Warning: You can ruin a quilt with your quilting.

Who's done it? Come on, fess up...

Well, I have.  From  pictures, it doesn't seem so bad but when I brought it off the frame... YIKES! It was relegated to one of the dog's crates instead of to the front porch for sitting under.

I had been meaning to tell you this cautionary tell for a while now. Do you remember the pinwheel quiltalong I participated in last Spring/Summer?  I did get it quilted before we packed up everything in TN and then took photos and decided to write this while I was without my machine.

Humph... you can see what happens when I just don't take care of it right away.  How many months later is it?

Alright, so back to the point. I finally, finally, FINALLY learned to plan a quilting pattern/motif before loading the quilt onto the frame. I was even prepared with the plan on how to accomplish what I wanted correctly and carefully.

This sounds simple, right? Quilt straight, diagonal lines. Criss-crossing each other at a relatively equal distance apart.  If necessary, use a ruler to keep the lines straight.

Simple.

But not Beck-proof.

Once I noticed my not so straight and should-be-ruler distance apart lines, I decided, "forget it" I'll just try several ways to get the result I want and finally, marked points equal distance along the top and bottom of the frame. It was working great. I advanced the quilt, marked again then realized the next set of mistakes.

I didn't mark the first line at the angle I was doing the others on the top.  I had a choice, unroll it and get the angle or just wing it.  Since I already messed up, I winged it.

Fast forward. I finish it and very much dislike it. I'm disappointed I ruined the blocks I actually enjoyed making and putting together. I've already decided it was for the dog's bed so grabbed an old bias strip from my mom's thrift store find (it didn't really match) and practiced putting the binding on using the zig-zag stitch, not pinning and not worrying about sewing each side seperately. This too, did not turn out so great, to include running out of the binding I knew I'd never use anywhere else.

My whining is done. Now the cautionary part of the tale. While yes, you CAN ruin a quilt with your quilting, please remember not to give up so quickly if you don't think it's going to look good.  Had I not given up and decided to make it worse with the binding, I might have liked it despite the wonky quilting.

Why? Here's what it looked like after a couple washes.  This would have been fine for the porch. (I suppose it still is if I was willing to overlook the binding.)  Not so bad, huh? 

Yep, just keep pushing at it and don't quit. It may turn out tolerable in the end.  Oh, and remember to "Beck-proof" by planning for all contingencies ahead!

Oh, and one final thing. I asked about the movie quote in the last post b/c I cannot find where it came from. I searched the web and this seems to be a tough one for everyone on the web and there is no general consensus.  If you learn of it, please drop me a line.  It may be Rocky IV that I remember it from (I have the thick accent in my head when I remember the quote) but I'm just not sure.  Thanks!
Cheers! Beck

First UFO/WIP finish and a giveaway!

It's done, thanks in large part to the quiltathon, and it's so cute!  I saw this hanging in my local quilt shop and mentioned how cute I thought it was. I was promptly told they were doing a 2-day class on raw-edge, machine applique for, get this... only $25!

I signed up.  My first class. It was low-key, come and go as you please, 3 or 4 people.  Sa-weet!  I learned some basics. Where I was fudging my way before, I now know how to accurately tack and stick down the applique prior to sewing. I've learned about zig-zagging around curves.  I've learned why, no matter how careful I am with cutting fabric, I'm always just a little bit off.  AND THAT, my friends is so important, I have to share with you. I think it makes more sense to explain it with pictures so a mini-tute on how to properly measure & cut your fabric is on its way.

Yes, I'm sure there are other tutorials out there but I don't feel like searching this morning. -wink-

Now, onto the good stuff!  My poor, cold, penguins!

Now, over at Kati Cupcake, there is a fat quarter giveaway. As much as I don't want anyone else to enter, the fabric is so pretty I have to share the opportunity. Go check it out!

Cheers! Beck

Quiltathon update - 10am CT Sunday

First, I worked later than normal for me to catch up a little from yesterday's start and I finished a third top I'm extremely proud of.  More on that in a moment.

