Sunday, March 27, 2011

Quilting for Dummies

Okay, so I've only been quilting for what, a quarter century now--you'd think I'd be past making certain mistakes that you do when you're starting out, right?  Well, no.  Here's my latest.
I've just finished a new design and actually had already posted a picture of it earlier today.  Here it is.
Nice, right?  I was very proud of it and eager to share it with you.  It's called "Garden Pathways" and was designed with the "Perennials" fabric line by my favourite Moda designers, Kansas Troubles Quilters.  The pattern will be printed this week and added to my website.
So I published my post.  But then I noticed something odd.  Can you see it?  If you can, I may need to hire you to proof my patterns!
If you said the top right corner block, you get a gold star.  Yes, I'd sewn the bottom left corner of this block the wrong way--it should be rotated clockwise.  I almost cried.  And being someone who preaches "celebrating our imperfections because they make our quilts unique", I was sorely tempted to let it go.  If I'd just made the quilt for myself, I would have left it.  But, because it's a pattern, I really couldn't publish the picture as it was.  So I deleted my post and out came the seam ripper.
But first, I had to figure out a way to trace the machine quilting so that I'll (hopefully) be able to duplicate it.  I got some plastic food wrap, placed it over the stitching, and traced it with a felt pen.
Then I removed the offending block.
Rotated it and pinned it (correctly this time) in place.
And hand-stitched it to the surrounding blocks.
That's better.  (It's the piece with the pin.)
Now I just have to buy a spool of the thread my machine-quilter used, trace the design onto the quilt and try to sew it so that the new quilting blends in.
What have I learned from this experience? 
That there will always be new ways to screw up and that I will continue to do so. 
Such is life.

8 comments:

  1. oh boy...what a process!...and after it was quilted too! eeeks! Sounds like you have it under control. I thought i would share an idea i use when i play around with different quilting designs on my quilt tops. I use a piece of upholstery vinyl. it's thicker than plastic wrap and i use a water soluble marker and can erase it easily using a spray bottle and kleenex and use the vinyl over and over.
    i know you used what you had available...but sometimes having a piece of vinyl on hand...well, it's kinda of fun to play around with....of course, in your case, there was no playing...ugh. but great job catching the mistake and making it come together!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't told me, lol.
    Now that you said it, I really notice it;)

    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  3. ack Cheryl!! I have done that with my own.

    I feel bad, if I had noticed it, I would have corrected that for you before I quilted over it!
    I'll wind some of the thread for you or even better, bring it back and I'll quilt that spot again for you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ahhhh....
    To err is human.....
    thank goodness for that!!!
    love your blog,
    xo
    eva
    chwk

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am Very impressed at your efforts to rectify the mistake! Well done, I would have opted for a cry and some chocolate, happy quilting Sue SA.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a great idea to use vinyl for tracing! Thanks for sharing, Stitches!

    And Rhonda, I'll take you up on your offer to requilt it. Thanks so much!

    (I did have chocolate as well.) It helped.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh goodness! Nice save on your part! To tell you the truth...I didn't see it either. :0)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I couldn't find it till you pointed it out - but would love to proof your patterns! Seeing as I've bought several patterns, have your book, made Wish Upon a Star and was lucky enough to visit your place last year with my sister. Great save on the quilt!! I did a similar mistake with a row of blocks but found it before it was quilted. Thank goodness!

    ReplyDelete