I have been told I'm a perfectionist, but my quilts & yarn crafts are my projects to do with as I please. There are errors in everything I make, but I only fix the glaring ones. The others are 'design elements.'

I think your wiring and personal investment in the issue play a part. For me, it’s a question of time, importance, and personal satisfaction. I tier my activities to goals which reinforce completion and what I gain by doing so. Sewing wise, it may include skill acquisition, mastery, or undertaking a challenge. Whether you’re learning a language or sewing a quilt; the why is paramount. Its the thing that spurs you on when you’re tired, bored or frustrated.

This isn’t a case of perfection versus good enough but the standard you’ve developed for your craft. I pursue excellence because the feeling of accomplishment is very satisfying.

In 2016 I challenged myself to read more. I set a goal of 100 books and decided to start the classics reading challenge I’ve wanted to take on. But when I began something clicked within me and I increased the goal and settled on 250 books. I finished the year with 350. Since that time I’ve finished 751 titles and built a lifestyle around my interests and goals. I accomplish significantly more because I focus on the finish line.

When I altered my reading goal my daughter said it was crazy. But she was wrong and I finished Les Miserable in 2 weeks! :D

Watch out for the quilt police. ( aren't you glad there isn't such a thing, is there?)

I'm an "as perfect as *I* can make it-ist." I do my absolute best, and as my skills improve, that will get better. I'm super-critical of myself and my work, but lately, I've been happy with the things I've been doing. Not sure if I'm just being kinder with myself, or if I really am just getting better at doing things. Doesn't really matter as long as I'm satisfied that I really did do my best.

I am not a perfectionist, but I do like to "do my best". I spent a few hours last night ripping out a few rows of quilting.
I just could not get the tension correct (was using a different thread). So, I decided it was not my best and ripped it out. Will start again today to get the usual thread in there and get that quilt done!

I’m a good enough-ist. I read somewhere when I got started that if you sat the quilt down and walk away a few feet, and can’t see the problem, it’s only noticeable to you. So that’s been my motto until I get so frustrated that I just want to hurry up and finish it and never look at it again.

Wow! I just can't read that fast.

I am definitely a person who tries to do my best. It can be done, other people have done it so why can't I? I like the challenge. Quilts are like a puzzle. I think if you let the details slide "a little", it is like that darn quarter inch, it will come back and bite you and you actually make it harder on yourself in the long run. I love the fact that quilting is totally up to each person. Color, pattern, tools, machine, ......it is all your choice and what is right for you may not be right for me, but that is absolutely all okay. Love it. When it isn't fun anymore, that is when I will give it up, but I'm not there yet.

my dad used to say " if it's worth doing it's worth doing it right" so I try to do it right, that does not mean perfect, each quilt is a learning project, so if I find mistakes I try not to do that in next quilt. I'm still learning I'm only 75 so have a way to go, only have made around 500 quilts still have not made a perfect one yet, I have 3ed, 2ed, 1st, and a best of show quilts, and not one is perfect. Just do the best you can, and be happy with you can do.

It’s supposed to be fun. Do the best you can at the moment and enjoy looking back and seeing how far you come over time. If you spend all your time stressing and redoing something over and over trying to reach perfection ( which, by the way is impossible and unrealistic- look at Nature’s *perfection- every leaf or snowflake different) you wind up losing the joy of creating. Do your best and move on. 10 years later you look at that quilt you made 10 years ago and see- wow, I’ve really come a long way! It doesn’t make you like it less, you just get to see and appreciate your improving skills.

How True...I look back at some of my gifts to family when I started in 2007 and wish I could take them back...I've so improved and have moved on to more artsy stuff then just regular quilts and enjoy it so much more...more creative!

Lets face it who of us sits down to our machines and thinks how sloppy or how to cut off points, or think I'll do 1/2 inch seams to go with all the 1/4 inch seams I've done so far. Some days things just turn out better than on other days, so I make what I call "planned overs" extra blocks so when putting them together I use the ones that fit best, then make a small wall quilt or a nap quilt,( one that is on top of quilt at the foot of the bed that you can nap under with out unmaking the bed.) or I can make hot pads, what ever the blocks will not go to waste. We all do the best we can, and thats a very good thing, after all I tell my class "in quilting nothing is written in stone"

My parents said the same thing...But then they limited what they did...so to venture into quilting is humbling and frustrating until the project is done. Then mine are satisfying to me.

Leeha, My parents said the same thing...But then they limited what they did...so to venture into quilting is humbling and frustrating until the project is done. Then mine are satisfying to me.

I now know 'who' I am and it is a casual housekeeper. Thank you for the new to me ID.

We do the best we can. My friend says if you can see a mistake from 10 feet away and driving at 10 miles an hour you should fix it it not it is fine. Just enjoy the doing each time you rip it out you do thin the fabric.

Gramajo, you are also in my prayers.