1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

[toggpine]

I just made it home from our monthly UFO / PHD group at our LQS. It was a much smaller group than it has been. We had one new gal join us. She was very sweet and had a some hexies she was sewing into a Grandmother's Flower Garden.

This is her very first quilt project. She bought some really cool metal templates to make her hexies with. She's not using papers on the inside for stability, just sewing them together point to point. She has 6 or so of the larger flowers done. She just dove right in. She's not even sure what the proper procedure is for pressing the seams!

So the question for the evening is: Do you dive right into a new project when inspiration strikes and roll with the punches, or do you investigate all of the techniques & methods before choosing the one that's the best for you?

[kensington]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

I'm a quick scan the options and dive kinda gal. If I have a basic gist of the idea, I'll start the project. I don't mind learning as I go.

[pcbatiks]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

I guess most of the time I investigate the techniques and methods. There have been a couple times that I would just "dive right in" without even realizing that I didn't know what I was doing! Only to find out later that there was an easier way to do it!

Good question, Cathy!

[Kgrammiecaz]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

I just dive right in. Sometimes finding later i should at least read a pattern through at least once before starting. But no patience, I just want to get it going. As I do more i am finding i am able to slow down a bit and truly enjoy the process which is very much what I wanted from this new obsession I have aquired

[lynnl55]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

I'm a diver...by the seat of my pants kind of gal. Unless it's something special; a gift, a consignment, etc. then I do some looking and pay attention. Might explain all my UFO's !!

[Jean Sewing Machine]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

Dive! We don't need no steenkin' directions! Til we are in over our heads!

[Hulamoon]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

I like this question! I was getting so bogged down with tutorials that I know some of them by heart now. I came across a cute baby quilt and just started doing it from the picture. So jumping in is good and overthinking is bogging. lol

[bubba]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

OO AH OO AH (that is my submarine sound!) dive dive dive!!!!!

Cathy, what shop is your LQS out your way???

[Sew Perfect]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

I seem to be a diver for the most part. Jump first, ask questions later.

[turena65]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

I will be the odd man out here and admit that I usually spend wayyy more time than I should researching, practicing, and researching some more before I actually dive right in to a project. My fabric stash is precious to me and the fabric was expensive. I guess that I just want to make sure that I don't waste any fabric or any of my time and once I'm committed to it, I don't usually stop until it's completely done. It's one reason I have only 1 UFO, and that's because I want to hand quilt it and I need to learn how to do that before I finish the project.
Because I DON'T dive right in, sometimes it's hard for me to get going on a project. My OCD kicks in and I have to plan everything out!

[toggpine]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

OO AH OO AH (that is my submarine sound!) dive dive dive!!!!!

Cathy, what shop is your LQS out your way???

Harbor Quilt went out of business and Quilt Revolution opened in it's former location almost right in Gig Harbor with all of the boats! The new owners have done a few things differently. They now have later hours two days a week and have added evening/night classes and groups. Yea says me!
It is still about 30 minutes from me, but then so is the grocery store!

I tend to be a diver-iner, unless I have some spendy or extinct fabric I want to use. Then I become a pattern-reading, method-hunting, checker-outer.

[bubba]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

I knew they shut down right before we left town, only because I went out there to find signs up and doors locked!! I have not been to the new shop....yet. Do they have a website? How about class choice?

[Simply Quilting]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

It depends upon what it is. When I make a major purchase - like a sewing machine, it is months of research before purchase.

For quilts and fabric, it varies. For some projects, I watched Jenny's video and dove right into and bought the material for a Jelly Roll quilt. I did watch it several before I started sewing - fabric is too expensive to waste. Sometimes with fabric, I just see it and know I want it but don't have a pattern picked out yet. I did that with the Bright Colors bought 4 charms and one layer cake, had thought about doing a two sided quilt but when Jenny came out with the Five and Dime tutorial, I decided to do that one. For our summer quilt, I spent several days looking at patterns and fabric.

[auntiemern]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

Depends on the project. Usually just a dive right in kinda gal. To much time wasted by over thinking.

[Andrea F]

Re: 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Night Owl

When I see a quilt that I like and think I can figure out how it's done I take some fabric (not the expensive, pretty fabrics) and try. If it doesn't work I search for instructions on the internet.