now what
 

I feel so discouraged and in way over my head. I found a darling pattern for a lap quilt with flying geese, hst and 4 patches. With everything matched up right, the back round white makes a pathway through and around the block. well, I have pieced and sandwiched it and guess what, my blocks are not matching up correctly to get a smooth symmetrical back round. I have a room full of pre cuts, kits and yardage spilling into another room and I feel like a "want-to-be" novice. I don't think I will ever be very good. I've been doing this for several years now and I just don't seem to be getting any better, Feel like giving it all away or selling everything so I would at least have $ to show for all the quilting stuff I have. I'm having a "not so private" pity party.

Anyway, I got that off my chest, anyone ever feel the same way?

Yes, more often than I'd like to admit. Do you have a friend that you could "buddy up" with? Sometimes, someone can see something that we can't because we are too close to it. It sounds like your seams aren't true 1/4 inch. I speak from experience on this, this 1/4 inch thing is the bane of my existence. Check that you actually have a 1/4 inch seam allowance, that your blocks are pressed well (I've started using spray starch). Another thing that can cause problems is if you constantly use the same place to cut on your cutting mat. It will make a groove and your cuts will be off.

That being said, that's what we're here for. If possible, post a couple of pictures of the offending blocks. The people here are so knowledgeable that I'm sure someone can tell you what's wrong and how to fix it. Hang in there. When it all comes together the way you want it to, you can do a "not so private" happy dance!

Michelle

I think we have all felt that way. Just when you think you have everything figured out, life gives you a new lesson to learn. And I'm not just talking about quilting. Hang in there and you'll work it out.

Oh dear! I am so sorry you are having a bad day. I understand completely. I have those days myself. I agree with tartan, there are many wonderful classes that are available and that you learn so many little things to help with these kind of problems. I hope you understand, I am not saying you are a beginner quilter. I am saying those classes teach some great tricks for having things come out right.

Yes I have felt like this every other week. Keep on going and don't give up! You will get better and better. Do some small things that don't take so long and you can have some satisfaction. One time i made 62 pot holders and everyone liked them. I gave a lot of them as a quick gift or hostess gift. Don't feel like this anymore, comon now. Please cheer up cause we need you here.

this week i took my machine, a pile of fabric from a frustrated project and paid for an hour long lesson at my lqs. it was worth every single penny of the whole $10 she charged me.

maybe taking something very specific project like you are working on and going through the steps would help you too. i asked her to sit with me for every step; the seam, the cutting, the piecing, the pressing. i got some great little insight into the things that are cumulatively to blame for my less than accurate piecing.

might be worth it :)

aileen

Can you show us a pic so maybe someone who is familiar with HST, and flying geese can offer up advice on what their techniques are

Precision........that has helped me become a better quilter......I sew, press, trim almost to an obsession. My points match, and I don't get frustrated by corners that don't meet. It means a lot more time, but if makes me happier with my project.

Hang in there and do not give up! I would love to see it we are are own worst judge and I best it is beautiful!!!!

i agree, got the LQS and get some tips.. take a class ask for pointers.. Find a sewing buddy..

You need to take some sewing lessons and maybe join a quilt guild. Keep posting on here to get tips and advice. I know it helps to talk about things. You sound very overwhelmed and just need to exhale and relax. It will get easier.

Take your pieces to your LQS and ask for advice and tips. Please post pictures of the front and the back so we can see what your issues may be. Ask a lot of questions of others at your LQS -- there is a wealth of information out there and people are willing to help. I highly recommend the book Quilter's Academy 1 by Harriet Hargrave. It contains a wealth of information. If you read it and make the quilts in the book your skill level will be amazing. Good luck in your quilting venture.

I AGREE. go to a local quilt shop that will help you with your project. for the price of $10 you sure can't beat that. I think a larger store in lansing Michigan even have hours scheduled for people to come in with whatever project they need help with. and I don't think there was a cost involved. not sure. correct me if am wrong. but gee, if you spend $150 for kit + backing and batting. they shouldn't care.

There is only one thing perfect about my quilts; the love that goes into them!

I made a kit that was all flying geese several years ago. No two flying geese were shaped the same when I completed them, and I felt exactly the way you do. It went into the closet for about 1.5 years, then I took it out and sewed them together. Ugh.

Convinced it was beyond saving, I put it out of sight again. About a year later, I broke down and completed it. Guess what? It's pretty. Not "perfectly" pretty, but warm and inviting pretty. Now all that I have left to do is binding.

I am using the Harriet Hargraves system of "Quilting Academy". In it, she walks you through all of the different skills needed. You do projects, and each project is designed to utilize a skill from the last project and a new skill, so you get to practice. This is helping me more than I can say, and I've been revitalized into: "Of course I can do it!"

