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-   -   Bit off more than I can chew?!? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/bit-off-more-than-i-can-chew-t181199.html)

Tartan 03-01-2012 07:46 AM

I figure my material needs out before hand. I make a little sketch of the design just to make sure I've got all the fabric requirement correct. I buy the fabric and usually add 1/2 yd/m extra. I then cut enough to do the first block, starch, sew, iron and see how it looks. I like instant feedback and I can also make any changes before cutting all my material. Most of the time my pattern and material look great and I continue, 1 block at a time. I have had to occasionally switch out the placement or even a material if the block doesn't look like I want it to. Starching, ironing and cutting all the material would bore me and my sholder/elbow can't take doing all the rotary cutting at once anymore.

joyce888 03-01-2012 07:47 AM

I had the same thing happen to me last week when my DH was out of town. I couldn't get in the mood so I worked on other things instead. Clean the kitchen pantry, emptied dead plants from hanging baskets on the deck, cleaned the refrigerator, gathered things for Goodwill. No sewing done but at least when he returned I didn't feel like I had wasted the days.

Lori S 03-01-2012 08:45 AM

When ever I "set myself up" ineviatably , I will lack the final drive to actually do the work. Do what you want in this time.

winia 03-02-2012 06:21 AM

Making a quilt is not a speed contest. Relax and enjoy the process.

Jingle 03-02-2012 07:23 AM

My desire to see how the quilt will look inspires me to forge ahead with the cutting. Following a pattern makes it go faster as someone has all the fabric requirements listed. Making up my own pattern slows me down.
Just hang in there and you will be sewing before you know it.

athenagwis 03-02-2012 07:24 AM

I feel the same way sometimes, especially when something goes wrong like not having enough fabric. It's like hitting a stone wall for me!! LOL Hope inspiration hits you very soon!!

Rachel

vickiehornback 03-02-2012 07:25 AM

I know what you mean. When you don't have time to sew you think of all kinds of things you want to do if you only had the time, but when you do have the chance to sit down at you machine it seems your motivation to get started has disappeared and I'm slow too so when I do start a project seems like I'll never finish. It doesn't sound like it but I do really love to sew.

carolynjo 03-02-2012 08:59 AM

Just enjoy the process. Your brain is working on other problems while you are happily getting the quilt ready to put together. That's why quilting is so much fun. Don't worry about the "gotta have it done by so-and so."

fmhall2 03-02-2012 09:03 AM

Your dilemma reminds me of a few years ago when I was trying to teach our great granddaughter to sew. We were working on an apron for her mother. But she said she wanted to learn to make some clothes for herself. So we were going through the steps of using a pattern. After we got the pattern ready to use she looked at me and said, "When does the fun start?" Everything has to be fun nowadays.

AnnieF 03-02-2012 09:25 AM


Originally Posted by Tartan (Post 5021642)
I figure my material needs out before hand. I make a little sketch of the design just to make sure I've got all the fabric requirement correct. I buy the fabric and usually add 1/2 yd/m extra. I then cut enough to do the first block, starch, sew, iron and see how it looks. I like instant feedback and I can also make any changes before cutting all my material. Most of the time my pattern and material look great and I continue, 1 block at a time. I have had to occasionally switch out the placement or even a material if the block doesn't look like I want it to. Starching, ironing and cutting all the material would bore me and my sholder/elbow can't take doing all the rotary cutting at once anymore.

This is exactly the way I work.....I press and cut some, I sew some.....I go back and cut. At one time, the girl in charge of our quilt ministry wanted me to test the patterns she was giving out....you know, how much of this, how much of that. I tried it but found out I was "not going into my quilt studio" because it became so tedious to me. I gave the job back to her. She asked how I know when I have enough cut.....and I told her that when the size of my quilt tells me to stop, I stop....of course it helps that I'm a scrappy quilter so I don't worry so much about all the fabric matching.


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