I wanted to share my recent experience in how I dealt with a mistake I noticed after my top was complete.
I recently posted a picture of my first paper pieced project here
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-32966-1.htm.
I didn't notice until I was showing it off at work that I had made a mistake on one of the waves. My first thought was "oh, crap, what do I do now?" I thought about my various options to correct it. I could
1) tear it apart and re-do that section
2) applique the correct color over the incorrect one
3) applique something decorative over the mistake
Well, I was afraid if I tore it apart, I'd lose interest and put it aside. Not a good option as this was an overdue wedding gift. Plus, I had already started stitching in the ditch. If the quilt was for me, I might have opted for #2 and just appliqued the correct color. I decided to see what I could find to do a decorative applique.
I was lucky, my LQS just happened to have a fabric with dolphins the perfect size to fix my problem. So I cut out several dolphins and added them to the quilt. Using just one would probably be too obvious. So by using several, it looks more intentional. It was a little more difficult to machine stitch around the appliques, but I took my time and I'm very pleased with the outcome.
Moral of the story, if you make a mistake, don't panic! Sit back and think of your options, and choose one that works for you. :)
How it should look
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My "oops" block
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End result
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