:lol: :lol: Mine's the 30th of this month and I'm not telling which year -- but before yours :lol: :lol:

You are one year and 2 days older than me!!!

Yep :D :D -- How did you figure it out? :lol: :lol:

I have gotton pretty good at ripping out. Even with paper piecing I have been off, and I absolutely hate having to rip out stitches when my machine stitch length is on one! But I do.

Some irregularities can be quilted out and some can't. I "unsew" those mistakes that can hinder the progress of the piecing otherwise I blend them in. Even the most meticulous piercer/quilter will make errors. In the end we are our own worse critics!

I am much more critical of any mistakes if I am making a quilt for a gift. Then I would rip out seam and re-do. If it is for myself and its not an obvious mistake, my philosophy is finished is better than perfect!!!

I only learned to quilt last summer. I'm glad that my teacher read an essay by Teri Christopherson from the back of one of her books. Teri talked about the "perfect quilt" and confessed to being a "fast and sloppy" quilter. Then she told the story of her daughter who has a rare developmental disability called Angelman Syndrome that is extremely debilitating. She compared the perfect quilt to the perfect child (always in the eye of the beholder). She said that if we are too hard on ourselves, we can become frustrated and even decide to give up on quilting. Ironically, that would be the thing that would prevent us from becoming "perfect" quilters.

I feel as if the essay set me free to quilt with joy rather than criticizing myself into giving up an occupation that I am finding to be extremely gratifying. I framed the essay and it hangs on the wall next to my sewing machine.

My quilts are far, far from perfect. But I'm having fun, and the recipients of my quilts (only my family so far) seem no less thanful to receive them even though they have many flaws.

Yes very critical to anything I do my quilt, my oil painting etc. my husband tells me all the time I'm too critical of my work.

I teach quilting classes and I tell my students to go look at other peoples quilts and especially old quilts. None of them are perfect. NONE. So if you can't see it from a glance then it is just fine!!!

Most people who see your quilts will think they are beautiful. They will have no idea is something is wrong with it.

I see glaring flaws in my own stuff and others think the are the cat's meow.

Give yourself a break. If we were perfect we would be God.

I am more critical of my work than others are--am learning to say, "ya know it's homemade if it has a few imperfections!" Am not picky of others work and find I do not see their mistakes or can just over look them. Too many things I want to try to be that particular--could be a BAD fault/habit starting.
Charlie Ann