Good for you Margarita! It's great.
Rosemary, I get weird about using fabric 'just' to practice too.

It worked, the ribbon is Viewers Choice, Honorable Mention.

I began FMQ a real project recently and announced it on here somewhere. I did half of it and then decided it 'wasn't good enough' and began to rip it all out. This is a double bed sized quilt. After ripping out for a few hours and hours, I have finally decided to just continue and do what I can. My DH thinks it looks good, so maybe my sister will think so too.

Dawn, I might try the wine idea, but my doctor doesn't like the idea much. My jaw tightens up so much that I can easily get a headache when I'm doing something that matters. I wonder if chewing gum (not a thing I usually do) would help? Or, go against the doctor's orders and sip just a little bit. Actually, I think I'd rather wine than gum.

Lorra, I think your friend's reaction is the honest evaluation of your work and the satisfaction we all love. Because after all, I think, most of us make our quilts with love even more than fabric, thread and batting.

Margarita, waiting to see your quilt!

Thanks everyone. Have not figured out how to post a picture here.
Geneva, my Dear Jane is sort of resting, It has been hard to handle the big quilt for quilting why I am not feeling well. Just been working on smaller hand projects.

What is the secret to get a picture postedc here???

Congratulations on your win Margarita. Looking forward to seeing it.

As for practice pieces, I know I should, but I have trouble committing the materials to 'mere' practice pieces, that don't have a finished use. I guess that is why the muggies are so good. And as I found out at the weekend, I am totally out of practise at playing for playing's sake.

I think we are more relaxed on practice pieces. When we start to quilt that show quilt, or first born's wedding quilt, that's a whole nuther story!

And, this is why I have previously said, a glass of wine helps! I was not joking! I can practice all I want, and be quite satisfied with the results. But, as soon as I sit down to a real quilt that I know others will see, or perhaps it will be judged in a show, I get very tense and nervous! Heart rate goes up, breathing quickens! I am much more relaxed with a little (the key here is LITTLE) wine to settle me down. I know some of you don't touch alcohol, and I totally understand, but this is what works for me.

Dawn

Hey Margarita! It's good to "see" you! I missed going to the Foothills Quilt Show, but am so happy that you won! Yay! How is your Dear Jane quilt coming along? I would love to see it. You are quite clever using only 2 fabrics.

Nancy, I agree with you. We are our worst critics. And when we practice we don't worry about mistakes or imperfections and we relax! But Nancy, you are still one of my favorite FMQ buddies. I am in awe of your work!

geneva

Most of us have that problem. That's another thing you have to practice -- stepping back and viewing your own quilting as you would view the quilting of another. It's amazing that this is even more difficult than the quilting itself. I just finished a wallhanging and a pillow, both of which I hated the quilting on while I was working on them. But once I was done, I stepped back and actually love them both. I still see all of the mistakes, but I can see that they don't jump out at the non-critical viewer.

Nancy, I think much of my problem is a confidence one. I never think it is good enough. A woman called this morning, in tears, because she was so happy with a small quilt I had quilted for her. She said it was the most beautiful thing she had ever received. It wasn't the greatest to me, but she was so happy. I guess the eyes of the beholder is what is important. Yes, she had me in tears too!

My theory is that when we practice on samples, we know it doesn't matter if we don't do a good job so we don't try as hard and, consequently, do progress as quickly. When we are working on a piece that matters, we really concentrate and learn and improve so much more. I'm not a psychologist, but this really makes sense to me. So I only do practice pieces in class. At home, it's all final products.

lorra wrote:
I still have a lot to learn re FMQ, but I'll tell you this. As soon as I've use those skills on something I really care about they've improved many times over. It's as if my body knows when I am practicing and when it matters.

I hope you get the picture posted. I have been thinking of entering my Colorful Rhapsody in our local guild show in May. I still need to finish quilting it and get it bound. I love the piecing and applique, but I am not very good with the quilting yet. To improve my quilting is one of my goals for the year.

Congratulations, Margarita. Keep trying to post the picture. We want to see your work.

Please do, congratulations