Have you another design you can put in the corner like a flower, star, Celtic Knot, scroll or spiral? The cables can come to the corner but blend into the corner design. It can be as simple as straightening the cable lines into a 90* corner to connect to the next cable or more complex.

Where can I see the quilt

Now I see it. Why does the cable on the left have 3 bands on one side and two on the other.

you know what? read the thread. or don't. either way i'm good.

aileen

The quilt is beautiful. And the mess as you call it is far from being a mess. I think you may be seeking perfection however I think your grandmother will only see the love you have put into making this gorgeous quilt for her.

I second this answer. lovely quilt Grandma will love it and I really don't see a mistake, maybe I am blind, but it looks truly beautiful. {{HUGS }} to you for giving this to your Grandma and may she live many long years to use it.

Please finish it as it is. My great grandmother quilted, my mother lead me to think that GGM's quilting and piecing was perfect. My cousin found a quilt top that she had pieced, it is far from prefect. I am going to finish it. I too hand quilt, I will cherish this quilt, as my GGM started it. Your grandmother will cherish the quilt. You do such lovely work.

AmI correct that you have finished only one corner. If so adjust the others to be the same as the one you have already done. There will be balance. If you decide to take out any, I would suggest only the smaller one to make it the same width as the other cables.

You will always know it is there and not be happy. Take the time to take it out and fix it. You will be happier in the end!!!!!!!!!!

Don't worry about it, you will probably be the only one who would notice it at all. Give yourself some slack, although I know I have the same problem when something isn't perfect, but as the Amish have a saying "Nobody is perfect, except for God". They deliberately leave in a mistake, fortunately for me I don't have to make it deliberate. LOL.

Cover it up with an applique that is the same color as your quilt fabric. I've done that a couple of times, and it worked nicely.

Rules are meant to be broken. If it is worrying then you then remove it.

Aileen,

First in answer to your query, that shortened cable won't be noticeable and it's just fine!!! I'd have to agree with some other posters in that the quilt and quilting are wonderful! Probably because you are "up close and personal" while hand quilting, you notice any little "mistakes" more so than anyone else would. And I certainly do not think your "mistake" is worth undoing hours of already completed hand work. In fact, I think without someone pointing it out, I would not notice it either. And if someone does happen to point it out, then nuts to them.

I probably shouldn't include this but as you sort of mentioned at one point, if we on the QB want to post a reply (other than a compliment), we should read the whole thread before asking questions that have most likely been asked already especially if the thread is several pages long. Yes, it takes some time but at least we don't have the same question asked over and over again. That drives me nuts too. So glad to hear you say "I'm good." Now you can carry on.

Hi Aileen,

I don't have much to add: like others, I think from your picture that it's fine. It looks like a celtic knot-type pattern to me, not a squished cable. Another thing to keep in mind is that the corners of quilts fold when the quilt is on the bed, so the quilting is less noticeable in that area. You don't even see the whole corner motif at once. I'm glad you're more happy with it; I think it's beautiful, and you should be proud of it! Your hand stitching is really lovely.

Why don't you ever remove hand quilting...I would think a better rule is always remove a mistake.

i couldn't see any difference except on back & that's only because I was looking real hard.

the handquilting rule comes from a desire to balance perfectionism with reality.

i am a s-l-o-w handquilter. two of those cable loops take three hours, from threading the needles to taking the hoop off the finished product. my gran is 89, and isn't doing so well. this needs to get done.

maybe in another project i'll be more willing to cut threads. not this one. not right now.

aileen

I can't see the problem. Trying to figure out what needs to be corrected.

In my opinion for what it's worth, your quilt is absolutely beautiful. I do not and never plan to hand quilt, hate to even do the hand sewing on a binding. I think I would complete the quilt and give it to your grandmother, then if you have time later and want to redo that corner, then do it. I am sure your grandmother will be so happy and pleased that you love her enough to take the time to make her such a beautiful quilt, and by hand no less, that even if she is a quilter, she will not care if she even notices the mistake. When I find a mistake in my quilting, it drives me nuts until I correct it, but there are times I have had to let it go, due to time restraints or something else.
I had the same Band Director from 5th grade through High School, and when some one would make a mistake, - he always noticed. Instead of getting angry and fussing at that person he would tell us to try our best, and to correct our mistake because it would usually be 'heard' or 'seen' if we were marching on the field, - but to also remember that "Only one Person was ever perfect, and they crucified Him". Strange how a comment that was made so long long ago has been remembered for so long, and whenever anyone makes a mistake and calls it to my attention, I always think of what Mr. Rose would say. I can even picture him standing in the band hall and almost hear him in my mind so many years later.

