Thursday, August 28, 2014

Thanks for Your Help

I love
blogging friends.
I'm always learning something new
or being 
 reminded of  good "quilty" practices.

Here are two examples from last week
as I was binge sewing.
Thanks, Cheryl, who is at
for coining this expression.


The first reminder
came from Nancy at
Nancy has been working on an applique
where the pattern labeled some pieces to be made blue.
Part way into it,  she decided
that she didn't want to use blue,
unsewed those pieces
and replaced them with something else.
That's a lot of work, but
it was good reminder to me.
A pattern isn't gospel.

This past week while I was binging,
I finally got out Di Ford's 
mystery quilt found in the Quiltmania Magazine.
These little diamond shapes have been bothering
me since I stitched them.

It was time to unsew and replace them.
They would have always bothered me.

Reminder: Change it if you don't like something.

Another reminder came from
Hilda at
She's been working on a medallion quilt
and shared that she was working some
of her borders slightly out of order
so that the applique placement would be easier.

Suddenly a light blub went on
The applique placement is so tight and exact
on this mystery quilt
that I knew when I sewed the next border on

I would sew some of the applique into 
the seam allowances.

Hilda's work reminded me that
 by waiting to to add the applique pieces
until the next border was sewn on
I was setting the boundaries for the applique.
I'd like to announce:
"There have been no applique pieces
lost or injured
during the sewing of this border".

Reminder: Figure out the best way for you
 and just do it.

Thanks, blogging friends
for making my stitching better and better.

Until Next Time-

19 comments:

  1. Great post! I agree we sometimes get too hung up on what we are supposed to do. Making it work for you makes it all that much more enjoyable!

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  2. I am using the make the border first thing before trimming my applique blocks as I knew my border might not fit if I used the pattern measurement. Good post today.

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  3. Great post! I am amazed at how well your broderie perse flowers fit in the space. I am having the worst trouble with mine there just isn’t enough room for all of them. Thanks for the tip about the appliqué borders.

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  4. Great post. And this is some very impressive applique you are working on!

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  5. I learn lots from other bloggers too :0) Your mystery quilt is just beautiful so far!

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  6. Quilters are the BEST !!

    Your Mystery quilt is STUNNING ! What a smily heirloom this will be

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  7. Sound advice, Kyle. We can all use the reminder. I am working on a SAL and I didn't like one of the borders. I finally gave myself permission to replace it with a different border that I liked, and I am much happier. After all, it is my quilt.
    Your quilt is beautiful--what a special piece!

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  8. Thank you for passing on these great lessons. It's wonderful that you showed us examples, complete with smiley faces :) . Your quilt is looking absolutely beautiful!

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  9. Sometimes I do not have the condidence to deviate from a pattern. This is a reminder to do what is best for the quilt I am working on.

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  10. Great pictures Kyle and thanks for the mention. What I do is basically 'fudging to fit' and I seem to need to do it often - might be a reflection of my inaccuracies ! I like your fabric substitution and so nice to see the closeups of your work.

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  11. I don't think I coined the expression, but thank you for the credit. I think your redo was so worth it and I like the hint about applique placement and borders.

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  12. Your Di Ford quilt is looking fantastic! I really like the substitution on the diamond shapes. If you are not happy with it in the beginning you will not be happy with later, a lesson I have learned. A great idea about the borders, thanks!

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  13. We are taught to follow rules from childhood so it's sometimes hard to color outside the lines but in sewing you just have to overcome those lessons and do what feels right. :) blessings, marlene

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  14. wonderful post and I love that blogging friends can offer help and advice. It is great to change patterns to make them "yours". Better to think of them as a guide and not law.
    Your work is beautiful and your changes are great!!
    say....how did you add text to those photos? it really helps explain what you are talking about -

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  15. Great post! We need reminders to break the rules or in quilting - to do our own thing. Adds to the enjoyment!

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  16. I agree!! Do what makes YOU happy. Your projects are very pretty.

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  17. Loved reading this. So true that we have to make things work for US in order to be truly happy with the outcome.:)

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  18. It's good to always have an open mind about how to do things. :-) Very helpful tips to remember. Your Di Ford mystery is looking so pretty.

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  19. I started this SAL with the instructions (some new to me) from Di Ford, made an overlay from the pattern provided in the magazine and after struggling because the vines were off which set the broderie purse off, I took everything off and started over doing my ole faithful way. Am much happier with result and everything now fits. I don't mind trying something new, but often go back to what works for me.

    Your work looks awesome.

    Terry

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