I often wonder why people don't finish one project before moving onto another. I am generally an organised person who likes neatness and everything in it's place. I look at peoples' lists of Works in Progress, Unfinished Objects or Finish Along lists and think to myself that I will never go there! HaHa… if only I could say that this were true.
In truth, I have three quilts that fit into the WIP & UFO categories. This summer, I knew that I would have a week away when I would be on my own. Mentally, I had put this time aside for finishing off my three quilts. Well, they are not finished BUT all three quilt tops are made and are now ready for quilting. I feel soooo much better to know that these quilts are progressing.
The first quilt was always going to be made as a gift for my parents, as it is their Golden Wedding Anniversary at the end of September. The fabrics were picked to fit in their home. The blocks were made over 12 weeks, at the beginning of the year, at my patchwork class.
I don't know why, but I have never loved this quilt. It was a tussle, as I used my sewing machine although the class was for hand stitching. I was disciplined in making a block a week but it has just been put aside waiting to be put together. I don't think that the tone and values are right and the spotted background makes it too busy.We had to use a feature fabric and mine is the butterfly fabric that features in every block. Time has marched on, and after asking quilting friends for advice, the general consensus was to complete it and give it away. Is it bad form to give your parents something that you personally don't love? I have wrestled with that question and come to the conclusion that the fabric was bought with them in mind and it might be a small quilt but I need to give them something for their anniversary and at least this will make a personal present. I just hope that they like it.
My aim for today is to get this quilt layered up ready for quilting. The plan is to sew in the ditch around each block to stabilise the quilt and then perhaps do a little hand quilting to highlight features of each block. I have a month to complete this so it is do-able.
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| Butterfly quilt blocks (with one missing) |
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| Butterfly quilt |
Di xo
I am a 10+ projects on the go person and I don't hesitate to start another if I feel I need to. I think for me the making and the learning is more important than the finishing, although I also love to use the finished quilts and sometimes do them very quickly. I love the colours in your quilt for your parents and I think it will be lovely.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you taling about - it looks lovely. The sashing and squares that you added are great :)
ReplyDeleteI get that way after looking at and working on a project for too long- I end up falling out of love with it because I just want it done already and it won't do it by itself when I'm not looking (are there no sewing fairies out there? They must be on permanent vacation with the 'dish fairies' - they never do the dishes overnight either!!). Your folks will love it :)
It's lovely - I love the background fabric and think it makes a nice change from using a solid.
ReplyDeleteI try to not have too many projects on the go at once as it'll get on top of me and I'll end up doing nothing. It works...as a theory ;o)
I don't think you should beat yourself up over this quilt - it is lovely and you have put heaps of hard work into it - you will have learned something with every block you made and it is being given as a special gift - your parents will love it because you took the time and trouble to create something special for them - and you have.
ReplyDeleteThat is one lovely quilt! I can't imagine anyone not liking it :)
ReplyDeleteYour pictures don't show those greens in their true colours - it is a gorgeous quilt and your parents will love it-as you say, you bought the fabric with them in mind. And if they don't, send it to me :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is a very lovely quilt and I'm sure your folks would be delighted to receive it. Falling out of love with projects is the prerogative of the crafter and usually it is no reflection on the project itself, but just that plugging away at it gets a bit weary after a while. It is usually a sign that a lot of hard work has gone into it! I think they will love it x
ReplyDeleteI love this quilt so much more with the sashing! I'm sure your parents will love it anyway just because you made it! Jxo
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ReplyDeleteOk, my chubby finger and the iPad are struggling tonight! It's great, they'll love it, stop beating yourself up!
DeleteLast week at our quild meeting, our speaker was Becky Goldsmith and she said something to the effect of : "Never make a quilt for someone based on thier colors. You won't like it, nor will younjoy making it. If the recipient doesn't like the quilt made for them because of the colors then they don't deserve it."
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the fact that you don't like this quilt prooves this point. I have some WIP's that are just sitting around because they are fabric my daughter picked out.out.