I was driving along the road, and passed a yard sale/flea market type place and there was a booth set up with quilts. Needless to say, I did a u-turn and went back. One of the quilts was outstanding from the road, it was an appliqued nine patch with coal miners on it. Done in all white and black. This is the coal capital so, anything with coal mining is huge.

Lots of people were buying her quilts anywhere from $150-400. She had several that were panels with borders added, one was the footprints panel I'm working on.

Once I got to looking at them close, the machine applique wasn't very good at all. They looked about like mine! I've been very aggravated over my machine applique, feeling like it's terrible, etc.

None of the people noticed any imperfections at all. They were going crazy over them, and I overheard several people make comments like "hand made quilts are the best, thats all I ever buy, etc" .

So, maybe , I've been being too hard on myself? Maybe it IS ok that my quilts aren't perfect? If people are happy to pay money for quilts that are about the same skill level as mine, then I must not be too bad, huh?

It really made me think. I don't think any of those people would have cared if the seller HAD pointed out the imperfections. I think they would have loved the quilts, just the same. It was the "handmade-ness" that was so special to them, not whether the seams matched or the stitches were off.

well I'm planning to take a few of mine to a very big flea market next month, I hope I have such luck!

Too often on here, I hear quite a few people, especially newer quilters, being far too hard on themselves and their work. This is a great place for encouragement and a more unbiased opinion. It's so helpful here!

They must have been "non-quilters" to not know machine from hand applique. Maybe you should think about setting up a booth and selling your own. I guess only you would know the imperfections. I was amazed yesterday when I went to my LQS and was looking at the quilts hung up as examples for upcoming classes. On one the SID was "off" in a lot of places and it made me feel better about my own quilting :)

I have a tendency to be hard on myself, too. Went to a quilt show last summer and was shocked what people put up for display!!!! I'm going to display mine NEXT summer AND put some up for sale!!!!

I use the 10 foot rule for all my quilts!!

I hope you are not disappointed at the flea market. People are always looking for a good deal and don't understand what you are selling. I wish you the best of luck. I wish I could see what you are selling ;-)

I think most of us are way too hard on ourselves. A few years ago, a wonderful (experienced) quilter whom I thought was perfect explained to me that she was the only one who knew where the mistakes were and I should keep in mind that "finished is better than perfect". It has stuck with me and I am working on "letting go"!

I think we all do out best effort. Depending on experience the results may be different. As long as you enjoy what you are doing that is what counts. Hopefully we will learn and improve along the way.

I use the galloping horse rule!

what is that? Hold on and enjoy the ride?

What is the ten foot rule and what is the gallping horse rule? I have never heard of either

I have been to a few flea markets and saw some really pretty quilts that had a lot of love put into them. Best of luck in your adventure of flea markets.

Ten foot rule and galloping horse rule -- I think they're the same as the man in a plane rule. My MIL, who died long before I met my husband, used to say a man flying over in a plane would never notice something that's not perfect. Neither would someone on a galloping horse, or someone standing ten feet away.

"Ten Yard/Galloping Horse" Rule -
"You can only view my quilt from ten yards on a galloping horse" - Makes me look Gooooood!!
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Well said we are our worst critics!

I've bought quilted items and realized later that some things don't match up or the tension was off and the quilting on the underneath was loopy or a block was out of place color-wise but it doesn't change how I "feel" about them, they add to the comfort of my home and give me pleasure whenever I look at them. So embrace your mistakes, share them with the world, what's that saying, "they'll never notice if you don't bring it to their attention".

Besides, if someone is just throwing together garbage hoping to make a quick buck, you'll probably sense it.

Get your quilts out and set up a booth :D:D:D
Handmade means a lot to some people, they don't look for perfection, they look for the love and time put into the quilt :D:D:D

I think those of us who sew and quilt will see the imperfections in quilts because we're used to judging our own work. People who don't quilt have no idea of the time and effort that go into our projects, but they also don't usually notice mistakes or poor quality work.

