Thursday, November 29, 2007

Quilting:A Love/Hate Relationship

Click photo to enlarge
Am I the only one that has a love/hate relationship with my quilting? Usually at some point in a project I have some level of disappointment or dissatisfaction with the results I'm getting.

I was really worried about 1/2 way through piecing the Ice Cream quilt that my fabric placement wasn't going to work....but that top turned out nice and is on the longarm ready for quilting.

I LOVED my Holiday House top.....but as I was quilting it I started to think I'd ruined it. Last night I began quilting snowflakes (after all what's Christmas without snow?) and now I actually think it's going to be cute. One of these days I'll learn to *keep the faith* and believe that in the end the final quilt will be OK.

So am I all that unusual or do you all go through the same love it/hate it process when making a quilt?

16 comments:

Joyce said...

I am going through the exact same thing with my winter wall hanging right now. I don't like it at all and I can't see how I will pull it all together. I may have to put it aside for a few days.

Vicki W said...

The better question is "is there anyone that doesn't go through a love/hate relationship with their quilting?" How can you be creative without the back and forth emotions about the project in process?

May Britt said...

The snowflakes are perfect. It is turning out beautiful. I guess this little quilt is one you are going to treasure a lot. Love/hate quilts usually become treasures.

May Britt said...

The snowflakes are perfect. It is turning out beautiful. I guess this little quilt is one you are going to treasure a lot. Love/hate quilts usually become treasures.

mereth said...

We should never judge a work when it's only half-done, because it's usually going to be found wanting. A lot of time the first quilting distorts the nice flat surface and it looks pretty average for a while. Then the more you work on it, the better it looks. I think everyone has these moments, but we should learn to just work through them and trust our own abilities. I sound wise, but I do this every quilt, especially customer quilts- "Agh! I've ruined it!How am I going to explain This!!" Perhaps the answer is just to have more confidence in ourselves.

Carolyn said...

The snowflakes are the perfect touch! I absolutely have a love/hate relationship with quilts. It's only bad when the hate prevails once the quilt is done!

Karen said...

I am hating my baby doll quilt project today. The border is too choppy for such a small quilt.

I am going to rip off the border and redo it.

I did a scrappy 9 patch once and I made and ripped out the blocks 3 times.

Perfectionism is overrated!

Karen

Marilyn Robertson said...

The snowflakes are perfect! This will be a wonderful quilt in the end!

Gypsy Quilter said...

Oh, definitely. And when I'm really tired of it and don't want to ever see it again, I mail it off to someone who will really appreciate it.

Juliann in WA said...

I am having that relationship with a very large quilt that I just can't seem to finish. I really do love those little snowflakes - this is a wonderful little quilt.

doni said...

I LOVE the snowflakes! House quilts are just so darn cute - I may have to drop everything and rush to my machine ...

Love your work and web site. Thanks.

Tazzie said...

Hi Mary
I always experience the very same thing. I'll be quilting on something and think the quilting looks terrible - I convince myself to keep going, and never fails - I'm more than happy when it's finished.
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

Anonymous said...

I have to give away everything I make, because by the time I am done I am sick of looking at it.
I love your work!!!

meggie said...

I go through that with almost everything I make these days! they then become UFOs or WIPs as I prefer to think of them. I find with time, I can often find they are ok after all!. Especially if I take a photo of the particular quilt top. I am often surprised at how good it will look in the photo!

Norma said...

I don't have a problem hating the quilt itself, but I do get frustrated with my workmanship along the way. Then I ask myself who is ever going to notice and move forward. I am working on a quilt for my grand daughter and keep finding things that I wished I had done better. She will love it and use and abuse it, which is the whole idea anyway! As long as I LEARN something along the way, it works.

I love the little house, the little boy in the window makes it special.

Patti said...

Not usually - but I used to years ago. I think we are all just WAY too hard on ourselves. The Holiday House top is absolutely delightful, and I love the way you quilted fans around the edges!