I just finished the mccalls mystery quilt and showed the top to my volunteer ladies friends at the food bank last week. I told them I made so many mistakes and proceeded to point them up. All three (we do the repackaging in the kitchen) so if I had not said anything, they would never have noticed. From now on, I will just keep it a secret. LOL......

Being self critical can help us learn to do better. It can also take all the fun out of what we are doing. I know I am my own harshest critic. Over the years, I have learned to never point out my mistakes to anyone. I just make a mental note not to make those same mistakes again and move on. I quilt for my own personal artistic outlet. I do not quilt for money or for shows. Every recipient of a quilt from me, knows that it signifies being wrapped both literally and figuratively in the warmth of my love. That is plenty for me.

I found my self doing that last year with my church raffle quilt. I was really enthusiastic when I began, but then it began to look 'ordinary'. I donated it and one of the church ladies took a picture of it and I thought it was awesome. Guess that I just had to get away from it.

Yes sometimes I look at a quilt and think I should have chosen different fabric or a different color. Some quilts I still like them when I'm done some not so much.

I think it's hard to be objective when you just finish a quilt. When I look at a quilt that's a few months old it's easier to appreciate it without nitpicking and looking for mistakes.

Thanks everyone. I am too hard on myself and I am not even a perfectionist. I know because my friend is, and when we work together it is ever so obvious,ha! I feel better after reading the post from everyone. My neighbor came over and just drooled over the 2 latest projects (which is the ones I questioned), and she has made everything and is a perfectionist, but she just thinks my quilts are darling. One that you can use and love and enjoy. She said she brags to everyone about my quilts. Sure made me feel good. I think I will put away these 2 latest projects and get out later in the fall. I just have looked to closely at them is all. I do enjoy reading everyones post.

I can't compare myself to anyone else or I'd have to shoot myself or go back to knitting only!

I have that same problem. I am finishing quilting a (very late) top I made as a graduation gift for a friend's son. Sales person, my friend and I thought the fabrics fabulous in the store. But now as I look at it, I feel it is too much yellow. I am using blue variegated thread in the quilting as that is his favorite color to try and tone it down.

I guess I'm in the same frame of mind sometimes. Just finished an Ohio Star for a very deserving young man who left the Air Force a few months ago. As I was quilting it, I found a small pucker in one of the sashings and by then it was too late to fix it. You know the saying, Only God is perfect. I think we all have to remember that! Regardless of how perfect or imperfect a quilt is, they're all beautiful because of the colors and/or design and the love we put into them. Where are you in Illinois? I grew up in Central Illinois, graduated Illinois State in Normal many years ago.

We all do the same thing. We can see all of our mistakes, but most of the time we don't notice the same mistakes someone else has made because they are not noticeable. You should not compare yourself to someone else. We all do things differently and we each have things that we are better at doing than other things. Some of the time I think that the simple quilts are much better than the quilts that have all that machine quilting on them. The simple quilts that granma made for us are made with love and that is the esence of a quilt.