If you're like me, I tell myself I'm going to live by the "man on a galloping horse" rule, but I actually live by the "woman with a magnifying glass" rule. I'm much harder on myself than anyone else ever could be!

DITTO

I think quilters notice more mistakes than a lay person ever notices.

I think we are to hard on our selves too. Don't point out your mistakes, few people are going to notice them. I don't sell my quilts bc no one want to pay for the fabric let alone the time it takes to make one.

Am I missing something? The OP never said that people thought it was hand applique. Only that they thought hand made quilts are best. Is a machine appliqued quilt not considered hand made anymore? :shock:

Pardon me...I guess I misread it. Do we need to be so knit-picky?.....Sheesh

I use this too. Think I heard it from Kaye England first. Gave me more courage in showing my quilts :)

Amma, love your galloping horse animation.

I am really thinking about taking some of mine up to Sun Valley and try to sell them. Tourists????

sorry.

10 yards!!! Wow, that's 30 ft!! I would just be able to see a mottled mess of color with me eyes!

As one nationally known quilter says,"hang 'em high and keep 'em moving". Then no one can see the perceived imperfections.

I now have a nicely photoshopped page hanging above my sewing machine that says:

Finished is better than perfect!

LOL!

I don't think I'd ever try to sell any of mine, though. I'll never be quite THAT good, LOL! Plus, I think I'd loose some of my enjoyment of making quilts. It would feel like a "job" then you know? I know not everyone would feel that way, and thank God they don't or no one would ever sell any! LOL! Its just me, I guess. I'm just too new to even think of getting money for my poor quilt, LOL!

I didn't think I would ever try to sell quilts either. I have one bed and one recliner, and very little wall space. What do I do with them? Realistically how many quilts does one person need? I have about six for my bed with the ones I have made and the ones that my gave me before she passed. I also have a queen size crocheted one from my MIL. If I want to quilt I have to find a way to pay for my habit. So...the only thing I know of to do is try to sell them.

My mantra has always been "You can not see it from the boardwalk."

I learned to machine applique using Harriet Hargrave's book. It's all in the use of finer threads and needle. The stitch width is smaller also. This made a huge improvement in my machine applique.

I am hard on myself as well, and all of you have given me encouragement and I really appreciate it, if it wasn't for that encouragement, I would have stopped "learning to quilt" weeks ago! thanks all of you for the encouraging words. Even though I am just making the small items for now! Mary

psychomomquilter.

"Ten Yard/Galloping Horse" Rule -
"You can only view my quilt from ten yards on a galloping horse" - Makes me look Gooooood!!
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Just seen this! love it!

Hi, what is the 10 foot rule? This sounds interesting. I need a rule and this may be it. Thanks

I am really hard on myself too, to the point of where I have almost given up because of how many mistakes I make. But then, I ask myself why I started to quilt at all, and it was for the adventure and fun! Maybe we all need to think of that when we start judging quilts at all.

I would have congratulated the woman for actually being able to sell her quilts for those prices....and from a booth in her yard! Good for her! I agree...we need to stop pointing out all the errors...nobody else looks for them (except my DH--:wink:)

But you know what gets me is: they want your work for 'nearly nothing'. Unless someone does quilting and hand work, they have no idea how much time, effort, expense, and love go into a project. Just saying........

Once I got to looking at them close, the machine applique wasn't very good at all. They looked about like mine! I've been very aggravated over my machine applique, feeling like it's terrible, etc.

If you want to improve your machine applique get Sue Nichols book "Raw Edge Applique" She really improved mine. I took a class from her and her quilts are fantastic

I agree. I grew up with quilts my grandmother and her friends and family made and I always thought that they were absolutely beautiful. Now that I am quilting, I can look at the old quilts and see mistakes I never saw before. I still think those old quilts are absolutely beautiful, but it makes me feel better about my quilts knowing they will be loved in spite of their flaws.

Quilts are like people. None are perfect, but we love them anyway!