minibarn

We is it the we quilters always have to look at the back of a quilt. I am a fairly new hand quilter and when I look at the back it makes me want to cry. I can't decided whether to keep going or pick out what's there and send it off to be finished.

I do have a couple of hand quilting questions too. I find that when I push my needle through, then tip it back the needle sometimes pops back through the layers instead of taking the stitch. I try to only push it through until I feel the tip of the needle, but sometimes that just does not seem like enough. Do any of you ever get what looks like a run in the fabric when trying to pop the knot through? What am I doing wrong?

Now for opinions...the quilt I am working on is a Bears Paw, with sashing and setting squares, and a wide border. Can I wait and quilt the borders after I take it out of the frame or should I do it along w/the rest? I am doing just straight line quilting, and wondered if I add some curvy stuff to the border will it look strange? Or I thought about doing a "paw" on the border, just sort of and oval shape w/round "toes"...if that makes sense. Would that look OK w/the straight lines?

Thanks for any help,
Jp