Penster

So I finished piecing my herringbone quilt top, which took a long time but turned out quite nice. I really wanted to quilt it myself instead of having a longarmer do it, but I was concerned because this top was larger than anything I had attempted. I should have listened to myself. It was too big for me. I absolutely hate what I have done. My lines are not straight. And even though I used a dual feed foot the quilt kept bunching up so the stitch length is not consistent. What a disappointment. I just want to throw the whole thing in the trash.

Not sure if I should try taking out 15 lines of stitching or just finish it and hide it in the closet.

DonnaPBradshaw

Please don't throw it out! Give it to charity if you really hate it! Someone will look at this quilt and be so grateful for it!
What size is it? I promise we are more critical of our work than anyone else. They see a handmade beautiful quilt!

Jane Quilter

I agree with Donna

Dina

I suspect you are too hard on yourself. Put it aside for awhile and then get it out and re-evaluate it. When you continue it, make sure you support the quilt somehow so it doesn't do the bunching up that you mentioned. I put an ironing board perpendicular to my sewing machine and it supports my quilt as I work on it. That makes a big difference.

Then wash it. That makes it look sort of krinkly and the quilting doesn't show so much.

If you still hate it, put it up again and pull it out in a few months. It will look better to you if you have had time to forget how much trouble it was to you.

I know exactly how you feel though, thinking that you ruined a quilt that you really like. I have done that, but I have ended up liking my final results. Hang in there. It doesn't have to be perfect to still be a good quilt.

Dina

Kassaundra

I piece better then I quilt too. If I can't QAYG (quilt as you go) then someone else has to quilt it (long armer). I would put it away for now, when you aren't so frustrated w/ it in a few months take it out and look at it at bed distance (like from the door way while it is on your bed, not at the end of your nose where you see every little thing) if you still can't bring yourself to tolerate (maybe even like) it then donate it, and learn to QAYG (lol)

Tartan

15 rows of straight stitching will come out fairly quickly if you have a nice little pair of sharp nosed scissors. Clip a stitch every 3 to 4 stitches on the back and then pull the thread out on the other side. If you do a couple of rows a day, you will be done in a week. I don't know what kind of batting you are using but I have the best results with 80/20 batt.

minibarn

I have a quilting magazine with an article about Angela Walter's and she also shows how to do some FMQ designs etc. There are close up pictures of some of her quilts and guess what...the stitch length is not consistent. So, if a "famous" FMQer can have uneven stitches so can you!!! Besides, when your not sitting 8 inches away from the quilt (as you are while quilting it) you won't notice the stitches are uneven.

Try no to be so hard on yourself, I'm sure it looks fine. We are always our own worst critique right?

EasyPeezy

Totally agree with what Dina said. I would also advise to slow down.
If you have a speed control setting on your machine, turn it down.
It will make a big difference. If this makes you feel better, my first
line of quilting is always crooked. Sometimes more than one line
but after washing it's not noticeable. So don't stress too much and
have fun.

sushi

Dear Penster,

I agree with the others that you should set it aside for at least a month before you make any decisions. Your quilting is probably better than it seems right now. If you look at the quilt a month from now, you'll see it with fresher eyes and may find it to be quite acceptable. Or not. But you can decide then what you're willing to do about it.

Every time I reach the final steps of completing a quilt, I am hyper-critical of my work. Over the years, I've learned to step back and let some serious time elapse before I judge it again. Almost every time I've been surprised at the re-view to see how nice the quilt really is! Not perfect, of course, but gosh darned nice and perfectly serviceable.

Kwiltr

We are are own worst critics! I get so disgusted with my quilting at the time of quilting but have found when the quilt is done and my nose isn't inches away from the quilt as it is during the quilting process, you don't see all the little hiccups you've fretted about along the way. As someone else said, washing it also hides a lot of imperfections as well. I rip out very little, but if it will really bother you, then go ahead and rip it out and try again. The hardest part with quilting on a DSM to get even stitching is managing the drag of the quilt which until you try it, you don't really get it IMHO. So make sure your quilt is supported well as you move it through the machine and adjust the quilt very often before the drag happens and affects your quilting. It gets easier, but it takes some practice.