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I agree with Scissor Queen. Your daughter will go on to another school and this will be behind you. As the book says "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, it's all small stuff" and in the scheme of life this is one of those small "stuffs". Take care.
Linda
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by blzzrdqueen
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what should I do??? |
Ditto to this. The teacher will not expect perfection and being for mostly children will probably expect something that is not perfect.
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by blzzrdqueen
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what should I do??? |
Go with the flow. Take a deep breath and just do it. Like many others here have said, no one will know if the seems are 1/4" or not.
It is a labor of love and doensn't have to be perfect. The kids and all involved will love it. I'm sure they appreaciate all that you are doing for this project. |
The best thing that I can suggest that you get together and help finish the blocks. She should see how important the seam allowance is. I have one other thought I was asked to put together some blocks that definitely were not the same sized. I was watching Simply Quilts that morning. Alex said we can all face that problem when different quilters combine blocks. She showed what she had done to solve this. She took small and I am saying about1 inch strips of something bright and carefully sewed it to the smaller ones. When she showed the finished top it was so pretty and just added to the design. I hope you get a lot of good ideas to help you.
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I understand that you would like to present a perfect quilt, but in this case it seems that the real "perfection" is the message done by the children. I'm sure the real beauty will be conveyed and your thoughtfulness in doing such a memorable project will be so greatly appreciated.
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don't sweat it. it's to be a "fun" quilt. let it go and finish it and smile,big!!
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Yep, it's the intention, not the outcome that is important. The imperfections just make it all the more authentic.
I taught for 24 years (K&1st Grade). We made quilts all the time. Perfection had to go out the window. If you altered a child's block, or a participating adult's work, you are telling them it wasn't good enough. That is not incentive to keep on trying. What you are doing is validating all the creative spirit of those who participated - an honorable, if exhausting, labor of love. It's good to know that what you send out into the world comes back to you threefold! Don't stress. Breathe. Enjoy! |
I have assembled many group quilts and everyone has their own idea of size (no matter what is specified). The very first one I did was a Christmas quilt made with 4 patches and each quilter made 6 blocks of a certain size. Well...so much for each one being the same.LOL But I trimmed and assembled and everone loved the quilt. It was far from perfect but made with LOVE and that's what counts.
Brenda |
Originally Posted by blzzrdqueen
Thank you all for giving me that little smack upside the head that I needed. I'm just going to go with the flow and fix what I can where I can to make it look it's best, with out being a perfectionist....
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I agree with sissor queen . The teacher will see a quilt made with love not a few wonky seams,it really dosnt matter.
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After all it is kids working on it, I would appriciate much more if it does come out uneven.
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I think you are doing a great thing for the school. As a retired teacher, one of the best things about these projects is that they are not perfect - just like all the beautiful little hands and voices that made them. I would suggest that you put them together as you got them - flaws and all as the outside binding will hide all of those imperfections. It will be treasured as something that the children made which is the point.
Hope that put a different perspective on this. Good luck - it is beautiful and will be treasured by all the eyes that gaze upon it. Jana |
I really feel that it won't matter if everything is not exact on a project like this. When I look at what you have put together, my attention goes to what each student has done. When it is all put together you will have a wonderful gift for the school from the 6th grade students and when they go back for their 50th reunion they will still be proud of their project.
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I agree with not being a perfectionist.
I am working on a signature quilt too - and was surprised by some of the blocks I got back - I think my favorite has to be the class that signed on the freezer paper on back instead of the fabric front... I did figure out a way to trace their names onto the fabric so that they didn't miss out, as I got the blocks back on the last day of school. With the brick layout, I don't think you need to fret about perfect seams as it looks like a very forgiving layout. At least you don't have signatures that lap over or are completely in the (marked) seam allowance... Been there too. Have fun, and I know they'll appreciate the quilt. Cheers, K |
Take a deep breath and relax. Perfection is best when practiced as a solitary activity. Lighten up a little for this project. Chances are you are the only one who will know.
