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What would you do if you noticed a mistake that no one else would ever notice on your quilt? What would you do if you don’t like your quilt top after it’s put together? The Surprise quilt along presented a couple of instances where I had to consider whether or not to fix an issue. Or just leave it alone.
Directional fabric
Some of the fabrics I used for my little birthday table topper were directional. In one block, one of the pieces went the wrong way but I didn’t notice til the block was sewn together.
Do you see how the multi-colored dots on the piece with the seam ripper do not match the orientation of the piece above it? As you can see I decided to rip it out and turn it around. The 2 pieces are at the top in the picture below.
Much better! It was a pretty easy fix.
In other blocks I cut the pieces wrong and did not have the fabric to re-cut. So they had to stay as is.
I don’t think the direction of the pieces is all that noticeable with these fabrics.
Poor fabric choices
Sometimes what we think will be super cute, turns out to be not-so-much. I think the yellow ribbons work nicely.
The turquoise fabric with the sprinkles is just too busy when paired with the busy “wrapping paper” fabrics. A fabric that reads more as a solid would have been a better choice.
I could have taken the blocks apart and changed the bow fabric. But that would have been a lot of work. I decided to just go with it as is.
Do you remember my fabric pull?
I probably should have stuck with those. But I found the candy/sweets fabric in my stash a while later and liked it so much, I decided to use it instead. I still wanted to use the “happy birthday” fabric as a border around the blocks. When I finished putting the blocks together, the birthday fabric just did not look good as a border. The color and tone was not right.
My friend, Ginny, came to my rescue with a better fabric from her stash. It says happy birthday too. What a great friend! The colors are so much better.
I still am not thrilled with the whole thing. Should I go ahead and quilt it? Or scrap it? What would you do? let me know in the comments.
Quilt Every Day!
by Mary Beth Krapil
I’d quilt it. The turquoise bows look fine when you see the whole quilt. The only thing I don’t like is the yellow corners. I assume there’s not enough of the border fabric to miter the corners. Is there a red you could use?
Thank You Mary Beth ! Just found the blog and I am binge reading this rainy Sunday morning !
Have had some of the same type of issues. The fabric looked really cute – individually – but when put together, not so much. I guess I would go ahead and quilt it. I have been surprised many times when something that looks not so great unquilted, takes on another whole look once quilted. I take it this is probably a table runner or something so its not like its a whole quilt. You know how the saying goes: if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!
I would quilt it. I like the turquoise bows with it all the blocks and border together.
Quilt it. I would make the quilting dense on the package so the bows stand out! It will be loved.
I would quilt it. Imagine it on a table with a cake stand and presents around it. It will be just fine. It’s bright and happy. We don’t have to absolutely love every single quilt we make. Mystery quilts are often disappointing because you are choosing your fabrics without a overall picture of the final quilt. That pull might have been absolutely perfect in another pattern, but it’s certainly acceptable in this one.
Yes, quilt it up and make it a donation quilt. Someone else will love it and cherish it.
I think that’s a good plan!
I definitely would quilt it up and give it as a gift. My motto is “better done than thinking about it undone and what to do about it!” Whoever gets it will love it. We are too hard on ourselves sometimes 🙂
That is a tough one because I have to say the whole thing is a little busy for me. I wouldn’t be discouraged from quilting it though. You might like it better quilted and I have had friends that loved the quilts I didn’t like at all. I have also warmed to quilts over time. I don’t know where you live, but in Minnesota where I live, we keep quilts in our cars for bad weather or breakdowns. You could always do that with it.
If my quilt, I would quilt it and bind it. Then donate to a local charity. They are in great need for quilts.
Once a quilt has been started, it should be finished. Even if finished it was not what you planned there is always others who will love and cherish it. Not all of my grandmother’s was perfect but to me they were.
I’d quilt it and donate if it still didn’t suit me. It will look nice quilted, I bet!
So glad to know I’m not the only one with these challenges. I’d quilt it and donate it to Project Linus. My Linus Chapter coordinator champions better done than undone. There is a thankful recipient for every quilt. Every quilt is a learning adventure for the quilter. The joy is in the making.
I only noticed my mistake after the quilt had been hanging up on the wall for a while, it is really bugging me, no-one else could see it.
Ouch! Hopefully you will come to not see the mistake over time and enjoy the quilt.
My mom taught me how to sew when I was 10. I had to rip out any mistakes and fix anything that wasn’t perfect. 60+ years later, I can still feel her leaning over my shoulder when I’m sewing. But now she’s saying “Finished is better than perfect”!
I couldn’t find your mistake, so I wouldn’t have fixed it! It looked great to me!
I am of the persuasion to complete it. I would even go so far as to trapunto the bows. It will help them to stand out. The topper is definitely bright and cheerful. It captures party chaos well with the activity in the fabrics. It certainly isn’t a wash. Once it’s finished you might come to appreciate all the effort that went into making it. I hope you warm up to it once it’s finished. Somehow I think you will. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Anitra! I hope you are right. I always do like quilts more after they are quilted.
I’d quilt it. Every quilt is made with love.
Thanks Sarah! It was made with love.