I have never seen this topic brought up before so I thought I would share what terrifies me about quilting. I am scared of TRIANGLES. Seriously. I will design and create quilt after quilt but I have NEVER made a single block with a triangle in it. Weird, huh? I want to make them but I am so scared of messing them up. *Sigh* Am I alone in being afraid to make certain types of blocks or shapes in their blocks? I should say that I am not a new quilter either. I have been quilting since ’95. So, yeah. Sixteen years and not a triangle in anything I have ever made. LOL

Missy

Mine is circles. maybe Applique too. I keep thinking circles are going to be just to hard and same with the needle turn applique!

Mine definately circles and paperpiecing. I have tried it and it just isn't FUN. I want quilting to be fun.

Omigosh...CIRCLES...PAPER PIECING...now that gave me shivers. Oh wow.

So glad I am not alone in these fears!

Circles, paper piecing, applique....
I piece - straight edges. Triangles are fine, curves- not so much.
I have done applique, but not enough to call myself good at it.

Maybe someday.

I stay away from diamonds, circles and applique!

Wow! My third quilt had triangles. Nothing to fear but fear itself! Jump in feet first with a small project or just play with scraps. Its not as hard as some make it out to be. I had no idea what I was doing when I first made them and everything came out fine. so maybe all my points weren't sharp, who cares! The reciever didn't, that was 6 years ago and he still loves the quilt. When I made it I had no idea about all the things that could go wrong. Don't listen to the Negative Nellies around here and just do it! You'll love the outcome I promise!

If you don't try, you'll never find out how you'd do with them. You may discover that you are the BEST at whatever, triangles, circles, paper piecing...but you won't know if you never try! :)

I may not excel at everything I try, but I'm not afraid to give it a go! My first attempt at FMQ on a real quilt was supposed to be clam shells. They looked more like a turkey on wheels. LOL I kept trying and now I'm so much more confident. I've practiced feathers, but haven't done them on a quilt yet...but I'm getting closer to that day with each project!

Don't take your attempts so seriously...laugh at yourself when you screw up! Relax, try new things and have fun!!!!!!!

Seems like you are limiting yourself. And for NO GOOD REASON! If you can make squares and rectangles fit together properly, then that means you already know how to cut accurately, sew with a quarter inch seam, and press well.

It is not much different for triangles except you have one stretchy bias seam. There are Thangles and paper piecing and many different ways of sewing accurate triangles. I like to make a lot of half square triangles all at the same time using this method:
http://www.kathkwilts.com/lessons/halfsqr.html


Just sew slowly and don't stretch it. You will be fine!

I do paper pieced and triangles..love almost all of it..avoid CIRCLES..lol..!!

Missy, I've been quilting since last Fall, but HSTs are doable after my last two quilts. Cut two squares of fabric 7/8 or an inch bigger than your desired size. Put them right sides together, draw a diagonal line from opposing corners - fine sandpaper on a clipboard is wonderful for holding them in place. Stitch 1/4" on either side of the line. Cut ON the line. Press and square the blocks (line the seam up with the diagonal line on the square-up ruler). Viola! A pair of perfect blocks consisting of two HSTs. Make one more set, sew then together and you've got a pinwheel. After doing a Jewel Box and now a Carpenter Star, I know I have to do mine this way. No bias edges and the size I want by cutting them down a little. The Jewel Box cutting directions didn't give me that leeway and I had to resew many.

If you've mastered a 1/4" seam, you can do anything!

Circles?? I'm actually considering it for my only DD who sews and her work is meticulous, unlike mine. Good idea? Nah! Will I do it? Probably.

What am I afraid of? Using a pattern with pieces cut less 2 1/2" square. Yikes!

Although I cannot remember the specific sites, but there are several out there that make triangles easy to make. I can understand your phobia, I have never made an Ohio Star quilt because I haven't figured out the 4 triangles in 4 squares of the pattern. Sometimes I think we are afraid of messing up, but isn't that why we have scraps - to test blocks out with scraps before beginning a quilt? Hang in there, and your phobia will become something in your past.

I was lucky enough (or naive) to be involved in blocks of the month that had triangles and didn't think twice unless I was having a tough time with piecing certain pieces together.

My greatest fear was homespun and lines...thinking about how horrible it would turn out cuz the lines wouldn't be straight. Have only used them in rag quilts and just tried not to think about it as I cut and pieced lol. Just kept thinking "keep my eyes on the prize!!!" Worked pretty well!

i used to be afraid of curves and circles. finally took a class and found out it was all in my head. while working on the pattern i realized that i had done lots of curves while making clothing. never put the two together in my pea brain until that moment.

many times we let negative info and fears we have heard from others influence us. "just say no" to those fears and dive in. you may find you actually like the thing you fear. weren't you afraid of the deep end at the pool and falling off that two wheeler?

