But I am glad it's finished...
I am a very beginner quilter, learned how to use the sewing machine a year and half ago and had to be away from it for about a year of that time, so needless to say, I am still learning how to keep my seams straight. So why in the world did I decide to do this beats me.

The story began two years ago when I first developed an interest in quilting and while visiting my in laws in Houston, I accompanied the aunt to a Quilt Festival. I was in awe the whole time and met so many great designers, Cynthia England was one of them. She was demonstrating her new (back then) technique for picture piecing. Her patterns were awesome, and it looked easy when she was doing it. Novice and clueless me, I bought her Welcome pattern (to her credit ,aunt Linda did warn me). Needless to say since I got my sewing machine I've been working on small mainly beginner projects and I just thought I'll never do that Welcome pattern. Well, a few weeks back I pulled that pattern, got to Cynthia's website and ordered the kit (a first). Received it a couple of days later and started the project and oh my, did I struggle! A lot at first that I almost threw the whole thing out of the window. But I stuck to it, and the more I got into the project the more I started enjoying it and getting the hang of picture piecing. But I was still struggling and had doubts the whole time that this freezer-paper-covered-design will look anything like the pattern. My wonderful supportive husband comforted me by stating that even if that wall-hanging shows a rat instead of a bird and reads go away instead of welcome, it is going on the wall like I had planned. Ha..a comforting thought. To my delight, the pattern turned out mostly like it should, I didn't totally destroy it. Although, it is not all technically correct and I am not that thrilled with it when I look closely, but I am proud of myself for finishing it and I am glad it shows a bird and says Welcome.

If you are not familiar with picture piecing, it is a very tedious technique with many pieces where you are trying to match up freezer paper (but you don't sew through the paper.), but the designs are rewarding. This wall-hanging is 22 by 15.5 and has hundreds (yes hundreds) of small pieces, some so tiny I could barely see. A color chart and organizing baggies were a must.

The best part is that after I finished piecing it I realized that it is an intermediate pattern, so now I sure am ready to tackle a beginner's one :thumbup:

WOW!!! That is quite a project!!!
Glad that you stuck with it, you did a beautiful job on it :D:D:D

wow, thanks for sharing your story, I am also a beginner and having a blast!

I'm sew glad that you finished your wall hanging!! It is absolutely outstanding!!!! You can definitely see the "bird" not a rat & it does say "Welcome" not go away! Kudos to you for persevering and finishing this work of ART!!!

That's beautiful! Those things about beginners are just a frame of mind! :)

You did a good job. You really must keep it. In just a year or so you will look at that and remember how much you learned while making it and how much you learned after that.

Candi, I enlarged the Welcome wall hanging & it looks great to me. Put away your magnifying glass & remember, you're the only one besides Cynthia England who will ever look that close. I'm so proud of you for hanging in there & finishing your project.

Wow!!! If you can do that as a beginner, you're going to be making some even more amazing things later on! Two thumbs and two big toes WAAAAY up! :)

Beautiful!

That's a beauty.

Your wall hanging is beautiful!

Welcome to the board. I'm glad you stuck with it. Now when you do a beginners project is will be easy for you. You did a great job for a intermediate project. Hang it up and be proud of what you accomplished. Looking forward to seeing what you decide to do next. :thumbup: :thumbup:

You did a great job.

It's fantastic, and looks exactly like the picture on the packet. Well done.

Not only is it a terrific project but you made a beautiful label for your quilt!! Whoever taught you has done a wonderful job. I am a paper-piecing fan - this looks a little tougher than what I can handle. Congrats on your supportive DH, too.

Kudos to you=I have done a few baby quilts but I would never have been as brave as you were=it is lovely=Ann

fantastic! and no apologies needed - it looks great - feel proud of yourself, you deserve it!

I'm glad you stuck with it :thumbup: :thumbup:

You should be proud of this wallhanging!!
great job!!

Congrats! You did a fantastic job!
I think the "intermediate" "beginner" and all the other classifications are just letting you know how much time and effort are going to have to be put into the quilt, not that your abilities can't accomplish it. I would encourage you to disregard the labels and just do the patterns that you like. :)

Candi, it is a beautiful work of art and you did an amazing job with it. I have been quilting for many years and I can find mistakes or things I don't like it every quilt I do. Just reasently I was putting together the Sharman's Vintage Garden quilt that I have been working on for 7 months, the center medallion block has about 40 hours of embroidery on it, well....wouldn't ya know I cut the darn thing a half inch to small all of the way around. I wasn't about to re-do it so I just made the block sashing bigger to compensate. This is one of the embroidery quilts I teach so had a contest for my class to find the "big mistake", the winner got a gift cert., but she had to identify the mistake and tell what I did to compensate for it. It took them a while to figure it out, but we did have a winner. So, the moral of this long story is, you will always have something you did wrong or would have changed in every quilt so make a note of it, either on the pattern or in your quilt journal for the next time. Future projects will be better but if you are like me, never as perfect as we would like. BTW there is a free Quilter's Journal that you can print on the HP website, I would encourage you to start one.

It's official, "Your a bonified quilter!"

Hugs, Gail

Wow! It sure is pretty. You did an awesome job!

I really like that....great job!!

I can't take credit for that label. Gail-r on the board here made it for me. Isn't pretty?

Thanks all for the kind comments. It is great to have all of your support.

Gail,
I have to say, even though I am generally a perfectionist in other arenas in my life, in quilting I am not so much. I do try to make it as good as I can make it, but I feel it is such a new skill for me that I just try to learn from mistakes and make it as good as I can. I love the quilter's journal idea, I'll have to go check it out. Again, thanks a bunch for the label :)

Great job - it's beautiful. I bought one of her kits (kitty laying on a quilt) several years ago and I even forgot I had it until I say your post. Maybe I'll get it out after I finish several of my works in progress.

Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing

Wow , that is wonderful. I would like to make one lol someday! it truly is a beautiful welcome hanging.. love it!

You did a good job.

Applause for finishing it!!!

Taking my hat off to you.

Awesome job. What a sweet little hanging.

Great Job! You sound like me, I always seem to pick a difficult project when I first start a new craft or technique. As you said probably don't know any better, but that's probably a good thing, we do something we like and ends up a big boost in confidence. Sounds like a great support from DH. Keep us updated on your projects.

Well, obviously, you swam and didn't sink, when in over your head!! You took on a dilly of a challenge for a beginner, and you get my vote for a good job.
We always see our own mistakes, those are nobody's business unless we opt to disclose them. If they jump out at a person, that is why we are all adept with a seam ripper.
If this is your first, I can see great things in store for you as a quilter!!!

Very nice. :thumbup:

You all are so kind. Thanks.

beautifulllll!!!

Its lovely and a great job WELL DONE!!

Looks like a pretty bird from here (not like a rat at all - lol). You did good!

You did a beautiful job on your wall hanging. You should be quite proud of it. Remember 2 things: 1. There are NO quilt police. 2. There are NO mistakes only "design opportunities".

I can't tell you how many "design opportunities" I have had :lol:

Wow, that's really nice. I love it!

Wow! Very nice! You done an awesome job