If you did not like it then - do you like it now?
 

I have seen mixed advice on what to do if one actively dislikes something one is working on.

1) If one does not like it now - one will probably still dislike it 20 years from now. Change whatever it is that is bothering one and continue.

2) Work on it until it is finished - no matter what . Sometimes one falls in love with the finished item.

In your experiences - of those quilts/projects that you hated while working on them, but finished anyway - how do you feel about them? (Other than relief that it is a project that is done and out of the way)

Happy with it?
Wish you had changed it while the changing was comparatively easy?
Wrote it off as a learning experience and will never do something like that again?

I have done both. My first major quilt was a machine embroideried Jenny Haskins "The Color Purple". Why I started it I'll never know. I'm not even a fan of purple. Anyway, I worked on it for over 10 years with the mindset that I spent all this money, I'm not going to waste it. Finally finished it and I tolerate it if someone comes and loves it, they will leave with it. The other instance is the navy and floral kingsize quilt that I recently posted pics of. I completely dismantled it, changed the blocks around, put it back together and now I love it.

I don't finish it or change it. I get rid of it. I can remember doing this two times. The quilts in progress made me frustrated to look at them. It felt good to ball it up, trash it, and think good riddance.

Years ago I finished what I started no matter if I liked it or not. Because of that I have 3 of the ugliest quilts in the closet in The Box That Shall Never Be Opened.

Now, if I don't like how something is progressing I stop and re-evaluate. If it's truly bad I take it apart and add the cut pieces to my scrap box. If it's re-workable, I'll play around with it until I like it. Life's too short to deal with something I don't like and probably never will.

If I have the top pieced, I will finish it and give it away to someone. If I am still in the piecing stage, I separate it and us the fabrics somewhere else.

Assuming it's not a commission quilt, I'm in the throw it out or reclaim the fabric by taking it apart camp. Some things are just not meant to be. :)

LOL-this made me cry from laughing so hard!

my quilting experience is usually like a roller coaster. Starts out with wild enthusiasm, progresses to second guessing when half way done with piecing, when the top is done I usually dislike it intensely. I think I've just been looking at it too much because usually after sitting a week or two, I'm back in love and ready to quilt it. I have a couple tops I just can't get excited enough to quilt, but occasionally will pull one out to do some experimental quilting.

My experience with this was when I made a bunch of blocks out of very bright fabric. Individually they were OK, but when I combined them to make the quilt they looked just horrible together! I eventually divided the blocks into 2 different groups, separated them with wide black strips to tone them down and donated both to charity!! Hopefully a couple of folks got some use from them and I didn't have to look at them anymore!!

I usually let it sit for a while (sometimes a LONG while) and expect to go back to finish it. Eventually, I'll be in the right mood that I will face the fact that I am never going to finish it because I don't really like it and I either give it away, trash it or put it in my scraps to be cut up for future projects. It is always so freeing when it's gone.