I tend to criticize myself alot regarding my quilting/sewing skills and I've noticed several others on this board do the same thing. Well not anymore! I was reading a national quilting magazine the other day and noticed that the quilting was really off on one. Part of it was a 9 patch and it was quilted with "X's" in the squares and they were not straight by a LONG SHOT! Now PLEASE know that I don't mean any disrespect or offense to anyone. But I just thought to myself, here I am beating myself up because I can't get something totally perfect and here is a quilt in a national magazine that isn't perfect either. Now maybe it was supposed to be that way for the "charm" of it, but my resolution this year is to just do my best and have fun with my quilting and not beat myself up anymore! :)

Good for you! Sounds like a great plan!!

:thumbup: :thumbup:

I'm going to try to follow that advise also this year!

I'm with you!!! I've noticed that in mags, too...but my turning point was a quilt show this last summer. I was appalled at some I saw....and thrilled to know MY quilting was better!!! LOL (blush blush). BTW -- 2 of the quilts at that show were impressive ------they were quilted fabric with binding around the edges...and the binding wasn't put on very well!!!! Yip, I'll show mine off now!!!!

That does sound like a great plan. I'm going to adopt your attitude also. I stress and fuss so much about getting think right, that I could have things done in half the time if I would just accept a little imperfection.
Here's to more quilting and less stress.

seems like we are our own worst critics....I don't ever point out my flaws to others ... and most times they don't seem them...I love that!

I agree, I'm not perfect, what makes me feel that everything must be 100% perfect or I am 100% no good. That just don't make sense!:)

This is the only way I get anything done at all! I try not to compare, just enjoy what I do or why bother doing it! I did that for way too many years before sewing or crafting- done now :)

I don't know what perfection is. I just do my best and if it's not perfect oh well I just keep going.

Hallelujah!!!
It will make YOU feel so much better and let the rest of us enjoy seeing your work without *having* to look for the pointed out mistakes, LOL!

You go girls! It's gonna be a great year :-D

Jan in VA

Great resolution. That is what we should all do; the best we can. Happy New Year.

This very same thing happened to me... I was forever saying to myself,Your points are off,rip it out,My STID is not in the ditch ETC. Well one day I got a National Mag. like you, on the front cover was a beautiful quilt that was quilted STID. You could actually see where it was off..Not the outline like 1/4 inch from the iron open seam allowance but on a iron to the side for STID. I don't worry over it like I did because of this.. Makes you Wonder doesn't it!! BilsBonBon

I will also adopt this attitude too :D:D:D

Good for you. Remember, it is all folk art so there aren't any imperfections, just endearing aspects.

I took a class with Kaffe Fassett and his most profound statement to us was " If you want a perfect quilt, go buy a machine made quilt." He will even show his imperfections, points cut off, etc. He feels it makes a quilt better to have little imperfections to prove it is really handmade. I totally agree but it bothers me when "Super quilters" demand we do perfection and their quilts are not perfect.

Maybe we were reading the same magazine, because I noticed the same thing this past week, lol. We also have a quilt that DH's sister made, and that took first place in a show, and the quilting on that wasn't perfect either.

I agree that we tend to expect perfection from ourselves and that probably just isn't realistic given the nature of quilting. Yes, we can strive to do better each time, but I'm sure that even the very best quilts have minor imperfections if you get up close.

I want to do my best, but I also want to have fun and relax when I sew and quilt. I say to have fun and enjoy the project, whatever it is. Who says it has to be perfect anyways!

That is one of my new years "resolutions". Not to be so picky about things that don't really make a difference. If the corners are 1/16th of an inch off, who cares? Not doing this for a living, just for fun!!!

I am rather new to quilting, about 2 yrs now. I also am/was very critical of myself. My seams had to match or else I ripped them out. Had to stop doing that, did not want to tear the fabric. I read here in another blog, not to be hard on ourselves as no one is perfect than the good Lord up above.
Now, if I am off just a tad, I let it go as when it is tied, you won't even notice it

Oh, I like that! My DH says it is the slight imperfections that let you know it is homemade.

I too have seen less than perfect quilts in magazines. I noticed seams that weren't straight and corners that didn't exactly match. That's when I decided not to beat myself up but to enjoy what I'm doing.

:) I like the way true persian rug makers to do it. They purposely put a mistake into it even if it is 'perfect'
The thought behind that is tha no one is perect and to obtain that is trying to obtain the status of God (being perfect).

cindy

I agree with this!! Unless you're being paid money for the quilt, this is supposed to be a hobby, which should equal fun! I have several quilts made by my great-grandmother and grandmother and you can obviously see where the stitching wasn't "perfect"...they are still some of the most precious items I will ever own and perfect in my eyes forever. I make my own quilts for my pleasure, and even if I give one as a gift, I have never had anyone point out flaws to me...they wouldn't be getting a 2nd one if they did either, LOL.

Tanesha

Good for you! I've been my own worst critic at times, so I've adopted a few "rules" in my sewing and quilting:
1. Done is better than perfect
2. If I'm traveling past my project at 5 mph and it looks good, it is perfect
3. If I make a "mistake", I can cover it up, cut it out or call it a design element.

Now I'm not saying I'll do sloppy work just to get something done, nor am I'm saying I don't try to perfect my skills, but I am going to focus on the pleasure and fun that I find in sewing and quilting!

First, recall that the Amish purposely make mistakes cause only God is perfect. Second, remember--done is better than perfect. And for me, I make quilts to be loved not judged so I don't care. I just do my best with the skills I have at the time and move on. No one has ever refused a gift from me because it is not "perfect" an unattainable and subjective goal, anyway--just MHO.

A great resolution. Have a Happy Quilting New Year.
Annie

My thoughts exactly!

I've been working on the same resolution for a few months. I have issues with perfectionism in a lot of areas in my life and I'm really trying to let go. I love the quote in my signature. It sums up how I'm trying to view quilting.

Thank you very, very much. I am going to adopt that attitude also!!! I love it. In the past, I have stressed way more then necessary over something that wasn't perfect. I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT ANY MORE!!!!

Thanks for sharing....that's a perfect resolution! And if you have no objections, I'd like to make it mine, too!

Amen quilting is fun creative anmd enjoyable not perfecttttttttttt

Good to hear that.

what a great New year resolution!!!!!!

I follow this rule my quilting teacher taught me. "If you hang the quilt at the place next door, will you be able to see the flaws from your house?" I always think about this when quilting. Good advice to follow.

I agree Barb and believe we all our our worst critics. I think being stressed out over a wolf wall hanging did me it for one
day. No More. Lets all enjoy our projects.

Flo from NNY

I feel the same way about my mistakes. Another quilter said that there is no such thing as a perfect quilt.

God knows I do that without trying! always the intention is to have points and matched seams but sometimes there are more mistakes than I can put up with then reverse quilting is the order of the day.

I'm with you. The whole purpose is to make something that we enjoy and our family will treasue.

I have done the same thing - beating myself up over my quilting (or lack thereof) skills. My mom told me a saying from the Amish quilters - 'Only God is perfect' and in fact they make a point of having an imperfection in each and every quilt they do. So we gotta just love our work - warts and all!

you guys can say what you want...but if you are a perfectionist...you can't change that...I have read all the posts and I have said the same things..but at day's end I still have the same old habits..if I don't correct a error on my piecing or quilting it HAUNTS me...LOL