DebraK

you are doing it! that is how you learn. You can read, you can watch, but until you do it, and do it again, and again, that is how will you really learn. You just have to do it. Trust me . It is one of my struggles ;-)

Anael

RST, you're so right
I'm not satisfied with my FMQ either but I give my quilts away and nobody notices they're not perfect. Just keep practicing and you'll get better at it!

cindi

The best advice I've ever gotten: Stand back 6 feet from the quilt. You'd be surprised how good your quilting actually looks!! If you can't see the imperfections at 6 feet, it's all good And once it's washed, it looks even better.

marsharini

I think we're our own worst critics. I have a feeling no one else is going to notice any flaws, mistakes or skipped stitches you may think you made. And speaking from personal experience, striving for perfection can be paralyzing. Just go for it and I'm sure those who receive your quilted items will just love them.

DebraK

lol, I'm thinking 3 feet will work for me. ;-)

mariatherese

Yes, you are being to hard on yourself. Handmade is never meant to be perfect. Handmade things are meant to have personality (up to a point of course). Of course, I've yet to give anything I've made away... But next year I will start a project for my mothers 70th birthday - and that will not be perfect but she will love it anyway.

helou

so true with all the above comments. we are so afraid of being judged by what we do instead of by who we are! just don't point out what you find is not perfect on your quilt and don't give them binocular. WE look at our quilts and quilting with our eyes at 3 to 6 inches away. The receiver will not do that. It will be just great!

Shelbie

As my daughter so often has reminded me "Mom, quit fussing! The baby won't care." No one but a quilter would even notice.

toverly

Don't psyche yourself out. Recipients of quilts will never see the imperfections. If they do, it just proves it was made with love. Nothing is perfect, your practicing will pay off in that in time, you, will know it's the best you can do.

charlottequilts

I've practiced FMQ and it never looked even sort of good. Then I tried hand quilting for a few weeks and had such a death grip on the needle, apparently, that I developed trigger thumb. So, what I did was to give myself permission NOT to FMQ. I do simple quilting with the WF and a few fancier things programmed into my machine. It holds the quilt together and gives the piecing and fabrics the main stage.

I can still learn to FMQ some day, probably when they make a machine where it's foolproof, but not seeing it as a big hurdle I have to get over to be a Real Quilter is very freeing. I just admire everyone else's and consider it on my "someday" list.

Hugs,
Charlotte