New to quilting and this board, Needing expert advice
 

I was making a quilt for a friend with some cheap fabric I got online. I was so happy to get it all sown together and then I noticed 2 mistakes. The block at the top of the cross is not dark enough and there are 2 similar blocks touching : (
Do I rip it apart or leave it ?
Is there any other way beside ripping it up to fix this ?

I know the fabric patterns are misaligned, I really tried to make them work but couldn't. I am new to this and still learning the basics.

welcome

No no. Do not rip. Wish my first quilt top looked as well made as yours.

Finish this project and then Start a new project and used what you learned with this project.

Each project builds on the projects made before.

Only God is perfect.

enjoy your new interest in quilting. 👍

I think that you are a bit too close to the project and that it is fine as is. Sure, in a perfect world maybe you could take out one of the polka dots (hoping that is the two next to each other that you see!) and switch it with the center, but I read it perfectly clear for what it is, and that the love shines through.

I talk about randomness and aesthetic randomness, true randomness does result in the same fabrics touching and sometimes it results in ugly and generally we are looking for aesthetic/attractive.

Maybe just like your friend and you, the two alike fabrics are supposed to be together! :)

Welcome from Southern California! I had to study your quilt carefully to find the same two blocks next to each other so I don't think that's a problem. I wholeheartedly agree with the others about not making a change. It's a wonderful start into your quilting adventure! I hope you can take a picture of your very first quilt to enjoy in the future.

I was very easily able to see the cross in the middle of the quilt.

I think this is a very creative way to look at this!

I agree with the previous posters. Your quilt is very nice, and changing it will only bring new headaches that you don’t want to deal with at this stage of the game. Finish this one and move on to the next. You have learned about contrast and layout, and this will help in your future projects.

What a lovely start to quilting. I think it is beautiful just as it is.

With my first quilt, I made a mistake and had no more fabric left in the right color. I ended up piecing scraps together to make a 5” square to complete the quilt. I gave the quilt to my Mom, and she said she treasured it all the more because it gave it a more personal touch.

I looked and could not find the two matching blocks!. I have made similar "mistakes" and always choose not to rip it out. You spend so much time staring at your pieces from 8 inches away, you will notice so many things that nobody else will!

Regarding the light colored block. Firstly, I am impressed that you identified the issue. I didn't understand the importance of value and contrast until years into my quilting life. That being said, don't rip it out (the cross is still noticeable from a distance), and congratulate yourself on being ahead of the curve. Use this insight to make an even more awesome 2nd quilt!

overall, though, I recommend just stepping back from the quilt, maybe even stepping away from it for a while. Ripping can be very aggravating and depressing, I would not want you to invite that into your first quilt! Enjoy the process. DO NOT point out these "mistakes" to your friend, and simply bask in the glorious response you receive from him/her when he/she receives your wonderful gift!

Welcome to quilting. Welcome to the board. We have very friendly and knowledgeable folks here, so don't be a stranger!

It's just fine. Your friend will be thrilled that you made it just for her. As LAF2019 said, DO NOT show her what you consider mistakes, and to add to that, DO NOT mention cheap fabric! Once it's finished it will be a really pretty quilt and you'll have gained experience and knowledge for your future march into quilting territory. And you'll be anxious to get to the next one, and the next one. And so it starts.

The only criticism you made about your quilt that I might even see, once you pointed it out, is the square above the cross doesn’t offer enough contrast. While it doesn’t bother me or probably anyone else, if it does you, color it! I have used tea to darken a piece of fabric and you could certainly use a light brown or whatever permanent marker and carefully color it in to contrast it more with the cross.
I love your meaningful quilt especially as we approach the season of Lent. But you apparently are looking for a solution so here it might be.
Now a word of unasked for advice : Relax and enjoy your labors of Love.

You did a great job and do not rip anything . The top looks very good. I could also see the cross very well.

It's a good beginning for a first quilt and I like the cross in the heart.

For a first quilt I think you did very well, so don't beat yourself up over what you call mistakes and it was hard for us to find on your posted picture.
There is a quilting saying, If you can't see the mistake from the back of a galloping horse, it's good:)

It looks great! Carry on!

