The rest of those classes I learned how to piece my quilt together and sew it while maintaining the 1/4 inch seam. That table runner had triangles that were supposed to meet at a nice point, but 2 of my 4 squares didn't have such nice crisp points. My instructor told me not to worry, all quilters have this issue from time to time. But I am a PERFECTIONIST, I NEEDED those points to all be just right.
I ripped out seams and resewed them, not getting any closer to perfect than the first try. Finally came the time when I had to finish the table runner to finish the class. Everyone who saw my table runner thought it was great, they never mentioned the triangles not meeting perfectly. I knew it was not so great though, and I didn't really like it.
I had a friend whose mother was a real quilter, and she happened to be visiting. I reluctantly showed her my table runner, and I immediately pointed out the flaws. I will NEVER forget her reaction to that! She looked at me and said, "It is okay to have flaws in your quilt. The Amish actually make a mistake in every quilt they make, they call it their humility square." When I looked at her dumbfounded, she continued. "The Amish know that only God is perfect and only God can make perfection." She then finished with, "That is why when I quilt, I am Amish. I fix the really big mistakes, but if my points don't line up? Who cares, I am Amish!"
Her words have rung in my head with every stitch...even when I crochet I now claim I am Amish! it was my encounter with this woman that really helped me to become a reforming perfectionist! I still rip out seams quite often, but now it is because they are wrong and not just because I am unhappy.
I don't have any pictures of my table runner,I gave it away before I decided to make a photo list of my work...
Current quilt in progress
This pattern is called Psychedelic, Baby. I now have it sewn together and some of the borders on...
Friday, March 4, 2011
The first class...
Before I showed up for my first quilting class, there were some things I needed to have. I needed a cutting mat, a long cutting ruler, a square ruler, a cutting wheel, an iron, my sewing machine, thread, fabric, pins, and the pattern. Some of these I already had, like my machine, thread, pins, etc...
When I was handed the supply list for class, I almost panicked! You mean for my first EVER quilt *I* would have to pick out the colors and the fabric?! Okay, so if you really know me well, you likely know I have no real sense of fashion or color, so this really scared me! I asked my all knowing new friend at the quilting shop ow to pick the fabric. Since this class was for a table runner instead of an actual quilt, she asked me about my kitchen colors. Oh, that was easy! My kitchen was an apple decor!
We picked out fabric and I was all set. I walked into that class not having a clue how to quilt, and I left that class without having a clue how to quilt! That first class was all about cutting the fabric...something I have learned that I REALLY hate... We also learned about the cutting mat and the cutting wheel, and the safest ways to cut.
I did have all of my pieces cut when I left, so I did feel a little more like a quilter! Good thing that class was a 4 week class!
When I was handed the supply list for class, I almost panicked! You mean for my first EVER quilt *I* would have to pick out the colors and the fabric?! Okay, so if you really know me well, you likely know I have no real sense of fashion or color, so this really scared me! I asked my all knowing new friend at the quilting shop ow to pick the fabric. Since this class was for a table runner instead of an actual quilt, she asked me about my kitchen colors. Oh, that was easy! My kitchen was an apple decor!
We picked out fabric and I was all set. I walked into that class not having a clue how to quilt, and I left that class without having a clue how to quilt! That first class was all about cutting the fabric...something I have learned that I REALLY hate... We also learned about the cutting mat and the cutting wheel, and the safest ways to cut.
I did have all of my pieces cut when I left, so I did feel a little more like a quilter! Good thing that class was a 4 week class!
The idea to start a blog...
Okay, so there are a ton of blogs out there, most are boring and some are put you to sleep snooze fests! I have never really wanted to bog down the blogging world, except with the kittens, for fear of putting people to sleep. Then I decided to start this blog about my own quilting adventures...
I began quilting in 2004, after many years of watching quilting shows and thinking I would really like it. I always thought I could NEVER enter into a real quilting shop, since I was not a quilter. Then one day I got up the nerve to walk into The Cozy Quilt Shop, in San Diego. I remember feeling extremely intimidated by all the perfect quilts hanging on the walls, and the knowledgeable chatter happening all around me. I almost turned right back around and RAN!
One of those quilting ladies stopped me with a simple smile and 1 word... Hello! I looked at her for a second or two before I was able to tell her I wanted to learn ow to quilt. I was prepared for her to laugh me out of the shop, but she happily told let me to the counter where she had a list of classes! Classes that were designed for people like ME, non-quilters!! I was thrilled! I was actually going to BE a quilter!
I began quilting in 2004, after many years of watching quilting shows and thinking I would really like it. I always thought I could NEVER enter into a real quilting shop, since I was not a quilter. Then one day I got up the nerve to walk into The Cozy Quilt Shop, in San Diego. I remember feeling extremely intimidated by all the perfect quilts hanging on the walls, and the knowledgeable chatter happening all around me. I almost turned right back around and RAN!
One of those quilting ladies stopped me with a simple smile and 1 word... Hello! I looked at her for a second or two before I was able to tell her I wanted to learn ow to quilt. I was prepared for her to laugh me out of the shop, but she happily told let me to the counter where she had a list of classes! Classes that were designed for people like ME, non-quilters!! I was thrilled! I was actually going to BE a quilter!
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