Help! Can this quilt be saved??
 

I'm sooo upset! It's the first time I've used a thin batting and now the back of my quilt is covered with knots! It's a small (30" square) quilt, log cabin blocks, some in reds, some in whites, some 1/2-1/2, to make a white background with a red valentine. The logs are tiny (1/2" finished). I decided to [machine] quilt the white parts in 1/2" cross-hatching so the valentine stands out (photo below, degraded to show stitching). Dense, but goes with the logs. I secured the ends of each row the way I have before, by taking 2-3 stitches at 0 length. But when I turned the quilt over, the little knots are all over the back! They apparently just punched through! And they refuse to be pulled back into the center of the quilt. Worse yet, I used different thread colors for top/bottom, so the knots really show (see 2nd pic below)!

I don't know if the fabric would stand up to ripping out rows and rows of stitching, plus pulling out the knots. There are 16 rows in half of a 7" block. I thought about just getting a permanent marker the color of the backing to color the knots, but they'd still be very obvious. I could hand-applique something over the areas that are already quilted, but they'd just be weird triangles. The quilt is a gift for a dear friend. I'm so disappointed!!

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Will you be washing it? I've had that in a few places before and it mostly disappears after washing. I guess there is enough shrinkage to make it less noticeable.

If you are forced to resort to an applique cover up, maybe some kind of a twisting vine with heart shaped flowers all the way around the edge of the stitching would look more planned.

I hope someone has a great idea. It's so painful when your work doesn't come out the way it is in you head.

What is the intended use of this quilt? It is is meant to be a wall hanging or table topper, I would not worry too much.

Me I would use a marker like you suggested. Wash the finished quilt and when you give it to your friend you can decide if you will mention to knots to her. If she is a non quilter, she may not notice or really care. She will be thrilled to receive such a nice gift.

I agree! Unless your friend is really, really picky I think she would be thrilled with such a beautiful gift!

Thanks! I will be washing it before gifting it, so I guess I can decide what to do then. I like the twisting vine idea for an applique. It would just take a lot more time, and this was supposed to be a Christmas (2012) gift. On the other hand, maybe Easter??

Yes, I've done that, too. And believe me, that's what I'll be doing on the rest of the quilt! It is a pain, but obviously worth it. "Regrets, I've had a few..."

if the knots are still showing after the wash can you use a permanent marker to color them?they won't show as much if the colors match. It's beautiful anyway and anyone would love to be gifted with it!!!

When I toured the quilt studio of a retired professional quilter (Melody Johnson of Fibermania) I noticed that she dosen't try to hide knots on the back of her wall hanging quilts. They are beautiful and she sells them that way. Maybe you are being too hard on your self. Instead of trying to hide the knots could you clip them off, unpick a short distance, re-knot and hide, then re-quilt the small space using another method to knot ends.

I really like your backing. The quilt is nice too, but the backing is wonderful. I would use it the make the quilting pattern and quilt from the back. Not on that pattern but on another pattern. Do you have any left? I think your friend will be happy with the gift just the way it is.
Sue