A Finish to Start the Week

A "finish" feels good anytime, but it feels great to start the week off with a finish! Here is the finished set of four placemats that I started a few weeks ago. Two were completed then and I used the other two for demo-ing  in my "Start to Finish" class on Saturday at the
Christmas Crab Quiltery, and finished them up  yesterday. As I've said before, I really like this pattern, called Take Four Placemats. (If you can't find it in your local quilt shop, it is available for download and purchase here.) I think I just might have to make a set (or two) of these with Christmas fabrics too! My tutorial on an easy method of finishing placemats has been very popular, and it is now listed on my sidebar too!
Our class went very well. The first time you teach a particular class you just never know how it will go, time-wise. I was very pleased that they got as far as they did on assembling the four mats. Although I do not bind placemats, I also taught them how to do a proper binding, with mitred corners, so they have all the basic skills now for doing a simple project, from the fabric prep and cutting, to the final step of binding.  :) As Martha would say, "It's a good thing!"
We also had a good chat about "doing your best." One of the gals said she was somewhere in a group and another lady accused her, in a very condescending tone, of being "a perfectionist" (as if it was a bad thing...??!!) She told her accuser that she always tries to do her best so she can be proud of her work. I would have done the same thing; I too have high standards for myself and always try to do my very best work. If I'm not happy with how something has turned out, and I think I could do better, I'll take it out and re-do it. (On the other hand, we are all our own worst critics and it's silly to spend precious time obsessing over a tiny detail that others will never notice. Will it be seen from twenty paces on a galloping horse? Do your best, then move on and know you'll do even better the next time.)
I suspect the "accuser" was a "slap-dash - that's good enough" sort, and perhaps she was a wee bit jealous of the fine work she was being shown. What do you think?
This little story reminded me of the saying below... I can still hear my mother saying it to me...

Piece!
Linda

Good, better, best,
Never let it rest
'Til your good is better,
And your better, best !