I was just looking at your quilts and I think you are a great quilter! Your Snake River is awesome!!! You should give yourself a pat on the back for tackling some of the quilts you've done. You don't need a fancy machine. I've got one, but prefer my featherweight for piecing. I love the brand name fabrics, but the reality is that I have to shop for bargains to replace what I've got now due to the economy. You obviously love what you are doing or wouldn't persist with such pretty quilts. Keep on quilting! :)

So do everything you just did on every single block, they'll all end up at 10 1/2", and slap a border on there if you need those extra couple inches! I think consistency is far more important than accuracy. Nobody's going to tear your seams open and measure them. ;)

I don't have a fancy machine, either--it's a crappy little Singer 5825C with exactly four stitches (all of them a zigzag variation) and a semi-automatic buttonholer. I don't want a long-arm, and I don't want to send my quilts out to one. I quilt by hand. That's my favorite part!

The definition of a quilt is a multi-layered covering secured by stitches or ties. If that is what you make, then you are a quilter. Period. :)

I am just like you. I have trouble with 1/4 seams. I have trouble with cutting my fabrics. I do prewash my fabric. I use the threads I have and I don't buy expensive fabric. But I love my quilts and I love the beautiful one one the board. If we make quilts, we are quilters!

I think you are a "true quilter". I don't prewash my fabric either. I like the feel of new fabric in my machine. And I don't scorn thrift store fabric either. I found some wonderful pieces in bags of fabric at a local (at the beach) thrift store a few years ago. Some of the fat quarters were still tied with ribbon and tags from a quilt shop. Don't be so hard on yourself! You're doing a great job caring for your family. Enjoy your quilting! And remember to take care of yourself too!

me too! my blocks are never square, even when I try to square them up! If the fabric isn't in the box, I don't use it, except for one where I'm buying fleece for the backing (the quilt's for me and I want to be warm), I use whatever thread happens to be in the majority of the quilt, if I don't have batting, I use old kind of worn or stained thin blankets, and my machine quilting isn't that great, but as long as I have fun doing it, I'm happy. And I too learned not to compare myself.

well-said

Joy, I admire anyone who can sew with perfection, I have desire however, I don't have the skill. Therefore I just plod along, and am a touchie touche at the fabic store even at JoAnn's not just my LQS.............however, I have discovered I am more of a purchaser than a producer............how did this happen I ask? But, taa daa, I did find that Sept. 11 fabric purchased a decade ago so now the task is at hand to finish it into something for the 10 yr anniversery.............calla

Do it for the love and joy it brings you not because someone else is perfect. I use to belong to a guild and everything had to be absolutely perfect even charity quilts. We were told to make them quilt show quality, I gave up doing them as I don't make mine quilt show quality & never will, I make them because I love doing it and love the reaction on the recipients face when they are received. Stop being so hard on yourself and enjoy doing what you like doing. As many have said there are NO quilt police on this board.

Ditto to everything said above. Not much I can add, except encourage you to keep going...everyone is right. You ARE a quilter!

It sad to think that your would ever regard yourself as a bad or lesser quilter. You are fabulous!!
Each of us brings such diversity to the art/craft that results in a equally diverse finished project. This is the fasination!
I have a a few machines .. my favorite is a circa 1950 knee control singer.... nothing fancy just a great machine.. 95 % of the sewing I do is on that machine. ..Once I was in a quilt shop that sold very high end machines. as they cut my fabric .. the person cutting asked me "what kind of machine do you have?" because I did not have the brand they sold it was apparent they thought I was a lesser quilter... Well I was so affended I could not keep myself from responding " I learned a long time ago .. its not the machine that makes the quilt ... its the person operating the machine". .. "and in fact no machine is really neccessary". My point is that each of us uses what we have, to create works that are first pleasing to the creator of the piece. If you are happy thats the only measurement that matters.