Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have you ever made a quilt in which every single thing has gone wrong? That would be the one I am working on now.
It's a BOM quilt I bought all at one time. First, the blocks are very difficult. With insane measurements. I took a class on Craftsy that helped a bit. So about half are on point, the other half- not so much. I don't have any extra material, so I decided I will just let them be.
The center panel is applique. I cut the panel out larger then called for to give myself so breathing room. Well, that was before Christmas, I totally forgot that, which brings me to my crisis.
I am doing the whole "quilt as you go". So I sashed to blocks that go around the panel and quilted them in 4 parts (top, bottom, side, side). I put on the side pieces and trimmed it up. But somehow, no matter how many times I checked, and how careful I was, the one panel is 1.5 inches higher- AND I TRIMMED IT CROOKED!!!!.
OK, breathe. Then I realize that the width of the panel is 5 inches off. So last night I ripped off the side panels and attempted to correctly size the panel. Well, apparently, even though I used a light box to place the pieces of the motif down, the entire motif is too big. It is exactly the size of the picture, so I am not sure if this is a mistake in the pattern- or I am just an idiot.
So if I trim the center panel to give some room around the applique, the top and bottom blocks + sashing won't be long enough. And even if I just add something on the ends, the sashing won't line up. It's already been quilted, so I can't just add wider sashing.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
I feel like it's a battle of wills between me and this quilt. It cost too much money to become a UFO. I have to figure this out.
(Goes to sob in corner)
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like maybe a little breather is in order. Put it aside for a day or two and just think about what may have gone wrong. Do return to it just a couple of days.
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gosh! I wish we could see it. It's hard trying to understand just from the written word. If you post a picture of it maybe we can help.
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes please post a picture so we all can see what the problem is.
I'm sure someone on the forum will have an answer, they always do..
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will try. I have a new compute and haven't figured it all out yet.
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
A picture would really help. Or just tell us the name of the BOM. If it widely available we can get a picture from that. It sounds like you may be able to add some extra sashing to the blocks that go around the center panel to get everything to a matching size.
Hang in there. You can do this with a little help from your quilting friends.
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think that if you are short on fabric, you may have some in your stash that would work well instead. I agree a picture would be helpful, but I know how you are feeling.
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
You need to chill and then look at it again. I have a book that I think is by Gwen Marston and she thinks nothing of adding strips to a block or section to make it fit. Lots of older quilts were adjusted that way. Don't give up there is some way to save your quilt.
Brenda in Bama
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel your pain. I have been there and done that. I find that if I lay something aside for a while and come back to it (a day or so), solutions often just pop out at me. I find when I sit and stare at the problem, my mind shuts down and I get frustrated. If I walk away from it my mind resets and opens itself up to solutions.
And I would bet (and I'm not much of a betting person) that if you post pics here, one of these great quilters will help you with a good solution. The people here just seem to be programmed that way. It is so nice to have the combined experience of all the people here when you need a little help or even just encouragement. :icon_bigsmile:
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Attachment 69335
OK, this is the quilt I am working on. The applique is too large for the sashed bordered stars. (which are already put together and quilted.) Do you see how the top and bottom blocks and sashing line up? How can I fix this?
The only difference is that the center panel is one piece of fabric, not pieced as shown.
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
verenaerin
Have you ever made a quilt in which every single thing has gone wrong?
Oh yes! It was a paper-pieced quilt for my sister I was working on a few years ago. That quilt fought me every step of the way until I finally dubbed it "the quilt that didn't want to be made"! :lol: But I won the battle and did get it finished and she loves it, but it will always live in my mind as the one that nearly drove me over the quilting edge! :icon_eek:
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
At least you have the excuse that the quilt is complex. The one I had trouble with was really simple, but the sashing got me.
Good luck with this. I wish I could suggest an answer, but I am not experienced enough to know the shortcuts.
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
FWIW that is an absolutely gorgeous quilt!! I am sure when you finish it you will be glad you stuck with it!
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ummmm, crisis averted?
I just went downstairs to remeasure everything to figure out what I did wrong. When I measured the middle panel I used a ruler that counts up both ways. So when I apparently I was looking at the wrong number when measuring and everything is alright.
Sheesh, I would like to say I am embarrassed, but I m a little dramatic when it comes to quilting. I love it so much. So when it doesn't come out I am a little crushed.
Anyway, lesson learned...
1) do not make important quilt altering measurements at 930 pm.
2) walk away and take a break before you make a bigger mistake.
Thanks everyone!
(ok I am a little embarrassed!)
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
glad it all worked out for you. Sometimes walking away and looking at it again another day is all it takes.
That was an AHA moment!! LOL
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm glad you found what you did wrong...because looking at your quilt...I can't see anything wrong with it! It is beautiful!
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad the crisis was averted, your quilt is going to be beautiful!!
Please post pics when it's complete. :)
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have really looked hard at your quilt and can't see anything wrong with it. This is a gorgeous quilt!
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
brook
I have really looked hard at your quilt and can't see anything wrong with it. This is a gorgeous quilt!
Thanks, but that isn't my quilt, it's just the pattern. I posted it to show what I thought was my problem. But it's fixed now!
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
verenaerin
Ummmm, crisis averted?
Anyway, lesson learned...
1) do not make important quilt altering measurements at 930 pm.
2) walk away and take a break before you make a bigger mistake.
Thanks everyone!
(ok I am a little embarrassed!)
This is why I don't quilt/sew at night. being a morning person , after 5 everything looks different. I remember and incident where I was sewing something what escapes me at the moment . I was going along good and it was looking great decided to stop and go to bed while it was all good. Got up the next morning to look at it and it was as if elves had messed with it overnight. Nothing was right, wrong pieces together , right side to wrong side sewn together.. I thought how could it have looked so good last night... well that was my answer NIGHT... I am a morning person.. LOL lesson learned.
BTW your quilt is going to be gorgeous glad you figured it out and will continue!
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Iris Girl
This is why I don't quilt/sew at night. being a morning person , after 5 everything looks different. I remember and incident where I was sewing something what escapes me at the moment . I was going along good and it was looking great decided to stop and go to bed while it was all good. Got up the next morning to look at it and it was as if elves had messed with it overnight. Nothing was right, wrong pieces together , right side to wrong side sewn together.. I thought how could it have looked so good last night... well that was my answer NIGHT... I am a morning person.. LOL lesson learned.
BTW your quilt is going to be gorgeous glad you figured it out and will continue!
Thanks, Iris Girl. It's true, by the evening I am exhausted. But, I have 4 little ones (6 and under), so sewing during the day, in the basement, when I can't keep my eye on things, is impossible. I sew after I put the kiddos to bed.
One day I will be a day time sewer, in about 20 years!
Re: Quilting Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's amazing how things look different in different light. Glad it worked out. :icon_happy:
