I'm sorry...I am in a really sensitive mood today and it might be my mood talking, but I just really need to post this.
Several times in my wanderings through the posts since I've joined this forum, I see it repeated and repeated..."There are no quilt police here...", but then I'll see posts where someone will say "well, her piecing/quilting/cutting/sewing/etc wasn't perfect, but..." and it really bothers me.
I really feel that we all have strengths and weaknesses in our crafts. There is not one single person on this forum or anywhere else that produces "Perfect" piecing or quilting or anything. There will inherently be flaws of some kind in anything produced by a human hand...and thank goodness for that! Many times what looks good to one person's eye is not attractive to another's eye...and thank goodness for that too! The flaws in a quilt often times give it character and a story. It is unneccesary to point out something you consider a flaw, and personally, I think it's not nice.
So, to step off my soapbox and apologise for my cranky mood...Please, when you post something that was cut/pieced/quilted or just plain crafted by someone other than yourself, before you press "send" please consider what that person would think if they could read your comments and don't point out flaws. Of course it's not perfect, but it was done by someone's hand, heart and mind and it's beautiful!
:)

Good attitide! I like what you say.

I'm sorry you have seen criticisms in some of the posts on this board. All in all I think we do a good job in celebrating each others work.
Many of us try new techniques and ask for critiques from more experienced quilters. I have offered advice on PP and I hope my advice was interpreted as constructive and not hurtful. I think I speak for many when I say that I have learned a tremendous amount from many on this board and have offered what little "expertise" that I have.
If you personally have been criticised by anyone I am sorry that you have been hurt.
We are a great group of quilters and your post reminds all of us to be kind and helpful so our words are ones of encouragement. Please stick with us...everyone here has something to offer. :D

No, this is not what I meant. This board is fantastic for encouraging people in thier talents. I have asked advice myself and eagerly await what people have to say.
What I mean is when someone is commenting on a piece they have inherited, or have worked on from someone else, etc. Sometimes they will make a comment about the original crafters work. THAT is what bothers me. When someone ASKS for critism or opinions, that is fine. As I said, I have done that, and I have offered my opinions too. It is when the individual crafter is not present or has not posted thier own work, someone else posts it and critisizes, that's when it bothers me.
Otherwise, everyone is fantabulous and I love this board!

I think that sometimes things I say I mean one way and someone could take it entirely different. It was kind of like my husband when he was preaching every sunday and on saturday nighy when he was getting ready for the next day, and he wouldn't be happy wwith his sermon, and guess what? three people would tell him on the way out of church, Oh, Pastor that sermon today was wonderful, it was meant just for me. So what I am saying, we don't all hear or read the way somethings are written or spoken. maybe.

I hope that if I say anything hurtful someone would point it out to me. I visit this board to learn and admire and dream of the day when I can make something as well as some I've seen on this board. I have seen some hurtful statements--today in fact, but it's just someone elses opinion not shared by anyone else and I believe that sometimes it's because people don't really know how to write tactfully! Follow the old saying..."sticks and stones..."

I really think when such a comment is made about something, say that someone inherited or was done years ago, it's not a reflection on the person's sewing as much as a reflection on the changes that have been made in equipment to make it easier for the things that we made today to be much more "perfect" than something we made years ago. I know when I started quilting, our pieces were cut with scissors. There were no rotary cutters and rules and commercially made templates to make the pieces all be pretty much identical. I did not have a 1/4" foot for my sewing machine. My mother did not have 1/4" tape so that her hand stitching was exact. We are so lucky today to have the equipment that we have to made quilting so much easier and our end product so much better.

I really don't think anyone on this board would intentionally put down anyone else's work when they know how much thought and effort went into it, even if it didn't end up as well done as what can be done today.

I think that most of the time, when someone says that another's work was less than perfect, they are really reassuring themselves out loud that they are doing OK. I think that we see so many beautiful things on this board, in magazines, and at guild meetings that we all have moments when we feel like we don't quite belong and that we are quilting imposters.

When I admire the beautiful quilts on the board, I can't see any mistakes and they look perfect and amazing to me. When I look at my own quilts, I can see every point that isn't perfect and I'm not amazed because I am too familiar with it. It's hard not to compare yourself sometimes - we all have those moments.

I don't think anyone of us would intentionally devalue the work someone put into a quilt - we know what goes into them.

If you're talking about some of my recent posts where I've finished off other people's projects and commented that they weren't perfect...well, maybe eat a cookie. I think you're being way too critical.

If I have a critical thought about a post....I don't post it. I keep the negativity to myself!!! Some things are better left unsaid!