Regarding the practice piece yesterday. That was the Western wall hanging in my WIP list. I'm leaving it as a WIP for now b/c I may rip out all those stitches or, more easily since someone was able to direct me to the designer of the pattern, get a new pattern and make a new one without all the building and creating errors.  We will see but my original intent to have it as a wall hanging has not disappeared so that keeps it as a WIP.

Now, the LSU quilt top is complete and will be quilted today. Since I am going to do a meander stitch with LSU and Tigers written in randomly, this should quilt fairly quick. I need to make the binding strips still out of some leftover fabric for this one. I may not get this complete today because I can't machine bind and keep the sewing "hidden" but I'm going to try!

The penguin wall hanging needs to have the binding finished and the embellishments sewn on. I believe this will be complete today! Hooray!

Finally, the top I finished last night (except the outer border which will be completed in about 20 min.) and a call for help.  This is my original design and I'm thrilled with how it turned out. So thrilled in fact, I am going to write down what I did so I have the record if I ever want to make it again.  I never knew a creation from start could be so satisfying. I've had some concerns along the way I measured or cut wrong, etc. but so far so good.  This will be backed by a light minky fabric. I do not plan to put any batting in.  I have a few quilting ideas but decided I would call out to you in blog land for your ideas as well.  I love ideas to choose from. 

Now, how are YOUR projects going?  Feel free to pop over to Judy L.'s site to check in on all the other quilting fools this weekend!

Quiltathon update 1 - 6:24pm CT

I didn't manage to start quilting until 3pm today so I'm behind where I wanted to be on my schedule. However, I am making great progress and still have the goal of showing you 2 completed quilts by weekend's end.

In the meantime, DH took care of supper tonight - from scratch! 

For your laughing pleasure, my PRACTICE with invisible thread for wall-hangings.  I'm glad I used this to practice, I learned some valuable lessons (which I probably would have known about if I had bothered to go read about anyone else's experiences with clear thread.)

1) Clear thread is not so clear on dark fabric. 

2) Raw edge applique MUST be ironed down thoroughly.

3) Draw the outline before you try to free-hand. Especially when you are a crappy aritist!

4) BEG all your BLOG LAND FRIENDS for HELP in finding another pattern/kit like this one again. 

As it turns out, I really like this kit but have too many booboos on this one (trust me, piecing, quilting, etc.) to make it wall worthy. I can't find the pattern again, though so if you know what this is called, please let  me know.

Now, the reason I showed you the practice, I have just finished quilting and will start binding tonight a snow man wall hanging. The clear thread works great on this one. Pictures tomorrow!

How are you doing?

The Quiltathon has begun.  Since DH is going to make dinner tonight (chicken orzo soup) I've only got to get off this computer and do the grocery shopping then I can get to my craft.
I'm working exclusively on WIPs/UFOs today and hope to have pictures of at least 2 projects by the end of the weekend, I'm that close! :D
 
Who else is using this weekend as dedicated quilt time?  Don't forget to post progress over on Patchwork Times.

Quiltathon- introduction

Judy Laquidara over at Patchwork Times, has scheduled Quiltathons for the first 4 months of this year.

I can think of no better way to tackle those UFOs/WIPs/PhDs than with dedicated time each month!

As Judy says, if you can't dedicate 2 full days (but you can try with planning ahead -wink-) try to dedicate chunks of the weekend to quilt along and post progress reports.

I am going to do my best to participate for portions of the weekends, if not the full weekend so I will post my progress here to link back to her blog as the weekend progresses.

So you all know what to expect, my posts will occur over the following weekends:
January 16 & 17, 2010
February 13 & 14, 2010
March 27 & 28, 2010
April 17 & 18, 2010

Maybe you want to join in? Go take a look and you decide!

:)

Now, one other item of extreme importance, should I make homemade mac and cheese for dinner tonight or cheat with a chicken and spinach alfredo Bertolli frozen meal for the family? ;) Have a good day!