quote-quilting can always be more perfect, but done is in its own way an accomplishment.

Yes, this.

I have to work on relaxing and not being too perfect. Also I have too many ideas in my head and too little time.

I strive to do my best but only do over if it is really necessary . Most things I am not happy with I can not find or see after the quilt is finished.

I really try to hit a balance - don't want to leave noticeable mistakes, but I quilt for enjoyment, creativity and to relieve stress. I want to improve and grow but obsessiveness would kill every reason I quilt so I don't want to go down that road. Concerning the issues Stillclock mentioned, I think it depends on the reason for making the quilt and who is receiving it. Unless I was wanting to develop or improve a skill and/or if the receiver would notice and appreciate the effort and time put into the design elements I wouldn't add to the complexity of the project. Let's face it most of us are looking for at least some appreciative feedback- but if someone has no idea what they are looking at we can't be disappointed when the appreciation for our time and effort isn't expressed. In other words I've learned not to set myself up for disappointment. If I want to do it just for my own skill development and appreciation without any expectations from the receiver to "notice" the added effort I go for it.

I strive for perfection but I don't beat myself up with it either. I figure it is a learning process and if I did something wrong I unsew it but work at remembering for the next time to do different and better so no I have no perfect quilts but they all show different types of improvement.

It seems that people who start sewing via garments struggle more with perfection and willingness to put a pattern and color combos that are enchanting in a quilt but we would never wear as clothing. Also, if they were in 4-h or similar programs or competitions as kids they are most stressed over perfection. My mom was a basket case doing her first couple quilts and then we solved the color/pattern anxiety by buying from a coordinated line. But if the points not not match up exactly she simply cannot move past it. She tears out at 1/16" imperfection. It....must....be.....fixed. Lol. Most garment folks in the local quilt group are the same way.

I use each quilt as a learning experience. If I see something I could have done differently then I try to use that knowledge in the next quilt.

Someone on the board has at the bottom of her postings the statement: "Done is better than perfect."
Since I have been using that as my mantra, I have been accomplishing much more in my quilting and am happier. And because I am more relaxed, my quilting is actually getting better. Before I was very much a perfectionist. So I am working hard to just let go and have fun!

I used to be a perfectionist but I'm getting better ...in some areas of my life.... Problem is, most everything I make goes to family members so I want to do my best and, for me, my best isn't until it's right. So, yes, I do rip ..... and rip.....rip..................

A finished quilt is better than a perfect quilt. I simply don't do perfect.

Let me explain my "perfection" problem with the example of a quilt that I hope to finish soon. I bought the pattern while on vacation because it seemed easy and the shop had most of the needed material in a a kit, so I purchased the material and the pattern. I still needed the material for the setting triangles and the dark 1 inch squares for the small blocks and when I purchased it several months and many states later I simply bought it for color!!. Now--the quilt is comprised of 25 blocks of 3 inch squares that contain 9 inch blocks. (125 3 inch blocks) which alternate with 9 inch square blocks of autuum shades of batik. Strip piecing-no problem--except somehow I did a poor job of cutting the strips. Yes, I have had to take apart, remark and resew all 125 3 inch blocks. No problem, right? Wrong. When I purchased the dark material for the setting triangles and dark sections of the small 9 patch blocks I did not "feel" the material--I simply went with color!! Oh My. I now have 125 3 inch blocks consisting of 9 one inch squares of batik and flannel material. If I survive this quilt it will be 72"x 72" of set on-point blocks and it will have a tag stating "This took forever". As you can see I am not a perfectionist!

Perfection is impossible. There is also the law of diminishing returns. I do the best I can and check for mistakes as I go. I fix the big ones and don't worry about the little ones. They'll all blend together when the quilt is done. I want good results but I'm not going to lose any sleep over a non-perfect quilt either.
Rodney

When it's done!

When point's are not right, I will generally rip out once, maybe twice but that's it.

Or you put the seam ripper through the fabric the time you say "just one more try, if it still doesn't match up, I'll leave it".

That was devastating... I now call myself a recovering perfectionist.

I'm one of those people who have to make the block as perfect as I can, and I will re-do it, and re-do it until it's the very best I can do. Once the quilt is done and quilted though, then it's done, and any imperfections are just "variations". If I needed to change something major, I'd do a new quilt rather than spend time "un-sewing" at that point. I need to finish projects, and it would be so boring to have to take apart most of a project in order to fix it. Which is why I'm so fastidious about making each block perfect. I shouldn't have to "fix" a whole quilt after that!

There are a lot of people who purposely put a mistake in their quilts, the Amish or Shakers, I think. I have a book called Calico & Beyond and she purposely cuts her plaids a little off because it adds to the interest of the quilt. And her quilts were VERY interesting. I just loved them.

This is a complete and total myth. The same is said about Mennonite quilts, Persian rugs, Chinese carvings, gothic architecture, and Native American crafts to name just a few. Whether it's called the humility block, the humble stitch, the spirit bead, or something else, it's a myth.Think about it. To assume that you have to include an intentional mistake in order to show your humility, that you are not perfect and are not to be confused with a higher power, is the very height of pridefulness...something that is neither an Amish nor Shaker trait.

If the mistake is "glaring", I will fix it; otherwise, I don't do anything. You know the old "galloping horse" thing...
Once I made a double Irish Chain quilt. When I picked it up from my LAQ, she said "are you trying to be Amish?", and said that I had one row of blocks turned wrong, which she hadn't noticed when loading the quilt, but did when she quilted that particular block. It took her about 15 minutes to find it again to show it to me. Even now, I still have a hard time finding that one block, but it doesn't take away from my enjoyment.
I say if the recipient will love it either way, give it to her, and let her enjoy the one you made with such love.

I try to always do my best, and take my time to get it right if the quilt is for a gift. However, my skills are not perfect, so I will live with small flaws. I know the person receiving the quilt will be looking at the 'big' picture, and will never know about those tiny imperfections. I consider it a learning opportunity, so that next time, perhaps, I won't make that mistake again. Even when I strive for perfection, I don't have what it takes to do a quilt for show. I don't let that bother me.

When it is finished !!!!!