Goodness, had I only read your post earlier. I spent last evening ripping out quilting because I couldn't even keep my stitch in a ditch straight yesterday!

Question is did they win a prize! Do the best you can. And remenber the Galloping horse philosphy. We are always are own worst critic. Sometimes being critical will allow us to improve.

I have noticed that too. I just saw one in a recent mag that the SID was worse than mine, all wonky, and a couple seams that didn't match in HST's . That made my day. I try not to beat myself up, as I know I am better than a lot of people, and figure the ones that receive my quilts will never see the flaws. After all there really is no such thing as perfection.

I just enjoy making quilts. I know mine will never be perfect so I don't worry about the mistakes unless they are so far off I really can't stand it.

Ohhhhhhhh my favorite subject.... and hooray for Kaffee,,, he's my idol in the color world.. i'm a knitter and have a book by him from BHQ (befor his quilting)... his patterns were a natural to move into the quilting world....
anywhooooooo.... i written before and am the "no mistakes just creative opportunities girl"!!!! i just do NOT know how quilting ever got to the point where the judging was for perfection....people started this to keep warm and used old clothes because it was all they had!!! Kinda shows you where we are huh!!!!
I'm so glad to here a lot of you embracing the fun and creative side of this hobby...to say nothing of how badly we need to use up our "collections"... honestly some of fabric will "rot" before it's gone.. LOL
I'm gonna start posting some of my "quilts"... that have been made from "what i had"... and just plain had fun.. to see if you like them and hopefully inspire..
2011!!! Here's to using it up and having fun!!!

AMEN to that! It takes a while for us to realize that none are perfect so we shouldn't sweat the small stuff!

When things don't turn out just like you want them you can always just call it 'whimsical'!

i have thought some of you are a little (over-concerned) with the little stuff...if you get really (up close-and personal) to some of the 'big-quilts' made by famous international celebrity (sp) quilters you will find- unless the quilting was done by a computer (statler stitcher)- the quilting is far from perfect....the decider really is...
if you hang the quilt up and stand across the room from it...how does it look? good?--THAT'S GREAT! oops...see something wrong...oops better fix that...
non-quilters see the quilt for itself...they have no idea that every thing about it is not exactly what you meant it to be...they do not recognize mistakes that we get stressed out about...unless you point them out and tell...

a few years ago my nephew taught me a quilting lesson...
he was making stained glass blocks...critters...the cutest things...i need to find pics...anyway...he brought me this kangaroo he had just finished ... and i noticed (up close and personal) that one of the fabrics was turned over...wrong side up...and i said..."jess, you have one of the fabrics turned over...it is wrong side up..." he looked at me as if i was from a different planet - went to his table and picked up a scrap of the same fabric...held his block up about 5 feet from me and said...hows it look? can you tell? IT LOOKED GOOD...AND NO, I COULD NOT PICK OUT THAT FABRIC PIECE. he then pinned the scrap fabric (right side up) over the spot...and held it up again...boy it jumped right out at you...and did not work!... and he said..." hey, I pay for both sides of the fabric...i'm using what ever side works :thumbup: then he gave me his 'impish' grin told me that was my lesson for the day...and left!
i miss having the boys around to sew with! they are *fearless* and so creative!

I have several quilts in my house that were gifts to either me or one of my children. They've been well-loved and well-used over the years. When I began quilting I went back and looked them over closely and found --- lots of whimsy and creative expression in those quilts. This really freed me to be not so perfect myself. Loved those quilts without knowing they weren't perfect - love them even more knowing they aren't.

I know what you mean about criticizing our work, I do that all the time and my dh tells me that it is really a good job and that it isn't suppose to be perfect, that is what hand made means, well maybe he has a point, I do my very best and have fun doing it.

I agree, I have seen several quilts in magazines with big quilters or (expert quilters)names given that made the quilts and you can see points off uneven seams and even wavy borders that don't lay flat. I am also my worst critic. I try to do the best I can and hope to continue to improve my quilting in all aspects. I'm not going to let a mistake here and there to spoil my enjoyment of quilting. Not let them look at my quilts for perfection, but the love and time I put into them.

me too!!

I agree we are always our own worst critics. The quilt I finished right after Christmas is the first one I have ever made where I would let some one see the back. LOL I even surprised myself.
Pickle

I always say that since I am not perfect how in the world could I make a perfect quilt. Not that I would intentionally let something really bad pass but it helps in the frustration dept.

a teacher used to say that it's the intention that counts and that comes through. If I make it with love, then that will be how it is perceived. As I said earlier, I do my very best and do it with love. I don't let obvious flaws through. I aim high--after all reach for the moon and if you miss, you still land among the stars!

Laurie

I agree with you. Many of the students in my classes moan about points not meeting, or "not-straight quilting", and I've saved some magazines with up close detail photos of quilts that are not perfect either. I think that liberates EVERYONE! I tell them to do the best they can as long as they ENJOY the process and not let it torment them. When it gets to the point, ease up on yourself - quilting is supposed to be FUN!

My mom made my brother a quilt for Christmas this year and she was on the phone with me telling me of her disappointments (she wasn't overly thrilled with her binding) and I kept telling her if she kept her mouth shut on Xmas Day no one would be the wiser!
:lol: I'm sure it couldn't have been that bad. My mother is a very good sewer/quilter. She just doesn't think she is.....just like me! I guess it runs in the family LOL!!!

