mjpEncinitas

I think as a beginner you might consider adopting a more lenient attitude or it will take too long to finish projects. The more you quilt the better you get! Perhaps choose one of the projects, leave it until last and try to make it as perfect as you can and consider the others learning projects. Of course take this with a grain of salt as my quilting motto is: "It'll never be noticed on a galloping horse and that's the only kind I ride" Whatever you decide, the most important thing that you are getting enjoyment out of the quilting.

Two alternatives to your mentor are Craftsy classes. I haven't taken it but there is an online Craftsy class on Borders: http://www.craftsy.com/class/finishi...eho-dum&_ctp=1 $20 right now. You might look at the reviews (or better yet ask on this board) and see if its for you. If you decide to stop going to your mentor and you get to the binding stage their is a great class on Finishing School: edges and binding; http://www.craftsy.com I've taken that one and it's quite good.


I used a brother for years. If it's working for you why switch? Once you feel constrained by the machine and if money allows you can consider switching. Then you'll know what features you really need.

bearisgray

When i attach non- mitered borders - I do cut the borders about two inches longer than the actual measurement. I do mark the border the proper length - and expect to cut off the exrea. I would rather waste a couple of inches of fabric than end up half an inch short.

About the sewing machine - how about comparing the straight stitches made by your machine agsinst the stitches made by her machine. They probably look almost identical!

tate_elliott

Since others have already said what I wanted to say - and probably better - I wasn't going to post a reply. But I worked my way all the down to General Chit-Chat and this thread was still poking at me.

I've called myself a slap-dash quilter, so I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum from you. Ask yourself if you are quilting to please your critics, or to please yourself and those you may give your quilts to. (Of course we all know that critics are those little insects that rub their legs together to make irritating sounds.)

Thank the woman who has helped you, and continue to listen to her advise, but make up your own mind what is important to you.

By the way, we all can find our quilts' imperfections in the dark, but who among us has ever made a perfect quilt?

Welcome to quilting and this board.

Tate

Peckish

Nothing wrong with that; I am too. You will make beautiful quilts and impress everyone with your skills!

You know what I think? I think she's not ready to help you with mitered borders and doesn't want to admit it.

Atta girl. I own 7 machines of varying brands and ages, and by far my favorite is my Brother. "Because it's a Brother" is the dumbest reason I've ever heard for getting a new machine. If you drive a 15 year old pickup, would she make you upgrade to a brand new Mercedes? Who cares what you drive, as long as you can get to the local quilt shop?

This is NOT what a teacher or mentor should be fostering in a pupil. Time to move on.

WHAT JAN SAID.

Me too!!

Anniedeb

Such great advise from so many fellow quilters! Follow your heart and your gut instincts! The first class I took had a teacher that told me pretty much the same things....My plain jane machine wasn't good enough, blah, blah, blah!!! If you don't jump in, you'll never get your feet wet! What is the worst that can happen? You'll do just fine.. We are all our own worst critics! There is no perfection in this quilting world...the "mistakes" we make are what makes our quilts unique to us. Add borders...miter corners or don't...just take the plunge and go for it! Be sure to post pics when you are done!!

hray

I'm another one who:

Hates machine snobs. There are certain brands/dealers that seem to be worse than others--I avoid them, I avoid stores that sell those brands. I may miss out on some classes they offer, fancy notions they offer...but it's not worth dealing with machine bullies.

Doesn't even measure when I make borders; I just cut strips at the right width, and make sure they're long enough by holding them up along the sides. If not, I sew some together. After sewing them on, I even up the end of the border with the rest of the quilt top. Then I sew on the top and bottom borders the same way. Never done mitered borders, but I do miter binding corners. Why? I like mitered bindings. Never thought about borders...will have to try that.

Has really taken the "if you can't see it while riding by on a galloping horse, it doesn't count" approach to boo-boos. Our LQS lady recently taught me recently that if you think you need to re-do a place where seams don't meet, just undo a couple of inches and pull them a bit closer. That usually helps enough, and is a lot better than picking out a whole seam and often, having it worse the second time!!

Consider my mistakes "creativity" especially in FMQ. LOL

Enjoy your quilting!!! No one NEEDS to cut apart perfectly good and often expensive fabric to sew back together to make quilts. WE DO IT FOR FUN. Remember that--the "mentor" seems to have forgotten.

Best wishes,
Hallie in NM

DebbieJJ

I'm afraid the "quilt nazi" and I wouldn't get along very well.....she wouldn't be able to stand me. I'm also kind of a haphazard cutter/piecer/quilter! I do my own thing, and it usually turns out good in the end, and so far, all of my quilts are holding up really good. By the way, welcome to the board, and please show us your quilts. We love pictures, and we love to help when someone asks us for advice.

Momala24

You can sew two borders together and apply them without mitering the corners. I did it on a quilt I was working on just before Christmas and it worked out very well. It took a bit of thinking about how to do it, but once I had that done I liked the method and will use it again. I figured out the length I would need for both borders and the order in which I would usually apply them if doing them one at a time. I starched the fabric well and sewed the borders together leaving the seam open at either end so that I could attach them to the quilt without having to mitre them. I think I did the side seam first but I can't recall. Once you have the double border sewn on you just finish off the seams at the corners so that the inner border goes all around the quilt like it normally would. It worked fine and saved a lot of time. As you can see, adding the borders isn't my favorite job to do either! (I cut my borders a little longer than needed just in case, but measured and marked them carefully so that I would know the right length. The next time I won't leave myself very much extra fabric because it really did work quite nicely!)

rj.neihart

Hmm...I think this sounds like border-line OCD? Quilting is an expression of colors blending, designs flowing, love blossoming into a warm attractive colorful 'blanket' to snuggle with. Mind you, I'm not a perfectionist at anything, I just love my artwork and let it flow naturally. If it's complicated, it isn't a hobby its a JOB! Some people pay another to place the borders onto their masterpieces - we all have a specialty we like or an area we dislike. I say if one isn't comfortable and stresses too much, what exactly is the point behind quilting?!

lclang

I think your mentor has gone into the quilt police area with her rules. Our grandmothers made wonderful quilts with any old treadle they could get their hands on so ditch the advice about getting a new(er) machine unless you feel the need. Borders do not need to be scary. Lay your quilt top out flat on a table or the floor. Measure through the center of the quilt lengthwise and cut your borders to that measurement. Fold the quilt top and the borders in fourths and pin at each fourth and also in between if you wish. Sew them on. Then lay your top out and measure through the center of the top again widthwise including the borders you just sewed on. Again measure the quilt and the borders in fourths and pin them on, adding pins as needed. Sew them on. When you sew the borders on lay your border fabric on top of the quilt top. It makes it much less likely to stretch and give you wavy borders. Not as difficult as your "mentor" made it sound. Good luckj!