What quiltmaking skill level have you assigned to yourself?
#11
Definitely not Advanced! I would also fit in the Intermediate category. I rarely follow a written pattern, but I can usually follow a YT video. I don't do triangles, though.
I would say I am Advanced in SITD, but not much else! Beginner FMQ.
I would say I am Advanced in SITD, but not much else! Beginner FMQ.
#12
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
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Now that I've thought a bit more about this topic, many of us are more skilled in some areas than others.
Does it matter? if quilting ( or any other activity, for that matter), is a personal hobby, personal satisfaction would seem to be the point of the activity.
I've decided that quilting might be compared to physical fitness. Some people are decathlon winners; others are thrilled with being able to get to the bathroom in time. Both are major accomplisments to the individuals at that stage of their lives
Does it matter? if quilting ( or any other activity, for that matter), is a personal hobby, personal satisfaction would seem to be the point of the activity.
I've decided that quilting might be compared to physical fitness. Some people are decathlon winners; others are thrilled with being able to get to the bathroom in time. Both are major accomplisments to the individuals at that stage of their lives
#13
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 10,668
I consider myself intermediate. I'm definitely not advanced but I can accomplish some of the harder patterns successfully. I usually do easier designs because I'm more interested in colors and how they work together than I am with doing very complicated designs.
#14
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,979
Well, I don't call myself an expert by any means as I'm always making mistakes, having to correct myself. I can't stitch a straight line to save my life either. I do go out of my comfort zone though so I guess you could call me a above beginner to intermediate quilter as I'm always looking to boost my knowledge. So far in the past 9 months I"ve taken on curves, small pieces in making quilts. And for the quilting part, I've finally tried my hand with E2E patterns since I finally figured out how to manage them between the border patterns. I'd rather go with custom quilting (robotics) than E2E all over but I just finished 3 quilts using E2E inside the border area.
Another area I've never been fond of is applique but I've decided to try my hand at an appliqued wall hanging to go with my French Braid quilt I'm working on.
Another area I've never been fond of is applique but I've decided to try my hand at an appliqued wall hanging to go with my French Braid quilt I'm working on.
#16
Come on people, I've seen some of your work, and I would consider many (if not most) of you to be advanced quilters. And I'll say it - I consider myself to be advanced too! To me that doesn't mean that my work will win any awards, but I've successfully made quilts using many different techniques and am willing to try new ones. I experiment with different color combinations. I can follow a pattern, reverse engineer a design, or design my own quilts (usually with EQ8). I have an extensive library of quilt books and have actually read a few of them. (I look at the pictures in all of them.) I can sew with triangles, curves, partial seams, Y-seams... Think about it and have the courage to admit that you DO have skills, and you should be proud of them!
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 2,600
I consider myself advanced, but still up for a challenge. There are things I don't do, and things that I never thought I could do. I now make quilts that speak to me when I see a picture, or one on display. I'm always so in awe when I see what you have all posted....maybe I've over-rated myself! I just know that I enjoy the process, and try to do the best I can each and every time.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 926
Come on people, I've seen some of your work, and I would consider many (if not most) of you to be advanced quilters. And I'll say it - I consider myself to be advanced too! Think about it and have the courage to admit that you DO have skills, and you should be proud of them!
#19
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 25,186
I've been thinking about this thread a lot in the last day or two and I think you're right, Dunster, but I think maybe the reason why so many of us "undervalue" our skills is because the more we do and the more we learn, the more we recognize how much there is to know and work on and perfect. About 20-25 years ago, I taught a quilting "mini-course" at my school (a cross-grade event of 5 afternoons exploring a new skill or interest). At the time I had completed two quilts, one doll-sized and tied, one lap-sized and machine quilted (sort of), both based largely on squares, and both embarrassingly imperfect. But I went into teaching this mini-course with such enthusiasm and confidence and a large box of 2.5" squares I'd spent the better part of two weekends cutting for the kids to play with. I don't think many of them finished a project but they all learned how to thread one of the two machines I had access to and how to stitch a seam and I still think of it as a success. Yet... I don't know that I would do it again, now that I know how much I don't know and/or can't do really really well... I think my expectations have risen and with that, my self-assessment has become more stringent. :-D
We should still give ourselves credit for what we do know and have learned.
What gets really tough, is when we still have the knowledge but our bodies have become uncooperative.
#20
I would consider myself advanced.
However, I bought a pattern the other day marked "confident beginner" and threw my hands in the air after I spent hours on just the planning....didn't even get to the cutting stage.
So...I guess it depends.
Watson
However, I bought a pattern the other day marked "confident beginner" and threw my hands in the air after I spent hours on just the planning....didn't even get to the cutting stage.
So...I guess it depends.
Watson