Wow! That's incredible hand quilting! Your Grandma will love it. I would imagine she will be very proud to have such a talented grand daughter. I'd be ecstatic if a grandchild made such an effort to make something like that for me. I'm still not sure where the error is. I just saw rows of perfect stitching.

Oh no! It is beautiful! Please continue and give with the joy that I am sure it will be received!

We never look as critically as while we are working. Put it down, walk away, look from a distance. Your grandmother will be thrilled.

Your quilting is lovely, and the "design feature" in this corner just adds "character"! :thumbup: I so admire hand quilting.

I second (third?) this. It drives me nuts, too. Many times my fingers are itching to answer something, but I just have to keep reading, and most times someone else has already asked the question, and it has been answered. Saves my time, and your time, too. Now this is on this thread for the third time, so maybe more of the none readers may see it!

Hugs to you and to your grandmother, too.

I don't know if I am just losing my eyesight but I too, am a perfectionist & I just can't seem to find anything wrong with what is showing on my computer screen, even after enlarging the picture & REALLY looking hard to find this "mistake". If it were me & bothered me sooooooo much, I would take it apart but I am "anal" sometimes. I really don't see what the kafuffle is all about. The pattern in the fabric sure takes a bit away from your quilting & maybe that's why I really don't see the problem.
The bottom line, "follow your heart" & you will know what you should do.

So glad, you have decided to "let it be". Your grandmother is going to be absolutely thrilled that you would do this lovely quilt for her & she is going to cherish it for whatever length of time she has left. The sooner she gets it, the better. I so admire "hand quilters" & your work is awesome. I have a handmade quilt that the Mennonites here in Canada made & I am told that they purposely put in a mistake as "only God is perfect". Enjoy your lovely creation until you turn it over to it's rightful owner (your gram). Your story really touches my heart. Tks for sharing.

Any fool can make it perfect!
that one of my Mottos!

Make a lovely label that is meant to be in that spot of honor and seen by everyone as the enter the room!

I will honestly say that I wouldn't be able to tell what the problem is if you hadn't told me. I can see that the cable next to the corner is slightly smaller than the one next to it, but the floral fabric of the outside border helps to hide the size. The only way anyone would really be able to tell would be to flip the quilt over and check the design on the back. And though we love to look at the backs of quilts as well as fronts of quilts, if you don't point out the mistake, I truly think it isn't as noticeable as you fear.

I had to look super close. I am so new to this. Is the cable supposed to have three loops on each side...er six strands!? It doesn't glare at me, but if I knew it was supposed to be a certain way, and couldn't live with it, I would change it. But what I hear is your heart wanting to make sure your dear grandmother sees it before she dies, so time is more precious than precision. (I abhor the word "perfect" because perfectionism can be paralyzing). I would give it to her to feel the joy of her receiving your gift, then explain--don't apologize-- that you want to make it to the best of your ability out of love for her, to really honor her with your best craftsmanship. Not sure why undoing hand quilting is a house rule. Screw that . I don't serve oversalted soup just because it's taken time to make: I add a potato to absorb the excess salt. My eaters are worth it and I know how to make soup taste its best, so I will.

Aileen, based on the photo you posted on page 2, IMHO, you can continue to adhere to your house rule of remove no handquilting. The slightly narrower cable near the corner does not show on the front because the busyness of the fabric camoflauges it quite well. If you have not yet done the other corners, I agree with Holice, make the same slightly smaller cable in the other corners as well and it miraculously goes from "mistake" to intended design choice! ;) . This is a gift, not a show quilt and even if it were to be shown it is still quite worthy of display. Beautiful quilt and absolutely gorgeous handquilting. I'm a slow handquilter too. One of the many reasons I invested in a LA.

In Oriental Rugs it is said "only Allah is perfect", if the rug's creator doesn't make a mistake, they intentionally create a mistake. If you look carefully at an oriental rug you will see an area with the wrong color yarn used, or a tail coming off the design. I have learned long ago that I am not perfect, nor is my work. I have discovered it is a lot easier to accept mistakes and change the ones I choose to. I am also old. That makes a difference too!

I'm still trying to figure out what exactly the problem is. So my answer, seeing the quilt, is that it is definitely not noticeable. And it is beautiful work! The recipient will love it, I'm sure.

I think it is fine. beautiful work and beautiful quilt. I have a wall hanging in my kitchen and always tend to see the one area I should have done better. But over all its' a nice quilt. no one else notices!!

I am sure if you don't point out your mistakes it won't be noticed

I think I see it, only on the back. The front looks beautiful,the stitching lovely! I vote leave it as is.