garysgal

I am a self-taught quilter and have been quilting for a few years now. I went thru what you are going thru now and I will tell you what "cured" me. I was in a quilt shop looking at fabric and another quilter came in and was talking to the owner of the shop. the quilter was an older lady and she was really upset with herself because she had just ripped out her quilt top for the second time. The owner looked at her and said that this was HER quilt and there are no quilt police. She could do whatever she wanted to and NO ONE would get upset with her.
I was really impressed and whenever I goof, I remember what she said and I realize that I am not perfect and so I cannot sew perfect quilts. I also know that even if I make a mistake, usually I am the only one who knows it and if my quilt is for someone, I have never had anyone make a comment on a mistake.
Hope this helps.

Lizzytish

Have you taken a beginners class I did that a few years ago. I tried quilting by teaching myself and it was just frustrating nothing matched. Then a quilt shop opened up next to my business and my daughter and I took a class and learned all kinds of tips and quilting tricks and I can even match up seams now and it is great fun.
Look for one in your area if you haven't already

garysgal

I have taken several classes and don't make too many of the mistakes I use to make. But every once in a while I make a doozy and sometimes I don't catch it until it is too late to undo it without ripping out the whole quilt. My friend told me that Amish quilting highlights mistakes (not sure if that is true) by putting something there like a button. I sewed a piece onto a block backwards and sewed a button to it. the button blended in but when someone saw it they thought it was so cute that they didn't even notice I had sewn the piece wrong! Go figure...
My point was that if you really love quilting, don't let mistakes stop you. We all make them and we can learn from them but don't let them do you in.

zkosh

Karen,
I really understand what you are going through. I used to sew garments. I took tailoring, a pattern-making class, etc. I think I did a pretty darn good job for the most part with the usual mistakes and ripping, of course. Then life got busier, I went back to teaching, keeping up with teenagers and so forth. I put my machine in a closet and at some point came to the conclusion that I wouldn't really sew again. :(

Then my husband asked me to repair some sofa cushions for a sofa he bought at a resale shop for my son's apartment. I had so much fun just stitching that it was just silly. :lol:

I took a beginner quilting class not too long after that and the addiction was immediately in full force. :shock: The only thing is, though, my head still knows more than my out of practice hands can produce. :cry: I have gotten so frustrated at times. I realize that I have to keep practicing and rebuild skills, but the perfectionist in me sure does get aggravated! :evil:

There is hope, though!
My cutting is improving as I continue, and my seams and matching are getting so much better. With me it was both problems. I recently went back to finish and assemble a sampler quilt that I had bought precut and stitched together a couple of years ago. Well, it was sad. :( I am not sure what I will end up doing with it, but even with the accurate cutting I did a terrible job of the piecing. Squaring the blocks up is not really possible while retaining the patterns. We'll see. If nothing else it was a good learning experience.

Anyway, quilting is a labor of love and even though I am not always happy with my workmanship, (a friend says I know too much) I still love it, I see improvement, and, guess what, some of my work turns out amazingly well!

Hang in there! You are not alone and, as you can see from all the responses, there is loads of support on this board. (Now don't go getting embarrassed--I've been there, too!) :wink:

Sheri

janedennis

Maybe back up one step and try an easier block. I stopped my quilt and went back to making a doll quilt it was smaller and just did a rail fence and it finally turned out good and I was proud of it and my granddaughter loved it. I then went back to my quilt and i had learned from the smaller one to finally finishing the big one. I am finishing the binding and was just taking a break. She is patiently waiting for her quilt so that her doll and her match. LOL I use to only sew pillows. I was getting real good at pillows but bored now I have a new thing to work on. Go for it dont settle for potholders.

Debra Mc

Just keep trying. Made DH a Lamoye Star quilt & I don't know how many times I redid them. Just wasn't perfect. Maybe put it away for a while & start on something else then come back to it later. You'll get it.

Feathers

Karen:
I've taken many, many classes and love them! My first recommendation would be to take classes as others have suggestion. Second, 1/4 inch seam allowance is very important but CONSISTENCY in seam allowance is what is needed ALWAYS! My 1/4 inch seam allowance machine foot was off by a couple 3 hairs and it drove me nuts until my quilt teacher told me to do the consistency thing...as long as ALL the seam allowances are the same your blocks will be correct. [b] THIRD, there are NO quilt police and absolute PERFECTION is reserved for God and GOD alone. Learn from each project but you lose before you ever even start if you don't have a project to learn from. We all see our mistakes and know right where to go to find them in any piece we make but others DO NOT see the mistakes so readily or notice them at all so give yourself a break, start and finish a project, don't rip out.... learn to enjoy your creative journey!