ghostrider

Everything that leaves my studio is as good as I can possibly make it at that point in time, no exceptions. I refuse to settle for 'good enough' when I gain so much more by doing my very best. That goes for all aspects of life, not simply quilting.

Wonnie

I try to be as accurate as I can in everything I do but it does entail a lot of "frog stitching".....you know..."rip it- rip it-rip it!" Or if I'm crocheting or knitting it's "unravel, unravel, unravel". I do it for several reasons:

1. So I can learn what I did wrong in the first place so I don't keep repeating the same mistake

2. Fabric, yarn, etc. is just too expensive now to waste it just because the finished product turned out poorly

3. If it's a gift ( which 99% of my gifts are) I want it to be as nice or nicer than anything I could purchase

Wanabee Quiltin

My Mother could barely sew a button on and when she did, it was uneven. Nothing Mom did was close to being perfect. But me, I like nearly perfect things. When I piece, I line things up and rip it out if it is wonky. I like my blocks to lay flat. Sometimes they don't so I have to see what I did wrong. I am a fairly new quilter and it has been very frustrating to learn how to piece better. Learning to cut straight without the dreaded V was very hard for me and also learning to sew with that scant 1/4 seam was difficult after doing garment sewing for years. I do enjoy quilting however and I am not perfect at it. I just want my blocks to look fairly good.

Rose S.

I really do try for accuracy...and even if things are not perfect, they are not going to fall apart. Things are well constructed.

The one thing I wish I could do is to stop pointing out my errors to any and all who look at my work. I cannot keep my mouth shut about the worst mistakes. The thing is, half the people I point them out to are no wiser because they don't quilt and don't understand....

tallchick

Still learning and I always will be, I am slow and methodical and strive for making the very best I can make for my abilities. I will never be a famous quilter, I will never win a ribbon, I want to make quilts for those I love and for those who may need a little love. I am a bit if a perfectionist so my perfectionism is based on my own expectations of self and nothing more. I could not pick apart someone else's quilt, simply because they put the same love and passion into their quilt that we all do, we are all different so we will all have different quilts. Like everything in life there are those that have more skill and talent than the rest of us, and I will continue to admire and drool of their beautiful works, many are right here on QB, thank you for sharing, you are all truly inspiring!!!!

Sewnoma

It really depends on the project. I do strive for accuracy and try to get better and better, but I don't usually rip out mistakes unless they're glaring and/or it's an important project and/or it's just an easy fix. I quilt for fun, all of my quilts are given away (except a few I keep) so I don't drive myself crazy over it.

Just this morning I realized a quilt top I had nearly finished had one block that was 180* off. I finished the top and tried to just leave it, but in the end I couldn't leave it there and had to go back and rip it out and put it back in right. This is a quilt that I made just for the heck of it and I'll probably keep it in the car, but I still couldn't leave that block backwards when I'd caught it so early in the process. If I'd caught it after quilting, no way I'd go fix it!

PennyChattey

I've had the shock of my life recently! I always thought I was accurate (cutting and piecing) but it seems like I haven't been at all! I've been quilting for donkeys' years but recently joined an online charity quilt making group. Now, mine quilts have always gone together perfectly-ish(!) but, presumably, because all my inaccuracies were the same throughout my quilts.
Oh my word, though! Now, I've realised that, even though I use a quarter foot, I'm not stitching 1/4" seams. I've just started (today - better sooner than later!) to use a wadge of post-it notes (after measuring the stitch line from my needle to the placement of the stitch it notes). I can't tell you what a relief it will be to send blocks the actual size needed, first time! I'm so grateful to this online group for helping me see the errors of my ways....!

annesthreads

You echo the thought I was having, Tallchick. As I said above, different personalities will feel differently about the degree of perfection needed, and that's absolutely fine - but the perfectionists do need to be careful not to criticise or dismiss the work of those who have a different approach. That way lie the dreaded quilt police....

Aria

I learned this from my mom, too, and along with that I often overlapped seams on garments so I'd have even more fabric left over. I didn't have to buy extra to make matching outfits for my little girl. Nowadays I still try to save, but am not so concerned with little pieces. My stash is waaay too big anyhow!

Judi in Ohio

My dh and I are both hobbiest - me quilting - he woodwork and every other related thing. We have a saying "Good enough for who it's for". Where he came up with it, I have no idea, but it is actually the opposite of how we feel. I really do my best at all times and if there is a mistake, out it comes. Somethings fight me all the way, but I will try. He's worse than me, but we aren't nuts and will accept something if it is the best we can do at the time.