I was making a block yesterday....I'm an 1/8" short on one side. I do not know how it happened. I've taken it apart, measured everything and it still happens. I'll just adjust for it and once it's in the quilt unless I point it out, I doubt anyone will notice! ;-)

We all have our talents, our good days, and our "off" days. This is what makes us human. I once heard that the Amish used to make at least one obvious and deliberate mistake in their quilts because only god is perfect!

I don't agree with some of the posts here. I do not believe we should accept sloppy work just because a national magazine shows a picture. Rather, write the magazine and tell them they should pay attention to the workmanship shown in their illustrations. I did this recently with a book company about the picture on the cover of one of their books. They explained it away with something like "cropping the picture caused the problem"
Well I don't accept that. Write the magazine and tell them we expect better work. It doesn't have to be outstanding but should be good without obvious sloppiness.

I didn't say I was accepting sloppy work. I said I'm not beating myself up if something I do is not exactly perfect. Seeing a "flaw" in a magazine by an "expert" made me feel a little better about my work and not stress out so much over it.

Making mistakes and recognizing what was wrong and learning how to correct the mistakes is part of the quilting process. Just as in thing new that we undertake. It is very frustrating but sometimes it is best to just walk away and think about it a while before attempting to fix the mistake.

This something I too am working on. I have been so hard on my self in everything in life. I decided I just want to enjoy my hobby not get stressed out about it in any aspect. I have a job that stresses me out enough... I say we all need to stop being so hard on ourselves and just sit back relax and enjoy the process, isn't that why we quilt anyway? I will just have to keep telling myself this when I am working on my projects. :)

That goes a long ways in self confidence in our efforts..
My philosophy of life (much to my mother's chagrin) is "If they don't like it, they can do it themselves."
Other quotes from others...
Do your best and be proud of your efforts...
If you can't see it from 5 ft.... no one else can either
and last but not least
When it's quilted, no one will see the "ooopss"

Good for you. Even the best have mistakes.

I quit being so hard on me a few years ago. And ya know what? I actually finish quilts all the way to the binding and label. ;-) when I let myself go and just have fun the creativity started flowing and I started having fun. Perfection is not part of the process. Chaos? YES! Much to my husbands chagrin..BUT.. He bought me a Accuquilt Studio for Christmas. So I think he'll survive it all. ;-)

I'm so glad God made me the way He did. I know I'm not perfect and I don't care. That's why I mostly make strip/crazy quilts - no advanced planning, no matchine corners/triangles/et. just fun. I know a most of you cut fabric into small pieces & sew them together again. I mostly use scraps for my quilts. Or, I embroider baby quilts mostly on whole cloth. I DO NOT stress over mistakes.

Great attitude...works for me! I also tend to be critical of my work, but the best you can do is the best you can do. I'm sure not going to stop now! :>

TY for the New Year's resolution. Being my own best critic, it's hard to get over the small imperfections but the flaws do show that it was hand made or homemade.

I have a lot of trouble with this one. It is very hard for me to think that my quilts are ok. Why is this so?? I don't know. I have little confidence!

Pat

I have only been quilting for a couple of years, but the best advise I received was from a seasoned quilter. There is no right or wrong way, it is what you want it to be!

Only one person has lived who was perfect - they crucified him!!

Enjoy your quilts, yours are better than you think.
Pauline

Hi , I have been doing the same thing about my quilting. Like you, I was watching a video on my computer the other day and this lady is suppose to be one of the best and as I was watching her, she went outside of the block into the saashing with her quilting. I was just in shock. That's when I thought, Wow, I should stop beating myself up because my quilting wasn"t as good as I want it to be. Hope to get better at it as I do more.Have a great day and let us both enjoy our quilting as we learn.

I agree. I point out my mistakes to my daughters and they say they would not have ever seen them (I guess when we're up close and quilting the "off" patches jump out at us). I've also noted not so perfect quilting in magazines and at quilt shows so we should all relax and enjoy our hobby for better or worse.

I'm a longarm quilter and lucky enough to be very busy.

I get to see lots and lots of quiltmakers' quilts up close and personal. Quite often when someone bring their quilts to me, they start the conversation by pointing out the flaws in their work. I always stop them and tell them the quilt police don't live here, and if the quilt police knocked at the door, I will NOT let them in!

There are some basics that we want in our quilts. And from a longarmer's standpoint, these make for a really good quilt. A quilt should be flat. The seams should be sewn, not open. The top and backing should be well pressed. Stray threads should be cut off. That's about it for the "should" list.

I agree, I am critical of my quilts where the squares do not always line up perfectly, no matter how I try when sewing them together some of them are not. Last quilt was only 2 that was off line, so I must be getting better. I take more pains with cutting the squares and that seemed to help me.

Eisgoow

I think I must have seen that one too. I was a bit surprised, butt like you, it sure made me feel better about my "not so perfect" projects

My Mother, also a quiltmaker, always said the imperfections where there in case she would ever have to identify one of her quilts!

Remember, "done is good enough". I do the best I can on all my quilts, but don't stress over the small stuff when things go wrong.

Everything measured to a "t" -- so many of you have such gorgeous quilts and so many PERFECT ones but you know some of the quilts from Gee's Bend that are on exhibit all over the country are not perfectly matched, blended, or sewn so "to each his own," I say.

Those Quilting Police are just a myth. I used to think they had to be so perfect but then it took the enjoyment away.