I have said the same things many times. Finally I came to realize I enjoy the process and love what i am making. With this cold weather I have been spending a lot of time in my sewing room. Yesterday I pulled out a quilt I started years and years ago before I had 1/4 inch ruler because I had drawn 1/4 inch lines on all the pieces. I mean really a long time ago. It was a little wonky in spots but I had such an enjoyable afternoon with it almost skipped dinner. I love my quilt even if it has oops in it. I have a lot more knowledge about quilting now but I am still keeping this one.
Sometimes things get better sometimes they don't. It's the enjoyment you are having at the time.

You say your background white is not making the "path" it should be? Maybe you simply have a few on your HST or fg going in the wrong direction....... Check out your " layout" of the design.....don't panic yet....... BUT, and I don't mean specifically you, we are not all meant to find quilting to be our end-all adventure.......I have gone "through" a few crafty try-outs before landing here, happily........and here I will stay!

Hang in there! We are our own worst critics. It's probably not as bad as you are making it out to be.
If you really want to improve, I agree that taking a beginning quilting class is a great way to go, even if you have been quilting for a while. You will understand what the instructor is saying and can ask good questions.
Other than that, remember that there are 3 things that will help with your precision:
Cut accurately. Cut the whole project with the same ruler, or at least the same brand of ruler.
Check your seam allowance. Good idea to recheck if you use a different fabric or thread from the last time you checked as your needle position may need to be changed:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...ce-t89997.html
Press carefully. Even though I've sewn for years, I still have to watch that I'm not pressing a tiny fold at the seam line!
OK. Maybe there are 4 things: as you make your sub units (HSTs, flying geese etc.) measure these as you go. IF the sub units are the wrong size, your block won't go together.

I recommend Quilt In A Day methods. Eleanor Burns always comes up with the best way to make blocks. Most of her methods use oversized blocks that you square up to size.
Since using her methods my blocks are always perfect. I really like her way to make HSTs eight at a time.
Watch her videos on the website, they are free.
Oh yes, do make sure to test for an accurate quarter inch seam. If you sew 3 strips togather and the middle strip comes out the right size you have done it.

Some days I have a week of feeling like getting rid of every quilting thing I have. Take a deep breath and hang in there.

Been there ... Done that ...
One of my first quilts, before I had a 1/4" foot or a walking foot was to be a bed quilt for DD's wedding. I struggled and struggled, and was really not enjoying the process. As I forced myself to do one or two blocks every once in a while, I would say, well, I have enough now for a table topper ... two place mats now ... etc. Then I finally stopped when I had enough for a nice wall hanging. I had thousands of little pieces of fabric cut to do the rest of the quilt that I finally got rid of.

Hope you get your quilt worked out to your satisfaction. There's some great advice for you here.

Oh yes, yes, yes, of course I have felt this way. I bet we all have, at some point or another.

I don't have any practical advice that others haven't already given - I'm terrible with flying geese and HST's myself, I can never get those things to match up as they should. I make a lot of quilts that are based on squares and rectangles!!

My quilts are far from perfect, but have found that starching the fabric a minimum of 2 hours before using, then air drying or a few minutes in the drier, then ironing, helps me tremendously. Also when you press your blocks, make sure that you're PRESSING and not IRONING. Please don't get discouraged. We tend to be very critical of our own works, whereas whoever receives the quilt won't see the "mistakes" but instead, will be thrilled to receive the gift of a quilt.

Perfection is over-rated. Nobody slips under a quilt and says" but the points don't match!".... I follow the 2 mm/3 rule....2 mm is close enough/3 times with the ripper is the limit. Relax,sip an appropriate beverage,put on good music,and enjoy the colors and feel of your work. When in doubt...give it to an animal shelter...the cats love them and dogs are color blind.

More times than I care to admit I have taken that block to the ironing board, pressed it, examined that chopped off point or that mismatched seam and muttered "close enough" and continued on. I like Francie's 2mm/3 rule and think I will be borrowing it :).

Some of my quilts are disasters, points cut off, seams not matching, wonky blocks and sometimes bad fabric choices. It doesn't bother me. Quilting is a creative process for me and the end result is what it is.

Thank you so much for all the posts of encouragement. I'm going to find a basic quilting class and go back and relearn what I thought I knew. I'm self-taught and I think I need an outside opinion and support. I feel so supported here and can't tell you hOW much I appeciate it.The offending quilt is sandwiched and I will quilt it as it is now (still like the fabric and there is a semblance of the intended pattern). You are right, when someone is using it to keep warm, I don't think they are going to notice what point is where. I need to slow down and be more accurate. It's not the race I some times feel like I make it. THANKS

If this is any consolation: there is no such thing as perfect. Did you know that the oriental "perfect" rugs are supposed to contain at least one mistake ( a faulty knot) made on purpose because no one but God is perfect?

If there is a quilt guild near you, please go to a meeting and ask for assistance or a quilting buddy. Ours is a continual source of encouragement to anyone starting out. Otherwise if there is a quilt shop nearby, ask if they have beginner classes and if not, if they know someone who quilts a lot who might be able to help you and then CALL them for help. There is help near you and you just need to find it. If these are not options for you, take pictures and post them on this board and we will assist if possible. There are also a lot of free videos on U-tube and Missouri Star Quilt Co. with clear instructions. Take some time to view them and you can learn a lot.

