ginnie6

I guess I'm just a little down as this horse quilt is kicking my rear. I bit off a lot with it! Machine applique, paper piecing and designing it on paper and it looking right when I make it has been so hard! And yesterday I spent as much time ripping seams out as I did making them. I measured and measured and the braid border was still not right! It is now but I was so frustrated. I think I may need a break from it today.....I look at it and even though its only the last two borders and they're easy I just don't want to do it.

shaverg

I think you have a good plan. Walk a way for a day or two, then go back. When I taught my good friend to quilt a couple of years ago. She would have days she would call me and say she was done. But I knew her better than that. She would walk away and come back work it out. Now I feel she has surpassed me. She even has a Mid Arm and frame. I still am a hand quilter. She is doing beautiful landscape quilts. I am so proud of her.

redkimba

Nah. I really appreciate that folks make such beautiful artwork in fabric. My quilts are the type that are supposed to be used. (no offense meant to anyone).

I just wish that I had more time to finish the one I started. I'm hand-quilting that one. Oh, well - if I win the lottery, I will definitely have time for ALL of the stuff I want to do. :)

Pam

Aww Ginnie, I know. I literally have 16 ufos! A lot of $$ tied up there just sitting in a drawer or closet waiting to see the light of day. Take a break today, and remember what I always say, "My favolite color is DONE". I don't get to say that very much about my own stuff, though.

raptureready

Absolutely I do. Then I remind myself that with some patience I, too, can do them. Some quilts are harder than others, some use techniques I've yet to learn but none of them require a degree in rocket science or brain surgery. Even a beginner, with patience, the right instruction, and practice can make the most difficult of quilts. We can do the same pattern and mine might not look as good as your's but as long as they aren't side by side no one will know. LOL

quiltilicious

I've had days like that, where I spend more time ripping seams than I do sewing. And if I weren't selling the quilt to someone for a significant amount of money, or giving it to someone important to me, or planning to have it scrutinized by show judges, I'd probably let it go.

I walk by a wall hanging every day that has one open seam (because I didn't lay it out right when I was paper piecing), and it reminds me why it's worth fixing during construction.

KathyAire

Absolutely. I know that I'm the 'weakest link'. My friend sees my quilts and drools over them. She is not a quilter. I tell her that I'm not very good at it. She can't understand that I would say that. I tell her that I see such well done, beautiful quilts done by people that know what they are doing and mine can't even come close to comparing. BUT, I quilt strictly for my own enjoyment.
I know exactly what you mean.

quiltsRfun

All the time. But I keep trying.

I go To The Sea To Breathe

I Think Ditter hit the nail on the head, Learn To Love The Journey! That is the whole sum of everything we do in life, right? Quilting, cooking, gardening, raising a family, marriage.. Learn to love the journey. If it's ok Ditter, I am using your saying for my life now. I know if I put enough into aanything I do, and I enjoy doing it, whatever I do will be beautiful. Anyone agree?

MomtoBostonTerriers

Ginnie,

You expressed my thoughts exactly -- I'm another person who doesn't consider herself in the same league with the quilters on this message board. I got the urge to start quilting because my grandmother and aunt (now aged 90 years) were lifelong quilters and I loved THEM (not the quilts). They made hundreds of quilts, all pieced on a treadle sewing machine and quilted by hand. None of them are works of art. I have such wonderful, happy memories of my grandmother and aunt when I see their quilts. Now, THAT is what makes a good quilter: lots of love poured into the quilts.