I really like the way you put it, Nancy in Lousianna!

Sometimes we are so critical of our own work, it can be crippling. My sewing mantra for this year is "Just Do It....Don't Agonise Over The Small Stuff".

Most of my quilts have some things that are off a little bit. Partly because it does not really upset me to have them not be perfect and partly because I am lazy. There are some times that I will rip out, but it has to be noticeable.

I turn Type-A when it comes to quilting and when the points don't match I go nuts. In the past I have adopted a 1/16" X2 rule - meaning if it is at least 1/16 off I'll take it out twice - at that point - if it still wants to misbehave, it can stay. The irony is that I can never find "the error" in the finished quilt that was so glaring on the individual block.

Since then, I have loosened up a bit, because I know that it will be OK/pretty in the end.

My last moment of paralysis came when I wanted to make the Bodacious Quilt with sheet-music-patterned fabric and I realized that the pattern was printed crooked. No matter what, that quilt was not going to have matching lines. It took a long time before I gave myself permission to use the fabric. The quilt turned out great and the recipient never noticed the unmatched lines. All she could do was rave about HER quilt.

Who knows, at the rate I'm going, my type-A might turn into a C-

I am very critical. As 1 said you are your own worst critic. My mom doesn't sew but her friends do so beings she always shows them what I make I figure I better do it right. I figure if your going to do something you may as well do it right. Besides you learn by your own mistakes and
if you don't like using your seam ripper you pay closer attention the next time. :lol:

I try for excellence - I have in a few cases let something that was 1/8 inch or more go by, but for me that's off by a LOT.

I don't think many of us achieve absolute perfection. There comes a point when "good enough is good enough" and/or "this is the very best I can do right now" and that's the way it is.

In five years my skills may be better - or they may not. May as well do the best I can at the moment and leave it at that.

When I look at other people's work, I do try to factor in their skill level and their health.

As long as the seams and points are matching, I'm pretty laid back. But I can be pretty a real stickler, when it comes to my seams and points. Virgo's tend to be perfectionists, anyway. I'm surprised, that I'm so laid back, now that I'm reaching middle age. :lol: :lol: :lol:

I am pretty picky with everything......food, decorations in the house. I can be pretty critical of my quilting.

But...after reading in a post I think on here that I think it is the Amish who put mistakes in their quilts to remember they aren't perfect. I did the same with the quilt I made for my MIL. I quilted Butterflies on it from a stencil and on one of the butterflies I forgot to draw a hole in the wing. When I was quilting it I left it like that to remind myself I am not perfect and am not expected to be. AND THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT!

Kyia

When's your BD -- Soon I know if you're a Virgo!

I'm a late Virgo. Sept. 18, 1959 was the date of my birth. It was a Friday, which explains why I like to party so much.