bravo!! Margo bravo!!

Linda, Torrance is about 17 miles south of Los Angeles. Right now we're on vacation visiting with family in Las Vegas, NV--Tomorrow we're heading for Laughlin, NV--we don't gamble, but it's a great place to RELAX. (and eat good food!!! ) Margo, I'm glad you're telling everyone to ENJOY the BOM's instead of sweating perfection. I can't think of a single quilt I've made that's perfect, either! My family thinks I'm the most talented quilter in the world, and that's what counts!

Wanda, I know a lot of people will really cringe when I say this, but I think that FINISHED IS BETTER THAN PERFECT!
I always strive for the very best I can do with the skills I have today, but I never expect perfection. My quilts are far from perfect, but I am proud of them, and glad that I worked to get them finished.
My first quilt is pieced, and I call it my "Eight Wadded Star" because there isn't a single point on it! LOL!!! It's really awful, but I love it because I finished it, and it's where I started, and because I've learned so much since then.

I think that a lot of quilters are so self-critical that they don't finish their projects because they feel like they don't measure up.

TO WHAT???? :shock:

Unless you are making your quilt to be judged at a show, I would like to give you permission to do the very best that you can today, and enjoy the process without so much self inflicted pressure! Tomorrow you will do better because you will have practiced, and maybe one day it will get good enough for a judged show, but no one gets good at anything without practice. One day you will look back at the COMPLETED quilt, and smile at the mistakes because you've learned to do it better.

A finished quilt is better than an abandoned one! Besides that, you have a lot of money invested to just let it sit there!

When you sit down to work on your project get in the mindset of "Today I GET to ____" It works lots better than thinking "Today I HAVE to____"
Don't think about "all those leaves and stems". Deal with one at a time. One stem isn't too bad. One leaf isn't too bad. One inside curve. One outside curve. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!


OK...I'm off my soapbox now.

LIGHTEN UP AND ENJOY THE PROCESS

Agnes,

I'm still working on Jan's block. I started over...now I'm using Sharon Schamber's needle turn method with her light weight stabilizer. It's working wonderfully. I'm still having problems with my curved points on the stars...loving the straight pieces!

My perfectionism is getting the better of me in this project! I have to keep reminding myself that I am a beginner and it will get easier and better. All these stems and leaves are scaring me!

Enjoy the process!
WandaM

Thanks for the encouragement. The needle turn is fun, I used the freezer paper on the top of the applique, method , for the January block.
For the February block ,I am using Sharon Schambers needle turn method , with Ricky's stabilizer. I am finding it a little bit easier.

Beautiful blocks ladies! You'll catch up in no time at all!

quilter64 wrote:
Your block is great! Don't worry about being behind - there's plenty of us in the same boat! Just enjoy the journey.

Linda

Thanks, Judy. I bought the kit so there's nothing new or exciting in my blocks, but I do really enjoy needle-turn applique! Where in Calif. is Torrence? I'm visiting my daughter and her family in Dublin, in East Bay (near San Fran). We've been here 2 months, and I didn't bring much with me, so the handwork is perfect for now. We start back home on April 2.

Finally my January block is done and in my profile. Now on to the Feburary block. Sigh, will I ever get caught up.

Beautiful block, Linda!

Finally got my Jan BOM posted. I did needle-turn appique. Thanks to Margo for her tutorial; I found her suggestion to finger-press the seam allowances first to be very helpful. I've started the March BOM as my bias pressing bars are back in Wisconsin, and I'm still in California! So I'm going to be different and do them out of order. The March BOM is almost done! I will catch up eventually...

Good for you, Randi!
Get your hands on that camera and show us your stuff!!

Margo, I saw your blog post this morning so I had to chime in and be included in the "BOM excel spreadsheet", as somebody put it! Thank you so much for your great efforts! I am slowly going through your photos and instructions! What a fantastic job you have done explaining needle turn applique!

I haven't posted pictures of my blocks, but I have finished both January's & February's, so please count me in. I am doing invisible machine applique, using Sharon Schamber's technique. So far so good. I just started March's block. At last count, I am currently participating in 4 BOM projects and (so far) keeping up! Thank you all for doing such a fantastic show and tell, sharing your blocks. I hope to get there sometime soon, as soon as I can pry our camera out of my hubby's hands (and find it)!

Thanks again,
Randi in SW WA

Bridget473 wrote:


Very well said, Bridget. Margo rocks!!!