Mar 22, 2011

How Many Ways Can We Frustrate Ourselves??

It's official. I'm frustrated. I have disposed of and recovered those pesky Jo Morton blocks (see post here) more times that I can shake a stick at. I decided that I did like the dark colorway I chose after all, but was more than frustrated at how they were going together in the final setting. How a block can measure perfectly and then lose points is beyond me. I was so frustrated and thinking that I was a quilting moron that I went over to Jo's Yahoo Group and looked at pictures of other Amy's Quilt projects. Know what? Most of them had cut off points. I am still putting mine away for now. I have a club meeting tonight and will bring up the subject of the missing points. Somebody has to have an answer!
So as if little frustrations weren't enough, I decided to use today to jump back into the BIG frustrations. I guess I am hell bent on branding myself a Quilting Moron, so I pulled out the Civil War Tribute blocks' basket. Just call me crazy! I spent the morning making this:



I've made some major decisions about this journey. It will NOT be perfect. Again- I measure everything twice. I square up, I pin like crazy (and I'm normally not a pinner) and still- several disappearing points, sections that shift just ever so slightly even though they've been pinned within an inch of their life. But, at least the block is the 18.5" it is supposed to be. So- I'll downgrade myself to a lesser degree of moron. I will work on this major pain in my quilting life project, I will enjoy the process, and know that once it gets to the finishing stage and is sent off to an extraordinary machine quilter to be quilted heavily, it will be just fine. It isn't going into a show, it isn't going to do much other than grace my own home. It will serve as testament to my own perseverance. It will also remind me not to jump on the BOM bandwagon just because I saw one beautiful block with the most perfect purple fabric. I have learned to investigate who the designer is...because I know there are some that I just don't get along with well. Please tell me perfection is over-rated. OK, I know it's not, but will just live with "good enough" as far as this project is concerned. I have seen a finished piece, both at a show booth and at a LQS. I have seen tops on some of the blogs I follow and know that I am not the only person who has a few little bald spots from tearing our hair out. I also know that in the end- it will end up on one of the kid's couches- keeping a dog, cat or other animal warm. OR (heaven forbid) be sold at the "estate (garage) sale"! They wouldn't, would they??

6 comments:

Monica L. Mercado said...

They would not!

This block is beautiful, probably my favorite you've posted lately.

Linda said...

It's a beautiful block!! I feel your frustrations with CWT!! I've put mine away for now because it just wasn't enjoyable. A shame because I love the fabric and spent a fortune on it!!

Karen said...

Antique quilts have blocks with lots of those disappearing points. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Cheryl said...

My mother has an antique quilt from my grandmother that I adore...a Lonestar. Last time I was at her house, I took a good look at it and guess what? No perfect seam intersections and blunt points. Wow, I loved it even more!

Julie Fukuda said...

I have to admit if I used a machine to piece I would lose points too. My sister does everything by machine and hardly a point in sight. I do think about that when I'm wishing for faster progress.

Carol said...

That quilt was one of the biggest challenges in my many years of quilting...I overcut lots of the triangles and trimmed the blocks to size...that did help. Keep going...I nearly put it away several times, but now that it's done I love it...and trust me it's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination.

Related Posts with Thumbnails