What was your most challenging quilting project to date...
05-25-2015, 10:19 AM
#1
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What was your most challenging quilting project to date...
...and how did you overcome the challenge? Or did you give up?
Mine was (is) a Lone Star. I started it early in my quilting experience because I was full of it and didn't believe that it shouldn't be done by a beginner. Sad to say that by the time I realized how deep I was in, it was too late to start over. Then I tried to "fix" the bad angles I created. Right now, the project is still resting in a project box and I am planning to fix it for real this time. Everything I have learned over time should give me the skill to end up with a finished quilt.
Mine was (is) a Lone Star. I started it early in my quilting experience because I was full of it and didn't believe that it shouldn't be done by a beginner. Sad to say that by the time I realized how deep I was in, it was too late to start over. Then I tried to "fix" the bad angles I created. Right now, the project is still resting in a project box and I am planning to fix it for real this time. Everything I have learned over time should give me the skill to end up with a finished quilt.
05-25-2015, 11:14 AM
#4
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Wis
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Mine was (don't laugh!) a log cabin quilt made with solid fabrics, with finished 1 1/2 inch strips. I think what happened was I didn't cut the strips on the straight grain of fabric. So as I added strips the blocks were "bowed". So I kept trimming the block edges to even them off. Anyway, it was a big fat mess after I sewed them together. I ended up giving it to charity.
05-25-2015, 11:21 AM
#5
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: San Joaquin Valley, California
Posts: 829
Mine was a Radiant Star in the center with stack and whack blocks all around and because there are so many bias in the star ripping is a no-no. Well because nobody is perfect I had to do some ripping and at the end the center had a pouch. Finally I just sewed off some of the slack and press the daylights out of it and it had been put away until last winter where I bordered it and it's ready for quilting..
I showed it to a friend (her quilt was shown at Houston Market 7 yrs ago) and she said "beautiful colors and once it's quilted and on your bed, who cares, you can't see anything wrong from a galloping horse"..
I showed it to a friend (her quilt was shown at Houston Market 7 yrs ago) and she said "beautiful colors and once it's quilted and on your bed, who cares, you can't see anything wrong from a galloping horse"..
05-25-2015, 11:27 AM
#6
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Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
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Do you know how many Lone Star quilts with "innies" or "outies" are found in junk/antique/secondhand shops?!! 
For the same reason you discovered.
There are tricks to the pattern to prevent the problems, but most newbies haven't taken the classes or read the books/tips that will help; it's sad, because it's a lovely pattern. I'm glad you have only set yours aside to gain the learning curve rather than tossing it. Good for you!
By the way, mine was a guild row robin that had rows of slightly differing lengths and whose blocks were not complimentary in size from row to row. Disappointing. Currently sits as a UFO, but, who knows....
Jan in VA
For the same reason you discovered. There are tricks to the pattern to prevent the problems, but most newbies haven't taken the classes or read the books/tips that will help; it's sad, because it's a lovely pattern. I'm glad you have only set yours aside to gain the learning curve rather than tossing it. Good for you!
By the way, mine was a guild row robin that had rows of slightly differing lengths and whose blocks were not complimentary in size from row to row. Disappointing. Currently sits as a UFO, but, who knows....
Jan in VA
Last edited by Jan in VA; 05-25-2015 at 11:31 AM.
05-25-2015, 12:28 PM
#7
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: SW Washington USA
Posts: 4,454
La Passacaglia quilt from Millefiori Quilts by Willyne Hammerstein that I started last October. English Paper piecing. Complicated settings and tiny pieces. It was way fun though and I'm glad I challenged myself.
The English Paper Pieced project I'm currently working on is also challenging, some of the pieces are fingernail sized, and all those points.. I'm hopeful though, and have only had to de-stitch a few pieces of it so far. This will be the center medallion for a epp frame quilt. This center might be from Di Ford's book but I'm not sure because I'm combining ideas from a number of quilts for each frame. This will finish about 10" X 7" I think.
The English Paper Pieced project I'm currently working on is also challenging, some of the pieces are fingernail sized, and all those points.. I'm hopeful though, and have only had to de-stitch a few pieces of it so far. This will be the center medallion for a epp frame quilt. This center might be from Di Ford's book but I'm not sure because I'm combining ideas from a number of quilts for each frame. This will finish about 10" X 7" I think.
05-25-2015, 01:13 PM
#8
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
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Do you know how many Lone Star quilts with "innies" or "outies" are found in junk/antique/secondhand shops?!! For the same reason you discovered.
There are tricks to the pattern to prevent the problems, but most newbies haven't taken the classes or read the books/tips that will help; it's sad, because it's a lovely pattern. I'm glad you have only set yours aside to gain the learning curve rather than tossing it. Good for you!
By the way, mine was a guild row robin that had rows of slightly differing lengths and whose blocks were not complimentary in size from row to row. Disappointing. Currently sits as a UFO, but, who knows....
Jan in VA
For the same reason you discovered. There are tricks to the pattern to prevent the problems, but most newbies haven't taken the classes or read the books/tips that will help; it's sad, because it's a lovely pattern. I'm glad you have only set yours aside to gain the learning curve rather than tossing it. Good for you!
By the way, mine was a guild row robin that had rows of slightly differing lengths and whose blocks were not complimentary in size from row to row. Disappointing. Currently sits as a UFO, but, who knows....
Jan in VA
05-25-2015, 02:03 PM
#9
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,127
You should be able to fix the problem now that you have more knowledge on how to deal with the bias edges. Mind was a double size applique quilt top that was on the cover of a quilt magazine. All that needs to be done is to attached the border with hundreds of tiny hearts to be applique. Won't happen in this lifetime.
05-25-2015, 02:47 PM
#10
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 27
Mine is French Roses, I have been working on it on and off for at least 3 years. It's a raw edge applique flower that has 4 funky shaped pieces to make the rose and then a couple of leaves that go underneath. I hate to sew a curve, everyone says it is easy, but I have the worst time. Plus I'm a perfectionist so not sewing a 1/4 inch around each piece is driving me nuts. I ended up about 5 blocks short of the original design so I said 'forget it' and just laid it out with what I had. It's all different batiks in pinks and maroons. I just stuck the blocks back in the bag and put it aside. It's my 'I'll take it to quilt camp' project. I might just give it to one of the ladies in my quilting group to finish.
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