Monday, April 01, 2019

Embracing Our Imperfections

Bernie from Needle and Foot is hosting a blog along today asking us to share our imperfections, goofs, or problems we have had with projects.  I've had a few, and I generally try to show them.  

I was recently in the All About Strings Blog Hop, my day was here.  I noticed my imperfections in this quilt particularly.  I took some basket blocks I had received, and made in a swap from 1997 and set them on point with the strings I made.  

The quilt doesn't look too bad here.




I noticed when I was putting it together that the baskets I personally made the pieces did not quite meet.  This caused difficulties when trying to stitch in the ditch.I did not redo my baskets, it was from 1997 and I hope I am a bit better now.  But I am hoping these were the reject and I sent the other participants better matching baskets!




The other thing I noticed was that my strings didn't exactly meet up either, and I just did these last month.  All I can say about that is the lighting is poor in our house.  I try to sew out the in kitchen when I am assembling a quilt because the afternoon sun comes in that bay window.  But at the time I was sewing these together, we were having a lot of rain in Northern California and I didn't notice it.  But I think I assembled these in my sewing room (poor light), and I had the blocks laid out on my bed (also bad lighting).  It also made it hard to stitch in the ditch when it is going all wonky.  






Also, last year for my One Monthly Goal hosted by Patty at Elm Street Quilts I was trying to finish up this old, old stitchery project.  I had part of the blocks done, and wanted the project finished.  This project was probably from around 2000.  The first couple of blocks I did when I picked it back  up in 2018 were OK.  Then I started to notice the linen-like fabric or homespun that was the backing was disintegrating.  I would start to sew down the raw edge applique, and my finger would go through the back.  I had about 3 more yards of this, and it was all the same thing, I'd start to sew and my finger would go through it.  I went and bought some similar fabric, and started assembling the project.






This is where I was trying to join the pieces together on the back.    The little flower was where my fingers had come through in another place.


This actually an edge down by the maple section, and the holly section is the same way.  


The project is supposed to have embroidery along the outside and between the blocks, and that was one of my favorite parts.  This is just sitting right now, but one of these days I am going to overhaul it.  I'm going to cut all the blocks apart, back them with interfacing I think, and then put on a false back.  I'm going to attach new sashings and embroider them.  My heart still aches for this project, but I will finish!

Thanks so much Bernie for hosting this event.  I learn so much from reading my blogs each day, and from each one of you!





3 comments:

  1. The basket and strings quilt looks great - those boo boos are the sort that you are likely the only one to see. It is really a pretty quilt!

    Isn't that strange the fabric was coming apart like that? I have not had that happen. I hope you can rescue those pretty blocks though! Good luck and thanks for sharing.

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  2. Imperfect or not, your basket quilt is positively charming! It makes me think of well-loved vintage quilts. If you're like me you try for perfect but there's a lot to be said for seeing the hand of the maker in a quilt like this. This one is one I wish I'd made!

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  3. I love your basket string block. I don't care that everything isn't perfectly matching, because it seems just what the quilt should be. From the distance anyone is going to look, they won't notice anyway. I love the antique feel it has to it. I swapped with you a lot of times, and I don't remember ever getting blocks that weren't perfect. Every time I look at my red/white/blue patriotic quilt and see the little hands of your grandchildren, it makes me smile. I put that block right in the middle of the quilt where I would always see it.

    You put a lot of time into that black quilt, and your solution for rescuing what you can seems like a great idea to me. Could you just put a false back on the whole thing, without taking it apart? That wouldn't solve the sashing problem, though.

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