Major disappointed in my quilting
 

So I finished piecing my herringbone quilt top, which took a long time but turned out quite nice. I really wanted to quilt it myself instead of having a longarmer do it, but I was concerned because this top was larger than anything I had attempted. I should have listened to myself. It was too big for me. I absolutely hate what I have done. My lines are not straight. And even though I used a dual feed foot the quilt kept bunching up so the stitch length is not consistent. What a disappointment. I just want to throw the whole thing in the trash.

Not sure if I should try taking out 15 lines of stitching or just finish it and hide it in the closet.

Please don't throw it out! Give it to charity if you really hate it! Someone will look at this quilt and be so grateful for it!
What size is it? I promise we are more critical of our work than anyone else. They see a handmade beautiful quilt!

I agree with Donna

I suspect you are too hard on yourself. Put it aside for awhile and then get it out and re-evaluate it. When you continue it, make sure you support the quilt somehow so it doesn't do the bunching up that you mentioned. I put an ironing board perpendicular to my sewing machine and it supports my quilt as I work on it. That makes a big difference.

Then wash it. That makes it look sort of krinkly and the quilting doesn't show so much.

If you still hate it, put it up again and pull it out in a few months. It will look better to you if you have had time to forget how much trouble it was to you.

I know exactly how you feel though, thinking that you ruined a quilt that you really like. I have done that, but I have ended up liking my final results. Hang in there. It doesn't have to be perfect to still be a good quilt.

Dina

I piece better then I quilt too. If I can't QAYG (quilt as you go) then someone else has to quilt it (long armer). I would put it away for now, when you aren't so frustrated w/ it in a few months take it out and look at it at bed distance (like from the door way while it is on your bed, not at the end of your nose where you see every little thing) if you still can't bring yourself to tolerate (maybe even like) it then donate it, and learn to QAYG (lol)

I have a quilting magazine with an article about Angela Walter's and she also shows how to do some FMQ designs etc. There are close up pictures of some of her quilts and guess what...the stitch length is not consistent. So, if a "famous" FMQer can have uneven stitches so can you!!! Besides, when your not sitting 8 inches away from the quilt (as you are while quilting it) you won't notice the stitches are uneven.

Try no to be so hard on yourself, I'm sure it looks fine. We are always our own worst critique right?

Totally agree with what Dina said. I would also advise to slow down.
If you have a speed control setting on your machine, turn it down.
It will make a big difference. If this makes you feel better, my first
line of quilting is always crooked. Sometimes more than one line
but after washing it's not noticeable. So don't stress too much and
have fun.

Dear Penster,

I agree with the others that you should set it aside for at least a month before you make any decisions. Your quilting is probably better than it seems right now. If you look at the quilt a month from now, you'll see it with fresher eyes and may find it to be quite acceptable. Or not. But you can decide then what you're willing to do about it.

Every time I reach the final steps of completing a quilt, I am hyper-critical of my work. Over the years, I've learned to step back and let some serious time elapse before I judge it again. Almost every time I've been surprised at the re-view to see how nice the quilt really is! Not perfect, of course, but gosh darned nice and perfectly serviceable.

We are are own worst critics! I get so disgusted with my quilting at the time of quilting but have found when the quilt is done and my nose isn't inches away from the quilt as it is during the quilting process, you don't see all the little hiccups you've fretted about along the way. As someone else said, washing it also hides a lot of imperfections as well. I rip out very little, but if it will really bother you, then go ahead and rip it out and try again. The hardest part with quilting on a DSM to get even stitching is managing the drag of the quilt which until you try it, you don't really get it IMHO. So make sure your quilt is supported well as you move it through the machine and adjust the quilt very often before the drag happens and affects your quilting. It gets easier, but it takes some practice.

I haven't tried this, but others have--a mustache trimmer, as a seam ripper. They say it makes quick work of the dreaded process. But even if you take the stitches out by hand, do it during mindless TV time, and only until you're tired. Then put it aside.

I've looked very critically at my work right at the end and I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to pitch the darn thing. Seems all my mistakes are in glaring neon. But after I've put it aside for a few weeks, I'm pleasantly surprised that it looks good. If I find I need to fix something, at least I'm not grumbling about it--just tweaking.

I have had to take out stitches on a whole quilt because i did not notice a big pleat in the back and did not like the thread color. I would do like Tartan said. Take the stitches off a little at a time and you would be happier when it is done. You said that it took you a long time to make it, so take more time to make it right for you.

Do not donate it. You worked hard on the top and love it, so take the time to rip out the quilting you don't like. Then get someone else to quilt it for you (or hand quilt it yourself since it's too large for you to successfully machine quilt). Make sure you see their work beforehand so you know you won't be disappointed again with the results.

I'm with Tartan and Mamagrande.....get that wonky quilting out and either have another shot at it or get it quilted by someone else. You will feel much better about it and your work deserves the best. Throwing it out or shoving it in a cupboard is not an option:).

Finish it up, launder it, set it aside for a couple weeks then get it out, hang it or lay it on a bed and step back. Take another look. You may see it with truly fresh eyes. Up close we can all pick out every little ( self critical) mistake. Look at it from a few feet away and it is really quite ok most of the time. Once washed & dried you probably won't even notice those ( less than straight) lines.

I'm sorry, it really stinks to spend all that time on something and then be disappointed with the results. I agree with those who are saying to put it away for a while. If you pull it out when you're less frustrated with it, it might not seem so bad, or you might find the energy to redo it.

