I'm still working on the double wedding ring quilt. Currently, I'm attaching the rows at this point and have realized, it is my own fault things have continued to 'happen' to this quilt top. How, you might ask? Allow me to provide an example from the thoughts of your Sarcastic Quilter.
"Hmm, squares are all attached into rows, looking good. Rows of two sewn together. All left sides have stayed on the left during "stacking" of the rows. Good, good. Seems pressed in opposite directions for easy piecing of each 2-row to another 2-row section. Good, good. Time for a chocolate break."
A couple days later...
"Okay, time to finish this top. Must get quilting it this week so no excuse, finish piecing these rows together. Pin, pin, pin... check seams, pin, pin, OUCH, don't pin finger to quilt... okay, pin, pin.. crud, how did the seams get off that far?
-deep sigh- unpin, unpin, unpin
-sigh again- pin, check seam, pin, check seam, pin, check seam, pin... okay, I've got it now."
{pick quilt pieces off floor and take to machine, start sewing}
remove pin, sew, sew, slow down, sew, remove pin, slow down, remove pin, easy, relax, remove pin, stay straight, slow down... dang it, STOP!
-reset machine speed slower start again-
Okay, that's better, now you can breath, remove pin, sew, remove pin, sew, check seams, sew, sew, you've got the hang of it now. Cut thread, press seam... cool the corner points match, it looks nice."
And then, I think the worst possible thing I can think! "This isn't so hard, kinda easy once you got the speed thing down."
DUMMY, DUMMY, DUMMY! Immediately I try to take the thought back, like some second grader who just realized she gave up her most precious doll to the boy who loves to bury toys in the dirt. But no, it doesn't work that way. Once it's out there, it's out there and I have officially jinxed myself and this project, again.
Now don't scoff, I used to scoff but I have since learned, specifically through this one quilt, just how much worse it can get if you don't sacrifice to the Quilting Godesses all the power of ease or difficulty in your project. Really, don't you remember the split coffee, cereal, blocks blowing off the line into the dirt when trying to clean off said coffee, etc.? Had I simply thought, "not too bad, need to keep paying attention though." I might have been okay. But I didn't.
The next section of rows, barely any point matches despite pin matching points (or at least I thought I did). I ripped it out and tried again. Success on only a few. What to do? Well, if you are me, you throw in the towel on that one and move on. Pretend that imperfection really does give it the "homemade" look you intended for with the 1930's design and fabrics. Moving on, I've already discovered, is again easier thought than done and so I am here, on my blog, to plead my case to the Quilting Godesses and provide a warning to any fellow quilter who may happen upon this post.
'Oh Quilting Godesses, please take this post as a symbol of my remorse for getting over-confident. If you allow me to start matching my seams and points again, I promise to remain nervously vigilant in my sewing and pinning for the remainder of this quilt top and all my other quilts. Please grant me your wisdom and infuse me with any quilting talent you can lend.
Your grateful and now properly humbled, wanna-be-quilter.'
To those who have happened upon this post, take it from me, the single worse thing a person can do in quilting is to think or say, "this is easy." Keep those Godesses pleased in the knowledge that all parts of quilting are and remain challenging in some way to even the most accomplished of quilters, or you just may find those little pesky errors are increasing in quantity through out your project. If that has happened or does happen, stop and try the prayer above. It may just save that project!
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