I Can't Believe I did this!
 

I am making a memory bowtie quilt. Actually I've finished it! However as I was finishing the binding, I noticed that one square was catching lint & strings. Upon closer review, I found out that I had sewn the block "wrong side out"! I had used some interfacing on a white t-shirt square. When I made the bowtie, I must have turned the square over, hence it has the interfacing on the top of the quilt. Any suggestions as to a possible fix? Do I just leave it & call it my humility block? Will the interfacing wash off? It's going to a male college freshman & is made from his deceased grandpa's shirts.

I would applique the quilt label over it, if the block isn't too big. If not any applique will hide it.

Ouch! I think something has to be done to correct or hide the mistake because this is going to another person and it will have very personal memories for him. Unless you used a wash away stabilizer, it will not disintegrate. Possible solutions would depend on how the quilt has been quilted and if the block is in the center of the quilt or near the edge. Can we have more info please or perhaps a picture?

I have made a raw edge applique over a turned piece before on a quilt that was completed. Maybe you could do the same, just make a duplicate block and put it over the backwards block. follow the same quilting lines and it will blend in.

Sorry this happened, but you have got to fix this. Similar mistakes have happened to all of us.....which is why we all have "solutions" to the various situations. Show us a pic and we can offer you a solution to your block.

I noticed a similar problem on one of my quilts. I had hand quilted the majority of the quilt. I had a star block that the points were facing the wrong direction. I was able to pull the block out, fix it, reinstall and go on my merry way.

I'm not overly familiar with interfacings or stabilizers but I think I would rip it apart and flip the block over. Tedious process to be sure but since it is a memory-type quilt, I would feel compelled to fix it and 'make it right'.

Good luck!

I would have to fix it, even if it was for myself.

I hope it goes easy for you.

Can you appliqué a block over it?

I would either fix the block or applique something that will represent his life over it. Maybe the mascot for the college he's going to, or a favorite hobby. Or, can you cut all that interfacing away until there is just a fringe left at the seam line? Then you could just applique a small border around the block, covering that icky seam and call it done. In quilting, mistakes make us think outside the box. This is your opportunity.

Ugh!! I’m so sorry that happened! I feel for you!! So you know you are not alone, we’ve all had that ”Oh, noooooooo!!!” moment. But you’ll fix it in a way you’ll be proud of, one way or another. Let us know how it turns out while we cheer you on from the virtual sidelines:).

If possible, I'd try to remove that one square and reinsert it with the right side up. If there's too much quilting over it and it's not possible, then I'd applique another square overtop of it, then "mimic" the quilting that was on the square by not going all the way through the entire sandwich, only the top layer and batting. with the new quilting.

I would either applique over the block with the same fabric or try and unsew the interfacing block and flip it over to the right side. Good luck and so sorry this happened to you. You definitely are not alone in this problem. I think we all have have something like this happen to us all.

We all sympathize.

If it wasn't for the interfacing and the different thread catching, etc. issues, I'd leave it as is. But since this is a memory quilt and is for someone else, yeah... you have to do something.

Label is good, applique is good, taking out and redoing is pretty awful but is good in the end.

My story of such a thing was a storm at sea quilt, all different pieces of blue. I don't know how many times I handled each block, dozens I'm sure as I pinned and sewed and pressed and quilted and bound... But I didn't notice one of the larger squares of fabric was inside out until it was hanging in a show. No one else ever commented on it and I left it as it was despite my desire to do something with it. It is indeed a humility block, I've never ever had to put in a deliberate mistake to any of my projects, there's always something that gets in and that I have to deal with in one way or another.

I agree with those who say the best solution is to pick out all the stitches and put it back together right, but if that's too difficult, I wanted to point out that iron-on interfacing will usually come off if you heat it as you did when you applied it. If you can test it first on a scrap of the same fabric. There might be glue residue. If it's t-shirt fabric usually it's the same on both sides, but I'm guessing you have some sort of design that is on the inside now, and taking off the interfacing won't solve that problem.

I have lots (!!!) of experience picking out stitches and want to say that if you don't have good lighting and good magnification and a very sharp seam ripper, now would be a good time to get them. Ott makes more than one version, depending on your budget, so that's one option, but I have been using some Mag-Eyes next to a bright window when the sun is on the other side of the house to avoid glare. You'll be surprised how much easier it is than the same work in ordinary indoor light without the magnifier. Do pick out the quilting from the back because if you slip and make a hole there, an applique is a better option than on the front. I have one where I appliqued a piece of fabric over a hole, and because the backing is a busy print and I was able to line it up, I would have a very hard time finding it even though I know it's there. Good luck!

Editing to add that if you want to match the quilting exactly, try tracing or drawing it before you rip it out.

Taking off the interfacing with heat will not solve the problem. The interfacing is attached to the wrong side of the fabric, so the wrong side is still up. It needs to be flipped to right side up - - - somehow. Or fixed some other way.

I have no other suggestions beyond the ones already given. I just wanted to add a word...or two.., We all have been there with mistakes, big ones and little ones, so we sympathize with you on this dilly of a mistake. You'll feel a lot better if you fix it the right way and only you can decide which way to do it. IMHO, that's not the easy way. I think you will just have to take that mistake out and flip it, or take it out and replace it with a new one, if you have more ties.

Remember that you have friends here who wish you well and know you can fix it!! Just grab a cup of tea or coffee, take a short walk and start working on it! Keep us posted on your progress and show us some photos!

I would pick out the stitches and correct the mistake.

Or, if you could photocopy a picture of his grandfather onto fabric and applique it over the block, that might work.

Aha! A picture of Grandpa on the quilt in his dorm room might be a bit of a deterrent to any hanky panky in that room! :D

>>I wanted to point out that iron-on interfacing will usually come off if you heat it as you did when you applied it. If you can test it first on a scrap of the same fabric. There might be glue residue.<<

I'm late to this particular topic, but if you do decide to leave it, and need to get rid of glue residue, you might try Goo Gone, which does get rid of the sticky left from glued on labels, etc.

Ditto what others have said - - either fix the faux pas or applique over it.