My Comedy of Errors.

[Kashu1958]

I've wanted to make a patriotic quilt for a while so I followed Jenny's Stars and Stripes like she made in her video. I don't know what happened, I thought I did everything right...I would say even most of my points lined up pretty good but the last strip was shorter than the add on stars to the left. So, I just cut that strip in half...looks slightly weird, but not too bad (error 1). I took it to a long armer that taught a class I took a while back and she suggested variegated red, white and blue thread (error 2). I thought it might look okay. It doesn't. And to top it off, she didn't do the best job on the quilting (error 4). Okay, so I get it home and do the binding (error 5)...I had a little gathering in the quilt when I finished the connecting the binding. I agonized but decided to keep it. My last error is that I intentionally sewed the binding on the back so that I could machine sew on the front (error 6). OMG...I have to take the entire binding off and sew it onto the front and hand sew the back.

I'm just whining here. This was to be a gift for friends, retired police officers, and it's just falling apart step by step. I feel like just going back to doing jelly roll quilts, I can do those much better.

[Quiltfreestyle]

Don’t give up, we’ve all made mistakes. Learn from them & move on to the next quilt. My worst mistake was back in the 70’s when I made my first quilt. This is before the big resurgence in quilt making. Finding fabrics or how to books was hard. Had to use cardboard for the templates, no good templates had been invented yet. Cut out everything with scissors, no rotary cutters. The worst was that I found a booklet that said to quilt it with waxed thread. The only waxed thread I could find was dental floss. Yes you guessed it,,,,idiot me hand quilted the whole thing with dental floss! I thought my fingers would never recover.
be proud of yourself for meeting this challenge & finishing the quilt.

[Bubby]

My name is beside every mistake that can be made in making quilts. We learn by doing and asking for help when we are stuck. Your next quilt will be easier. We are always our own worst critic...be gentle with yourself.

[GrammaBabs]

We learn from our mistakes... and anything handmade can NEVER be perfect, in my book... I hope you realize that whoever gets this is going to LOVE it no matter what) Forward march... GB

[geegeequilts]

Do NOT give up! Things will get better. YOU will get better. And try not to beat yourself up over mistakes you might make. You'll get thru this little issue. We have faith in you. Gina

[Kashu1958]

Thank you for the kind words everyone. 😊

[KPH]

Oh the boo boos I've made. I bet we could all add stories here. Don't be too hard on yourself. Like everyone else said, we all have learned buckets from our boo boos too.

[201 Treadler]

Thank you for sharing your gremlins, have issues with most of my quilts then it is finished think how great it is, am pleased with all achievements.
That star that is different is a design choice, hint. not an error, also adds a story to the quilt.
the person receiving will love it because of who made it!!
binding perhaps can do a fancy stitch to attach front. try testing on some off cut fabric first.
do not forget to photo quilt for your own make records.
hugs
T

[grammaterry]

I bet its better than you describe. The first quilts I made were not good (looking back) but I persevered and every quilt I make is a masterpiece. (you know I'm kidding) but I truly love them everyone.

[Sharyn J]

Oh, my goodness, please don't be so hard on yourself! Making a quilt is a process and learning experience. The more quilts you make, the better you get! It's like anything else. Practice & experience make good bed fellows. I've been quilting for nearly 30 years and I'm still learning! To be perfectly honest, I'd be embarrassed to show my beginning quilts, but they were made with love and the grandkids saved those awful quilts because they loved them so much. They're now in their 20's and it touches my heart that they all saved the quilts. Their eyes never saw a mistake. Your friend will be thrilled with the love and work you did to honor his retirement.