Giddiness

First and foremost, let me show you a picture of Ms. Midge and Mr. Sumo Wrestler.

Second, that quilt top you see, has fleece on the bottom, part of the reason I had an extra seam bulk but that is only one long line and not throughout the whole quilt back or I’d have taken it off long ago!

Finally, the site I’m about to link to, and this lady who thought to post a nice little tutorial, are a GOD SEND! As I have been having fit after fit after fit with my attempts at quilting, I decided to try a different method with a new design. HOLY MOLEY! It gave me a freedom I didn’t have previously.

You see, I realized I had wanted to do a good job for my son so badly I was inadvertently sabotaging myself in the process. I saw every little mistake and dwelled on it as I went, causing more mistakes. My attempts were getting worse, not better, with each stitch. I couldn’t follow my stenciled line.

Rip-it, rip-it, rip-it…

I gave up on the pattern DS and I picked out and DS understood my need to find something that would get his quilt completed and on his bed so we set off to searching for a new pattern. I was thinking an E2E and we found a loopy goose pattern. I didn’t want to buy the stencil, however, until I was sure I could 1) do this and 2) it would look okay on the top. So I printed a copy of the stencil picture off, traced it on tissue paper per this blog’s instructions (http://gquilts.wordpress.com/tutorials/tissue-paper-quilt-marking) and set about trying it.

Here’s the first attempt.

I started moving way too fast so the tension is off at the beginning and then, when trying to get the goose right, I actually think it turned out looking a bit drunk. I called it my “drunken goose.” DS got a kick out of that. But look! My second goose is near perfect.

I was feeling pretty good about the pattern and the tissue-paper method (“TP method”) until DS said, nah, not really. He didn’t like the loops & geese. Phew, glad I had a mom’s instinct to test the pattern first. He chose another pattern, not E2E.
Here I go again.

Rip-it, rip-it, rip-it…

However, I’m feeling so good about this method, I chug away. Here’s my first attempt on the new pattern with this TP method. It’s a bit wonky.

Here’s an attempt at the pattern without tissue paper.

(YIKES!)

Here’s my second attempt with the TP method. It's not great but today's work is even better and DS has given me the "yes, mom, I understand it will have squiggles and blips in the lines." So now I can get back to just enjoying the process and practicing (which was really was why I have been working on family quilts in the first place.)

Now, after working on this a few more times, I’ve gone ahead and taken care of the border. Notice how I actually can manage a straight line once I get into the quilting groove? I’m so happy!

This is reason one for my giddiness, I truly was feeling sorry for myself for a while. The second and bigger reason for my giddiness (and why I am praising Grace to all my quilting friends today) is b/c the tissue paper doesn’t allow me to see the little blips and errors in my quilting. It keeps me looking forward so one or two errors don’t set my mind behind where I’m moving Ms. Midge. I didn’t realize how much that affected me. And of course, the more I get into a groove, the smoother and nicer the designs all come out.

YES! Giddy, giddy, giddy. That describes my mood right now. Stay tuned, I’ll post completed top pictures soon. Oh, and don’t forget, for tonight at least, let’s forget President Obama…

“All Hail Grace!”

Thank you, Grace, for posting your tutorial!