I would never say people shouldn't strive to do their best, but I think sometimes the ideal of 'perfect' harms us more than it helps. I remember seeing quilts back in the '70s and a lot of seams weren't lined up and points were cut off, and everyone thought they were fine. I think the internet has helped to up the ante, since we can all easily look at not just the best quilts in our local sewing group but literally the best quilts made in the entire world. A lot of people post pictures of only their best work (and I don't blame them or anything), so we're often only seeing the best of the best. Even Rembrandt must have painted some bad paintings in his early days.

I'm sorry that you're not content with your quilting. That can be so disappointing when you've already put so much time and effort into a quilt. If you have the time, or will make the time in the future, then little by little remove that stitching. Even if you only do 10 minutes a day. It will make you feel better inside and out if your quilt ends up the way you truly want it to, rather than a disappointment. It will also end up being a lesson you've learned from. I hope to see a picture or two of your progress and your finished quilt, no matter who ends up quilting it! :) Good luck!

not all quilts can be show quilts... some are learning experiences. like the others have said, put it away, take it out in a while, and look at it on the bed. you will like it better than you do now.
just an example, from this thread http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...n-t287708.html , the pattern linked is the top one on this page http://www.bryerpatch.com/images/qui...Illusion38.htm ... notice that the third row with dark ends is upside down... so even the experts have quilts that are not perfect.

Thank you to everyone who replied. You are all so kind, and it made me feel so much better. I will do as suggested...put it away for a little bit. When I pull it out, then I will decide if I will finish or take out the seams I have done.
Again, thank you so much. It helps to hear that others have been in this same position. And you are all so right..I am way too critical of my work. Hugs to you all!!!
Penny

Quick! Finish it up and give it away! At least that's what I do. Guess what, it has always been appreciated by the person I give it too. They don't see the stitiching or the pattern or even if a color doesn't work. But I always do. I finally realized that I don't have to love everything I do, they don't always turn out. On to the next one. Experience gained.

I know I have to have a drawn line to follow so I'll have straight quilting. I do straight stitch from end to end with a walking foot. It's easy and looks great. Give it a try.

Either donate it, or, if you really like it, spend the time and rip it out and send it to your machine quilter. It would be such a shame to waste all your hours of work for nothing.

Somehow I doubt it is as bad as you think. Lay it out on the bed and look at it from a distance. It might surprise you that it's better than you think. If that doesn't help and you really like the quilt, as I believe you, do take out the stitching and give it another shot.

I would do as some have said. Give it a wash and throw it on your bed. Look at it from a distance; what do they say about that galloping horse going 30mph? Consider it a learning experience and be proud of your accomplishment. You did try and that's the main thing. If you still decide you may want to remove the stitching, I suggest what I use. A small 28mm rotary does wonders. Easy to hold and control. But give it and yourself a break.

I agree with what many have said here. I am in a huge charity quilt group that gets many many donations-mainly unquilted tops. We just do not have enough volunteers to do the quilting on all of these. We would not unpick someone else's work and it would just get put in a box for who knows what? It is a shame but that is just the reality.

Don't give up. I have one that I just started taking out the stitches. It sat for nearly five years while I did other stuff. I had done some by hand and a lot by machine. Take out a little bit each day. I did about an hour and then played with other stuff. It is worth it. Take a deep breath and put on some nice music.

If it is bunching up maybe you need to release some pressure on your presser foot. That might help. I have unquilted many a quilt in the past.

put it aside for a little while then see how you feel. I hate pulling stitches out but many times I have been glad that I did... makes the finish that much sweeter to me :) Good luck

It would be a shame to end up hating it...you'll be happier taking out the stitches and starting over. I am currently in the middle of hand quilting (big stitch) a twin size hand pieced quilt. I got 3/4 done with the quilting and decided I didn't like how it was turning out. So, I started in the middle and started ripping out the stitches and quilting it differently. MUCH happier with it now and it didn't take that long. Hubby thought I was nuts, but it looks much better. I only took out a foot or so at a time, left the rest in as extra basting and take out 8" or so ahead of the quilting. Persevere, you worked hard on it, don't stick with quilting if you hate it.

I know exactly how you feel. I did close together serpentine stitches and the pleats by the end were horrific but I just couldn't face unpicking and re doing with no guarantee that it would look any better so I just washed it and you know what if I get up close to it I can still see the pleats but when it's on the back of the chair or on the bed or even draped over me I've got to really look for them. I've since had another disaster when quilting but got lots of good advice from this wonderful quilters on this board. I think my walking foot is the problem it just pushes the fabric ahead of it like a wave, even lessening the pressure on the presser foot makes no difference so I'm going to take it to the shop to get them to test it and if that's the case I'll get a new one. Good luck it will be better than you think.

I think after you finish it & throw it in the washer that you probably won't even see most of it. We all want perfect or next to it, but that is impossible. I say finish it, wash it, use it & adore all of your hard work & start another project. The reason I say this is when I have made a quilt that I didn't love at first, I would not of unpicked all of the quilting on it because I don't have that kind of patience. I would just finish it & they never look bad at all.

After you bind it and wash it, those stitches will all blend in. I have fretted over the same issue time and time again and found that I loved the quilt once DONE.

I have removed a lot stitches from a quilt, glad I did. I think my problem was caused by trying to expect to much from my DM and walking foot. And expecting to turn a 120 by 120, is just asking for problems. That being said, I do find basic true straight line, and cross hatching turns out beautiful. Also, read where if you quarter the quilt and work in that section it's easier. I haven't tried this method yet.Also, I haven't tried free motion yet. And long arm is just to expensive for me. I do find the simple straight line stitching relaxing.