KarenShu---what you said is the exact reason that for years I never attempted a quilt. I have a very rude and vocal MIL and anytime I would bring up wanting to start a quilt I would get listed the reasons that "I" would never be able to do one. I re-upholster furniture and did so for a business, I sew drapes, custom home fashions etc, and I always wanted to do a pieced top quilt--but despite my knowledge of sewing, I was swayed by the "policing" she would always tell me.
I personally believe many people have forgotten what quilts were intended for----to keep people warm and alive. Yes quilting groups were a socially motivated creation allowing for many advanced conversations on many topics in England 100's of years ago, but for the most part a quilt was made to keep people warm. Used horse blankets or other wool textiles were used as batting, flannel shirts from the men in the fields, feed sacks from flour, sugar etc were the fabrics. Quilts were meant to be used. One never would see a quilt as a wall hanging in the 1800's or even the early 1900's--unless it was used as a division between spaces for privacy. Quilts are not perfect, and no one will take a tape measure up to them and measure each square. Fabric is not a solid entity that will stay true to size over the years. It will live the life along side of you.
There is an unstated tradition within the Amish and Mennonite communities that each quilt has a "mistake" in it. This is because no one person is perfect except God and therefore, no quilt will be perfect.
I have actually stopped watching many you-tube tutorials because I am tired of the "you must do this" it must be perfect. Also so many of the tutorials make useless sized quilts. A 86 inch square quilt will fit what bed? So many are weird sizes that I simply do not wish to do the math to resize for a bed. I do not like fmq or laq for this one reason: I spent all the time creating the top, matching seams etc and then I go and sew back over it with a random machine stitch. To me it is like an artist painting a beautiful picture and then letting a kid-or they themselves scribbling all over it covering up the beautiful original image. Now I understand that LAQ and E2E are the "in thing" for quilting--and if you like that look fine. But for me, the more traditional methods of in the ditch, echoing or tying are best.Yes I use a machine and I do hand quilt, but either way, I want to see my hard work, not see scribbles all over it. I have tried fmq, and I hate it. I have only had one quilt that was sent to a LAQ because that is what my daughter wanted. But for me---I will not gift one that is quilted that way.
Perhaps you could find someone to partner with to help you finish the ones that are just tops and then donate them to either a womens/mens shelter or Foster Care system. Perhaps you could combine 2 tops into one quilt using one top as the backing. I personally love binding and finishing a quilt. The top piecing is the ok part for me. Or perhaps make the top into a duve cover and buy an inexpensive "puffy puff" from Walmart or Target (someplace like that) and then you can switch out your quilts when you feel like it without getting upset they were not finished a certain way.
I too have wanted to vent in a similar way--thank you for posting. PM if you want.