What's the worst that can happen? A messed-up block? We all own seam rippers. Stare your fear in the face and GO FOR IT! :-D

I have yet to make a triangle that didn't lose a point. But I keep trying. And my appliqued circles are more like flat tires.

I hate curved seams ... I'm gonna try them though. I have a whole quilt of apple cores already cut out ... just have to sew them together. :)

Same here!

I haven't done any piecing with circles, but hadn't identified it as a phobia... until now...

Oh my, what a conundrum, I can't believe what I am hearing....how about taking a class lol...or if you can't go to class, you can try youtube...none of the above is hard when you know a few tricks....I'll see if I can work in a few tuts for you between my S&C quilt.

Circles I haven't even tried. Applique I found I really enjoyed...those moments when you are doing "nothing" you can get alot of work done!
I started making lone star quilts before I knew they were scary and did pretty good! 45 degree diamonds are my thing now.
I hope we all get over our fears...it's worth a try!

Learning to quilt, I blindly followed a block pattern, making triangles before I knew they were supposed to be hard. They are NOT hard, and now easier that I committed to cutting larger and trimming down. Try it! You'll like it!

Well it's not that I'm afraid of it but the part of quilting that I absolutely hate and shy away from is SID! I think it is the most boring thing I have ever done!

Boy, great topic. I really had to think after reading all the posts.

Mine isn't a phobia - as in fear of - but I don't seem to want to make myself create artsy-fartsy, layered/thread-painted/embellished/fused stuff like my dear quilting buddy loves. We adore each other, but tend to go our different ways at shops and shows and with ideas.

I remember a huge red snake in a long narrow art piece at Houston in the early 1990s. It really turned me off. Maybe it's affected me ever since!

Jan in VA

I tried HSTs for a swap. Skills not quite there yet. Still playing with scraps.

BUT - tell the itty bitty committee between your ears - Thank you, now be quiet!

Open the seam of the half square triangles and they will be easier to match.

So far, Tri REx has kept me at bay I don't like curved seams either.

Cutting my fabric, I do it but it will take me 20 minutes looking, measuring, unfold, look, measure, smooth out, pick back up, look, measure, look at design again, measure, smooth out, pick back up and so on, and so on. I hate that part and terrible at it too.

Well, I have to cut my HST a lot bigger then trim them down. I'm getting better. I think I'm afraid of applique. I've taken 2 classes but have never used it in a project. I am working on a quilt now and I'd like to add an applique borders, so maybe I'll get over my fear.

When I 1st starting making quilts I was afraid of triales also. I got some triangles on a roll. It is wonderful. They turned out good. I don't use them as much now but they took the fear of triangles away. You should try them. I don't like paper piecing.

Don't be afraid, that's why someone invented the seam ripper!

I try to stay away from triangles, but definitely shy away from curved seams. Even bought the Curve Master attachment, but can't seem to make myself try it...even bought a pattern the DH liked that was designed with the Curve Master in mind....now paper piecing I love! In fact, when I have had to make a block with triangles, I have redesigned it in EQ7 as a foundation pattern! lol

One thing I've learned through 62 years of living is that often the thing(s) I fear the most turn out to be nothing at all. I just took the plunge and tried my best. So relax, ask if you need, and practice. In no time you'll be able to accomplish anything--or any quilt design--that you set your mind to doing.

Very wise advice! I need to remember that! I probably would be able to expand my experiences and really enjoy it! 8-)

Mine is using that really special fabric on a project ... and then a better project more suited for that fabric will come along.
I am slowly coming to realize that they keep making better fabrics all the time.... so I have managed to cut into a few.

Sun bonnet Sue ! of all things! she has so many curves !! I really want to do one of those some day too !!

whaaaww

FMQ--terrified of it. I can stitch and embellish a panel, stitch in the ditch, draw stitched diamonds and triangles on borders, but moving that fabric thru the machine without the benefit of the feed dogs and not having a control on the stitch lenght scares the you-know-what out of me. And I never seem to have time to put together a block and just 'play' these days.

For some reason, I have developed not wanting to cut out fabric. I have new rotory cutter made by M something that has a non movable ruller with it and the June ruler with all the little slits and I get the fabrics and everything ready and do not cut the fabric. Don't know why. Anyone else have this weird thing happening?

Applique...I tremble at the thought!

I am also afraid to try certain things, afraid of messing it up or it not looking good. I ask questions here on the board and they will guide me in the right direction. Stuff I think is ugly, my co-workers think it is pretty. I am a beginner to quilter but has been sewing for years.

The actual quilting of the quilt. I'm so afraid of messing it up! It's so difficult for me to figure out just what to do (i.e. the design) so the quilt top just sits there. Once I get started, it isn't so bad. It's just taking the plunge and actually marking the design that's the problem!! :roll: :roll: