I've removed quilting stitches before, but only when it's really bad, like when the cat jumps on it and my stitches go wacky. Differences in patterns adds interest to me. No 2 leaves are alike in nature, either. It's even more difficult to repair the section of quilting you remove and have it match. I laughed at Dottymo's holly leaves. I made maple leaves along a border and some of them are just hysterical. They will never be mistaken for computer generated. I've never sold my quilts, so there may be a different standard there.