I wish you could see my first quilt. You'd quickly deem yours a masterpiece!
I think it looks great and wouldn't change a thing. :)

What a great first attempt! If you really hate that block at the top of the cross, Terry's idea is a really easy and innovative fix. There are several different brands of permanent fabric pens on the market and I think doing a little colouring would be a lot more fun than visiting with Jack the Ripper. Be sure to lay the top on a hard surface and have a couple of layers of paper towels under the block. Those pens really are PERMANENT!! Ask me how I know.

I just used a fabric pen to colour a couple of stitches that I could see in a seam. Of course my nose was 4 inches from the fabric. We are our worst critics.

If it bothers you, you would not have to do that much unsewing to replace/ change those squares.

Sometimes redoing is part of the learning process. Will seeing it the way it is bother you more than redoing it?

I do like the cross in a heart pattern and it does show up.

I am impressed with the fact that you noticed those two color placements !!

Edit: I just went back and looked at your top again. I think the other posters are right - it is fine the way it is and you did very well for a first attempt.

Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan. Please don't rip it out. First quilts have a special value over the years. I have one of my first quilts and as 'bumpy' as is looks it reminds me of where I started and where I am now. No points matched in my quilt and I wasn't even concerned about whether or not I use cottons or blends. So it is a bit of both. I am so glad I kept this one. It has taken me a long time and many quilts to get to where I am now and I still make a load of 'mistakes' Always there is no perfect quilter other than God!. Again welcome to the QB. I look forward to seeing a lot of you here. Jump right in and join the fun.

The heart is fine....if you are really not willing to live with it, then use the quilting to darken the light square over the cross and to change the look of one of the touching-each-other squares (I had to really look to find those, so nobody is likely to notice them unless you point them out!).

And while we are at it: NEVER point out to folks where all the mistakes are! When they say it looks lovely, just say "thankyou"! Quilters seem compelled to point out their maker errors and that is a habit we need to break.

While I think you have done a wonderful job, it has been my experience if I see something that bothers me, I can’t be satisfied if I don’t fix it while I can. Nobody likes to take out seams and redo, but you’ll find that the little time it takes to fix is worth much more than the dissatisfied time you think about it. I would take out the square above the cross and replace it with one of your darker squares. Although I see the two gray with white dots on the right that are together, it really doesn’t stand out or bother me as much. If you’re happy with it then leave it. If not, it wouldn’t be any harder than redoing the top square above the cross. You only have to unpick about half way the seam on only the connecting squares around.
I remember when I first started smocking garments. My stitches were not up to par, so to speak, and I was slow so I hated the thought of having to take them out and resewing them. I was self taught and worked with another lady that did smocking. I am glad she told me to take them out and restitch. It taught me to take pride in my work and try harder to do it right the first time.
Only you can decide what to do in your case. I do want to encourage you to keep piecing, because really you have done well for a first time piecer. Are you planning on quilting yourself? I really think you could do it and you would gain more experience and confidence. Good luck -Toogie

I think it is sweet. And although you see mistakes, I do not and neither will your friend. My quilting friends are always affirming when I finish a project even though there are many mistakes. It takes awhile to get the muscle memory and the technique memory to work seamlessly. Enjoy the process, accept the compliments, and fret not over the imperfections.

Congratulations on your first quilt. It looks fine to me, and I can clearly see the heart and the cross. My quilt tops normally look much better once they are quilted. Enjoy this one and I hope you continue to quilt and enjoy the process. None of my quilts are perfect but unless I point out the flaws it seems none of the recipients notice them. They just love and enjoy the quilts I made out of love for them.

It's fine as is in my most humble opinion. Learn as you go. In fact, I am jealous that your seams lined up!!! It's a beautiful quilt top!

You did a fabulous job! My expert advice is when you gift your quilt to your friend, don't point out what you see as your mistakes. A non-quilter may never ever notice what is obvious to only you. I have quilted for years and every quilt I make has something I wished I could change or in other words, is never perfect. You also learn and grow as you make each quilt. Welcome to the Quilting world and enjoy your quilting journey!

I think your first quilt looks very nice. Don't rip it apart and redo. Your friend will never notice any imperfections.

In case you just cannot live with what you believe is incorrect, I did the following on one of my quilts.

I finished the top of a quilt and realized that I had sewn that section up side down. I had to fix it so I took the two blocks out and I ripped the seams about an inch and a half to give me "wiggle" room. I turned the two (attached blocks) around and then sewed them back into their spot in the quilt.

Take your time and it will be fine. Good luck in whichever choice you make. It is a lovely quilt!