I never say never on something that I like that looks like a challenge - but i always say never on really simple patterns unless I am teaching someone. I would never do a jelly roll race type quilt - just too boring.

Never say never! I have made the simply double wedding ring quilt for a friend, and then the bali star double wedding ring quilt for myself. I can't do simple and boring, it drives me nuts. Over the last 5 years I have expanded my quilting experience so much I can honestly say I am very proud with how far I have come. I will pick a theme of something (i.e. hst) and I will tackle it until I master it. And then move on to the next. Because I do it this way, I can do paper piecing in my sleep (I can even design my own patterns using EQ7 for help), I can applique like a pro (with the help of the accuquilt GO!). And my sewing machine also does embroidery. I had sworn that I would never do FMQ because I struggled so much with it, but a year and a half ago I bought a new sewing machine and FMQ is a breeze! I have done 3 wholecloth quilts and a couple of mini ones.

The quilts I am doing this year are simpler in design (i.e. irish chain), but I am incorporating embroidery and FMQ ... and the FMQ is complex - think Judi Madsen quilting.

While I recognize that it's a hobby, I want it to be something that is positive and I can constantly learn from.

Having started life being intimated by everything, I try not to let much intimidate me now. Did a Double Wedding Ring many years ago. Used a book from John Flynn. It wasn't do bad. Hand quilted it. Love love love a nice New York Beauty. Learned how to paper piece. Have completed 2 Judy Neimeyer patterns. Am working on a 3rd. And I have a paper pieced Feathered Star I'm planning to do. My advice to any quilter is to add a new technique with each new quilt. Don't keep making the same pattern over and over. Although, I do like the Twister pattern for a baby quilt or a quick quilt. Good luck, and keep learning.

I don't do applique. Well, I will do some applique, like I made a baby quilt with 5-6 fish that were probably about 6". But never will I do those gorgeous tiny grapes or other fancy stuff. I'm not good with handwork and it makes me cranky. Getting better could happen but I still get cranky when I put a needle in my hand instead of my machine.

I have vision issues and it's getting harder to sew, these days I focus on "simple but effective". Still, with all the tools and aids and paper piecing there is a lot I could do should I choose...

This!! If I see a pattern I like I will learn how to do the technique so I can make it. Set in seams (aka Y seams) are nothing since I made a tumbling blocks quilt. Curved piecing is a challenge but to me, the results are well worth it and not all curves are equal. A tight curve is much more challenging than a gentle one (like the kind in a DWR or orange peel). I will freely admit that applique (not raw edge fusible but all the others, either needle turn or prepared with seam allowance already turned under before sewing it down) is my weakest link but I am continually trying different applique shapes and techniques in the hopes of getting good enough to do some of the tiny intricate ones. I can do simple large shapes with no issues.

I often thought a Baltimore Album would be my ultimate quilt. But I know I don’t have, or will never have, the patience or precision skills to do a great job. So that’s that.

I tried to make a quilt with the Sew Kind of Wonderful Quick Curve Ruler and it was a complete fail, they make it look so easy in the video demonstrations.

nothing much intimidates me when it comes to machine sewing, - but I just don't care to spend hours doing hand sewing work. I'm more likely to not do a pattern because I think I'll get lost in the tediousness. I also like to see progress, so it's hard to work on something that there is a lot of time spent for not much return.

Maybe once I'm retired I'll feel better about doing something that is going to take a lot of time. I'd love to do a La Pasacaglia quilt some day.

At this point, I think curves are what I am not willing to try. Maybe in the future. I am willing to try just about any kind of block. I tried what I thought was a difficult pattern with on line instructions (which were excellent). It was a hexi quilt that you made half hexis and sewed them together in strips, so it ended up not being that hard. If you think something is beyond you, try a sample block out of scraps. Sometimes it is not as hard as you think!

I would love to do a Cleopatra's Fan , but until someone comes out with a paper pieced pattern, there's no way I'm doing it with all those templates.

Watson