lfletcher

There is no such thing as perfection in quilting, but you do need to do the best you can. If I am unhappy with an intersection, I will redo up to 3 times. If it is still not perfect, so be it.

michelleoc

I think they all look beautiful. I'd worry about stretching my fabric and making things worse by ripping out and doing over. I think the best decision you can make is how you feel in your 'gut'. If the way it looks is going to bother you every time you look at it, rip away. But if you feel you've done the best you can and you can look at this as a learning experience, leave it alone. After looking at your blocks, I'm leaving now to throw rocks at my work...

ArchaicArcane

That's what I'm most afraid of... making things worse. What I'm not sure of is why I keep missing the corners on the square pieces. I've got it pinned at every intersection, and only pull the pins just before the presser foot tweaks them out of place, and I miss almost every time.

Because I was told it would be a show quilt, not that I'd decided consciously before I started that I would enter it into "x" show, I really don't have an idea of what sort of show or what the goal is. I guess at this point, my goal would have to be to make it of a quality that it would be show worthy, if that makes any sense? I'm not actually sure what's available as far as show around here at this point.

Thanks for the tip on reironing the seam! I know I didn't do that on the Labyrinth when I re-did seams and it was very frustrating to have the seams going whereever they wanted.

I will definitely rip the way you mention. I have "shortlisted" about 5 of the mitered pieces, and .. uh... all of the other blocks for remedial work.

That's the hard part, isn't it? Guests who see a quilt on the bed / wall /etc won't scrutinize it and pick it apart. I haven't done any QAYG yet. A number of the other gals in our sewing circle started that way, but no, I had to jump into harder things right off the bat. The biggest problem I've found with studying the directions and technique is I seem to get frozen and not start. Good thing you have a deadline.

I completely agree. I guess where I was going with this post was: At what point am I being overly critical of my work and at what point is it necessary... I don't know where the line is at all.

Very good point! Thank you. Maybe I'll contact Northcott / Patti Carey now and just have it on file.

It was impossible to match the flower portion in the mitered blocks, at my skill level anyway. I would also have needed probably double the amount of fabric to fussy cut that way. At first I tried, then I said forget it, when I saw what the QT quilt looked like and how much fabric it was going to require to do it the way I really would have liked. The lines not intersecting are my biggest concern on the miters.

You mention the part that's probably been the hardest on me... staying calm. It's been nerve wracking from the get go. Just beginning to cut the fabric had my heart pounding and thinking "what if I mess this up??"

I notice that too, especially in the magazines. I was told that's because of the deadlines required to get them out. They're pieced very quickly and then the LAer gets "a day or so" with it. That would definitely explain some of the quality issues...

Thanks Lisa, You're right. At the end of the day, I have to love this quilt. I haven't made many yet, and I know I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself by doing this "so soon". Perhaps I'll put the blocks away for a couple more days and then look at them again and see if they still bother me.

Good rule! I think I may just borrow that one.

Stretching the fabric was definitely why I was really concerned with both blocks. With the HST in the one, I find that that portion stretches much easier than the other part and possibly could be lending to the problem. In all other circumstances, I'd be ecstatic for the seams to be this close... it's just that extra pressure about the "show quilt" designation...

No! No rocks! I just got lucky in that most of these blocks are relatively forgiving. I nearly overheated my featherweight's pedal going as slow as I was too. (Of course a little warmth in this winter doesn't suck... )</snip>

my-ty

I was taught to unsew using this method. My advice is take the "worse seam" and unsew it. Then see if you can improve this seam. By tackling the worse ones first, you will see improvement. And then it's up to you whether it is worth it to you to continue with the other "not so bad seams" or not.

I love your fabrics and you are going to have a beautiful quilt.

Karen G

I totally agree with Lisa.

AZ Jane

His comment was "Oh. Oh WOW. You don't know it yet, but this is going to be a show quilt...."

Isn't that your determination? Do you want to make a "show quilt" or just a beautiful quilt?

quiltmom04

These are my thoughts about changing anything. If YOU feel it's not perfect, could change it but don't, because others aren't perfect, and you get your quilt back from the show and the judges have downgraded you for what you knew was off and didn't change, how would you feel? If you just can't get it right and need to move on, that's another story. Your stripes match on the miters, but the patterns don't, so I suspect you didn't make a template when you were cutting. Big deal? Not to me and if you have your quilt on the bed, so what?. But if you get a judge who thinks that's important, than yeah, it makes a difference. Of all the quilts I've entered in shows, I know what's not perfect, so I'm not surprised when a judge says such and such could be better. But the decision is, do you want to bother to change it? And different shows with different judges have different standards. Something that will squeak by in one show may not in another. Or something a judge marked you down for in one show, may not matter in another. My advise would be do the best you can and enter it. See what happens. I've had quilts I've really sweated over and got nothing; I had another quilt I really just entered so I could see it in th show and it got a blue ribbon - go figure! Just enjoy the process. It looks like it will be a gorgeous quilt!!

twinkie

I have seen quilts win first place and I could find missed points or seams on them. Then I have seen quilts that I rhought were magnificient that didn't even win an honorable mention. I agree, do your best and see what happens.

MargeD

I think you did a great job with your piecing. If there is a block or blocks that really bug you, then I might consider "unsewing" and putting the block/blocks back together. I'm glad you were able to find the exact same fabrics for the quilt, and when finished should be a show stopper. Just be sure to acknowledge the designer of the quilt on your label and if someone else will be quilting it. I've had a few quilts judged in several quilts and I found that each judge might point out something different. Your fabric and colors are awesome and so is your piecing. Even if you should not win a ribbon, the comments from the judges will enable you to see if there was anything wrong with your piecing, quilting, etc., and I've found those comments to be very helpful in future quilts. Good luck with the show, I think you will win a ribbon.

debbiemarie

What you have done so far is so beautiful.