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I agree with adding some sashing....and can you let the kids help sew? That way, any "variances" will be assumed to be theirs.... <wink>
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Originally Posted by blzzrdqueen
Some of you know that I am participating in the creation of a signature quilt that my daughter's 6th grade class is giving to the school as a gift. It's me and one other mom doing the majority of the sewing and everything else. All the students did their own blocks along with 7 teacher (79 students) and one larger block in the middle being done by the art teacher.
Well...we used muslin for each block and the other mom is the one who cut the blocks before the students did their thing with them. Looking at the blocks, I can tell she cut them with scissors and they are very close in size but not all exactly the same, right down to the smallest centimeter. I took about 2/3rds of the blocks to sew them and I'm not happy with them. The art teacher had the kids draw within a box so there is a half inch border drawn in pencil on each block. I'm trying to get these blocks to line up straight as best as I can and I know there will be some trimming involved. I'll post picks of the first row I have sewn together. I'm starting to wonder now if I should have taken all the blocks to sew them, so they will all be uniform. This other woman sews but has never done a quilt so doesn't really know about the blocks being the same exact size and seams and lining things up, and I just feel like because I'm such a perfectionist that whatever she does isn't going to look like mine....I don't know what to do...she's the kind of woman who is "above" everyone else and I don't feel right calling her or emailing her telling her I don't think she'll do it right or that I would rather do it all. We have TWO weeks left to get this all done...and I would have had it done a long time ago if it wern't for waiting for the art teacher to get the kids to do the blocks and all that.......what should I do??? please understand that i am not judging you in any way. i just want you to feel more relaxed. your health and sanity are too important. i am also a person who has, in the past, had major problems with others work not being up to my standards. now i stay away from these projects unless i am in charge. so, i do understand. |
I think this is just supposed to be a fun project for the kiddos, I don't think its soooo important for perfection. It's a fun project and I wouldn't let your perfectionism get in the way of that.
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I know that no one is going to notice a crooked seam or two. This is the children's quilt and their gift to the school --- everyone will be too busy admiring the precious artwork to notice anything else. Those children will be so proud to see all of their work together. Let this be theirs.
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Originally Posted by blzzrdqueen
Thank you all for giving me that little smack upside the head that I needed. I'm just going to go with the flow and fix what I can where I can to make it look it's best, with out being a perfectionist....
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This will be a great quilt. It has great character already.
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Can't help you but good luck
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Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by blzzrdqueen
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what should I do??? It's the thought that counts and what the children and teachers contributed that will be cherished. After volunteering in an elementary school I learned very early that perfection wasn't the important factor in a lot of the posters I was asked to make with an overhead projector... Do your best with you blocks and it's going to be beautiful. Be sure to post a picture of the finished project...and unless the blocks are totally crooked and of very different sizes, the galloping horse effect will kick in. :lol: :lol: :lol: :thumbup: :thumbup: |
This is darling!! I'm so glad you are doing this!!
I haven't read all the post so this may already be covered! I wanted to say that one of the reasons we are quilters is that we are perfectionist!! Ain't it hard!:) :) My DM Hand quilts & does hand embroidery. She does not piece!!! For years she bought panels (very large ones) & hand quilted 'em. Recently she buys white preprinted embroidery squares. Next she does all the hand work on 'em & she sews 'em together. Then sandwiches & quilts. They don't line up!! She doesn't even try. They are beautiful!! No one even notices, the seems are all white, & we're all focusing on the lovely embroidery! Because this is all muslin, the kids did the signatures, & the pattern is brick I don't think anyone will notice if this doesn't line up. Keep up all the hard work! |
The layout means you don't have to worry about matching seams, so that takes that issue off the table. I am a perfectionist as well, but try to remember anyone looking at the quilt will be marveling over the kids' artwork...not the quilting.
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Good for you! Sounds like it will be memorable and sweet, which is much more important than perfection.
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Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by blzzrdqueen
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what should I do??? |
I looks to me like this project is a perfect one for blocks that are not perfect! There doesn't appear to be anyplace where the seam need to match up. If one row is a centimeter taller than another, who is going to notice except someone with a ruler, and then they deserve to find the "error" The fabric on the ends will even out the width of the rows.
The important thing is the love and effort that the children put into this. You are just the facilitator to gather that love together! |
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