works. It is soooooooooooooo much easier.(And because the batting is completely attached on the one side, you don't have to do as much quilting on the other.)
I have only been quilting for just over five years and in this retired teacher's life, I have given up listening to people who HAVE TO BE RIGHT, I trust my own instincts or ask friends who are kind, gentle and loving, and am grateful for everyday. Some days are harder than others but making life more enjoyable for me is a worthwhile project. I spent the first fifty-five years doing for others, the way others wanted and now the next fifty-five years are for me. Join me. Love yourself and know MOST of us on this board would love a quilt from you made with love and kindness. We would even be happy if the threads didn't MATCH!!!! (JOKE........right????????) Take it easy on yourself and breathe deeply and kindly! Stick with the positive, never PERFECT people. Sigh...........welcome to quilting heaven.
Oh, yes.......when looking at quilts......it is like looking at children's photographs.......they LOOK like PERFECT kids but when you see them in reality, they might not be so perfect. Wouldn't you like to show off your children or grandchildren in pictures when they sit still, don't cry, poop in their diapers, and smile rather than see them in person while you are at a quilt meeting? Pictures can be perfect.................but our precious angels, just like our precious work, look a bit more "scrappy" in reality!!! (And we love them immeasureably!!!!) LOL!!!!!!!!!!

I wish my personality was more like yours! I do settle for good enough, sometimes because I get frustrated at my lack of being able to make it perfect, no matter what I try. I hate it at the time, but after finishing, usually see that the problem area really isn't that bad and that no one will notice unless I point it out. For years, I did not do the same crafts as my mom and sister because their projects were always so fabulous and "perfect". It took me a long time to realize it's not a competition! Now I can enjoy my work so much more and celebrate the new things I have learned or say to myself, "OK, I know to do this another way next time". I've worked very hard at learning to accept less than perfect but it is a struggle, and probably always will be. All perfectionism does is drive you crazy-- and I'm crazy enough! :)

Everything you all said is absolutely correct. I try, but there are the usual flaws as mentioned above, but my daughter tells me that it only shows that it was handmade and it is beautiful to the recipient. I do hand quilting and the stitches will never pass muster in a show, but I do not care and neither does anyone else. Just enjoy the process!
:thumbup:

If you give a quilt to someone and they make a bad comment on a part of it, they aren't much of a friend. They should be happy that you put that much work in to something and thought enough of them to present is as a gift. Gifts should NEVER be critiqued.

I've read this for years (about the "humility block" ) and it seems incredibly presumptuous to me. There is no perfect human and there is no perfect ANYTHING done or made by humans.
{and there is certainly no need for a so-called "humility block" because every quilt has mistakes, including big show winners!}
Quilting was once more of a necessity than it is now, but I believe quilters have always derived great pleasure from quilt-making. If your own personal bent is to do it as nearly perfectly as possible, go for it. If your own personal bent is to just do as well as you can without concern for perfection, go for it.

Let's enjoy our journey! :D

Quilting - because we aren't pioneer prarie women who NEED to quilt to keep our families warm - should be FUN! Do the best YOU can do at the time. Try not to be careless, and your results will gradually get better as you progress - often without you even realizing it. But I think the more you obsess over everything, it often gets worse instead of better. I also say " FINISHED IS BETTER THAN PERFECT!"