I've been quilting for almost 15 years...still struggle. My piecing has gotten neater and I press so much better but just recently discovered that what I thought was a 1/4" ISN'T!! My piecing will match up soooo much better on this next quilt...and I've used the same 1/4" foot for at least the last 10 years...I just wasn't lining up my fabric right!! Learning is good!!

I wanted to make a quilt for my son. I thought it was going to be a simple quilt. I bought two different blues and was using the churn dash block to make it. I hand sew so I cut all my pieces out. I marked each piece 1/4 inch for the sew line and I started sewing. To this day I don't know what was wrong but my pieces werent sewing together right. I forced a lot of pieces together then my block was wonky. I then decided to trim them up and when I did that the big block sewing seams didn't match. I had spent a lot of money on the material and I just had to decide to sew it up, quilt and move on. I didn't give it to my son. It is on my bed and I named it the Blue BooBoo. I think it was my third or fourth quilt I made. I have to tell you all my quilts have something that isn't quite perfect and they never turn out the way I envisioned so there you are. I could never enter my quilts in a show but I am sewing because I like making those little stitches and sometimes something turns out that amazes me.

We all get discouraged at times but keep sewing it will get better.
Do you live near a quilting group or guild?
I belonged to two, very different groups, and both have taken the time to help me with questions and assistance
with my quilting, which I appreciated. Now I have started another group in our church for beginning quilters and
new sewers and we are having lots of fun. Making quilts for children in Guatemala for a nutrition center and
other ladies are making projects for themselves but all enjoying sewing. Even had an 8 year old boy who made
a pillow cover for himself! So continue on.....

I agree, and ALL of my LQS's have free open sewing days once a week, or once a month. If you have one close to you, that could help. If not help from the employee there, usually other quilters go just for the social aspect and love to help. Please stick with it- watch U-tube tutorials for tips, also!

You need an encouraging friend. One who guides you if you need it, and who will just listen when you don't.

We have all felt your frustration, I have been quilting since 2005 and I do not think I will ever have everything just so on a quilt - and for me that is part of the beauty of my quilts - a bit quirky like me :) I learn something new with each item I make and I try to take that knowledge with me to the next quilt. We are all, our own worst critic! I have given away almost 250 quilts and no one has ever come back and said "by the way did you see it wasn't quite right" I am sure now that you have gotten your frustration out, and received some quilter's therapy here at QB - you are feeling better and can tackle your next project. Pins have become my best friend in quilting, I use them lots! I also do not press or iron as I go along as I am heavy handed and distort the fabric - I finger press. Please do keep quilting!

Yeah, I've felt that way too. My advise is to put it away for a while and do something simple like a dissappearing 9 patch (D9P) in a lap size, so you will see something beautiful and finished. If I'm discouraged witho something, plowing ahead does NOT work for ME. It may for others, but I find I need to do some small and/or simple things to get back on track.. Sometimes it's a looooooooong time before I pick up the frustrating project again. And there's no shame in adandoning it. You always learn something from a a project - even if it's that you don't want to finish it!!

Every person who quilts has to decide his or her level of acceptable vs. perfection. I would agree with all of those who have suggested going to a LQS for advice-I have always found them to be helpful when they realize that you are sincere. There are lots of youtube tutorials and Craftsy classes. I have enjoyed several Craftsy classes. I admit there they have been a couple that did not live up to their billing or to my expectations. Something that might be of help to you to see what you problem might be is to make paper templates. Use graph paper so that you can really see the detail. Make the templates just like the finished sections of the HST or flying geese is to be. After you cut the fabric compare it to the template to see if it is cut correctly. If not correct, look at your ruler-are the lines too wide, etc. Make notes as you go. If cut correctly, stitch the first seam and compare it to the template. Does it match, is the seam even and 1/4 inch. Make adjustments to the foot you are using, the guide you make for yourself-sticky note pads, moleskin or whatever. When your seam is correct go to the ironing board. Do you set the seam? Do you 'press' or do you 'iron'. To press you set the iron down on the work and not pull in any direction from the seam. If you pull you will distort the patch and it will be wonky. Compare your pressed patch of multiple pieces to the paper template. If it is off you can determine if the pressing is the problem. Because you are dealing with angles-bias and otherwise- you have to be careful. I think starch is a good help but it really does not substitute for accurate technique. This exercise could be well worth the effort. It will help you understand the why of a problem.

I agree. I have never had a problem with making a lot of flying geese from Eleanor Burns method. I have made quilts from guild swaps that the blocks were absolutely horrendous but the tops I made from these blocks ALL sold at the quilt guild's annual garage sale. I went home with money burning a hole in my pocket. If you ever want to talk, just send me a PM.

Nope, never felt like giving up. I don't aim for perfection in the first place. I make mostly string &/or crazy quilts so mistakes are not very noticeable, besides the people I give quilts to love me and think they're wonderful.