phatquilts2

Thanks for starting this thread. There are many reasons for starting this journey of quilting.

May I venture to state that in our day and age we do not have to quilt out of necessity like the generations before us(at least most of us). Does anyone remember reading "Little House on the Prairie" with the descriptive prose of quilt making? Oh my, just the hardships of that era.

We have the conscious decision to be able to play and enjoy our quilt making. Or we can take the other well traveled road to become the best of the best and win those top prizes at Houston and Paducah and let us not omit the international Shows. That is incredible competition just to make it to that level and have a quilt(s) on display. What an achievement in itself. That may be another goal in your journey to quilting.

Or use your artistic license, enter the realm of the abstract. Some of us enjoy using up scraps; i.e., Bonnie Hunter, making crazy blocks or sending our creations off to charity groups. Do not forget the world of the LAQs and what contributions they make to enhance these creations.

I enjoy reading, daydreaming [call me Ms. Mitty] and collecting the fabrics and gadgets. Also, love Mary Ellen Hopkins' books and her world of the ppm. What is marvelous about quilting is that anyone can find her/his niche.

Last but not least, it is my therapy! Quilting makes me feel alive, thriving and challenged. Naturally, my family knows that I have lost it completely and indeed I live out there in some quilting galaxy, far far away.

Yes, I have my own "padded cell" to prove it. You have your own, right? Time to get off the soap box now and yes, I am phatquilts2 and I am a quiltaholic. :thumbup: :D

ckcowl

i was raised to Know...only God can create perfection...and when you think about that --then go out to a tree and pluck 10 leaves...how many of them are (perfect?) what...none? you say? and you think you can do better than God?
i really think you should strive to improve your skills and do the best you can...but beyond that is just wasting time and energy with needless stress - this is supposed to be an enjoyable (hobby)

dolores

I love to quilt and make them. I do the best I can and if they don't turn out perfect, that's ok none of us are perfect and all the (expert quilters) are not either. I have seen several that have been published in quilt books and magazines if you look really close you can find something not exactly right. If I have done the best I can I am satisfied, I always try to do better and learn more. Christ was the only perfect person. If the seam is off a couple of threads how is anyone going to know? except the person that sewed the seam are they going to take a quilt apart and inspect the seam. People get to carried away sometimes, I quilt because I love it not because I am perfect.

jad1044

I guess my thoughts go to my grandson's saying: "I do the best that I can and that's as good as it will get"....... and he sticks by that motto! (being only 9 years old) He is a good student and loves sports but does not excell in the sports, but loves it for the fun he has - and there is so much truth in that statement - I too, do the best that I can when quilting - I love it when things are perfect, but not always does that happen, and unless it is a big flaw, and it more than likely is only me that can see it - and once the quilt is quilted, it won't be seen very easily, relax and go on - quilting is supposed to be for fun and the gifts of giving - so enjoy and keep those machines and fingers humming! Every quilt is beautiful in the end - mistakes or none...

dewie45

I can understand striving for perfection if not produce it myself. On the other hand, being accurate can make the process more enjoyable for me. Nothing is more frustrating than trying fit together things that have been cut or sown inaccurately. This goes back to my clothing construction days.

Grace, I am so glad that you are still sewing. My sister also has Parkinson's but she gave up quilting when she could no longer create the perfection that had been her joy.

I guess the bottom line to the original post is the "bottom line" for some companies. Quilters have always been able to create "perfection" with nothing more than needle and thread!

Hen3rietta

I like to have things as perfect as I can comfortably make them, but for me quilting should be fun and enjoyable and anything that takes away from that is a bad thing. So if I've made a little mistake, I let it go, a major one...well I think about whether it will always bug me. More often than not I let it go. As someone else here said "Finished is better than perfect".

Janlee43

I try to make mine a perfect as possible but the ones I make the recipients love them they don't even notice the mistakes. I just love to sew.

Para722

I agree. I quilt because I love it and I don't care if the quilt police come. I try my best and that is good enough for me and whom ever I might gift one to.

oneygirl

I am perfectionist also. Sometimes I get frustrated when I go back and continually rip things out, but it drives me crazy to be off of my alignment!!!

Shirely

Hi, I learned in quild meetings that there's never mistakes in quilting. Unfortunatly I have make a lot ,and am still doing it. I'm in awe of all of the beautiful quilts here on the board. I probably will never have a quilt in a show ,but I'm having fun. That's what is important to me. Everyday is an adventure. Right now I need to find some fabric at reasonable prices for a senior.