I have noticed we criticize our own work waaaay to harshly.
David

Absolutely! You are sooooo right!

Guilty!

You are your worst critic.

So true!

Very true!

in quilting and in life....thank you for that reminder.

Amen!!!

So sad but true. I've been on this board a few months and I'm getting better. I think that from what I've learned on this board my quilting is getting better. Thanks everyone for your help, suggestions and praise:)

We can be our own worse critics :(

GAC = Guilty as Charged

Yip --- me, too. But, I also think that if we didn't, we'd have sloppy work. I strive for near-perfection.....I STRIVE, I know I won't get there. :)

you betcha! i think we are just begging to be contradicted! LOL we all like compliments, and would like others to agree that our work is just as fine as we think it is. i think it's called fishing

Only you (and I) can make judgement and improvements in our work. Otherwise, we would all be doing second best in our quilts. Nothing to strive for. And nothing new either.

I agree that we are our own worst critics. I worked on a couple of Christmas quilts today and whenever I saw something that was less than "perfect" (and I use that term loosely) it aggravated me. But I decided right then and there that I would not mention them to the recipients. They may notice and they may not; most non-quilters have no idea do they?

I also agree that we may be fishing for compliments. We all enjoy being affirmed; that's one of the reasons we post our pictures here. I really appreciate the compliments and suggestions I get here. I know our quilting has improved as a result of tips and help received from this board.

Merry Christmas everyone. We have a slim chance of a white one here in TN!

Darren

so very true

I belong to a machine quilting guild. Mostly professional quilters. As we were all introducing ourselves, the newbies kept saying things like "I'm not very good".

After we had all introduced ourselves, one of our officers asked the group for a show of hands of everyone who doubts the quality of our work. Everyone's hands went up.

There is always room for improvement in our craft, and always someone 'better' than we are. We are on a journey to improve ourselves, and it's a journey with no final destination.

I think that self critical-ness is what MAKES us the quilters we are!
Without pushing ourselves to reach beyond what we accomplished today, we would never try that new technique, never invent that new process.

Sorcha

My husband was just telling me tonight that I am way harsher on my work than anyone else would be. I've decided I am keeping my mouth shut from now on instead of cutting my own work down. I will no longer be my own quilt police.

oh yeah..........real bad.

Me, I strive for perfection, but am totally happy with improvement. It is a learning process and as long as I keep trying, I will keep improving.

yes it does seem we are never happy with all our efforts, that is one thing I am working on

so true!

Yes, we are our own judges and juries. Perhaps we should impose our own sentences. Set up a scale and fine ourselves accordingly. Place a fine collection jar where we could pay-up when we judged ourselves as offenders. The fine money would be used for something specific, such as batting for a QOV or or other donation quilt.

The quilt police may leave us alone if we impose such a system. However, in my case, I may soon deplete my available funds for fabric acquisition.

We probably do, but I hate that, at guild meetings, there is total silence when some people show their finished products. Or just a lukewarm, "oh, that's nice." It is important that we offer encouragement. Say something positive!

I totally agree with you. I know where all the tiny glitches are, a point that is off just a smidgen. I'm beginning to agree with a friend who says if you can't see it from a galloping horse, don't worry about it, no one will see it when you consider the whole.

Well said!! I'm trying to NOT critique my own work as much either. I guess it's one of the reasons that I don't post very many pics on here. I love to look at everyone else's creations, but I'm very hard on my own. I'll strive to do better next year.

Very much so!

How true, but we know where the mistakes are!! :roll:

I agree. We are our own worst critics.

We are our very own Quilt Police. And way to critical.

it there is something negative to say about my work, it is better to come from me than you!!

The older I get the less I try to be "perfect". DH saw that I went a bit off line when doing a simple SID. I was not insulted. I said, "yup, off a bit there but I'm not a machine and it IS handmade". I don't know if I'm getting old and mellow or old and careless or old and wiser! LOL!

I'd go with the old and wiser!!

This might be true sometimes for some people, but overall, I believe that we really are hard on ourselves! With that said, I am making a resolve to not be so critical of myself or others.

Don't you know we are our own worst critics.It's a fact!!!
We see our mistakes where others don't. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!
Penny

I have learned from this board not to be so hyper-critical of my work. Often things do not turn out like I want them to, but I try to do the best I can and go on.

Sounds normal to me. A person is always there own worse critic.

It is ever thus.

And, to me, its like saying"Isn't my child ugly?' Never!