Thank you Sue over at Quilt Times.
I LOVE THIS QUILT!!!!!!
But oh the journey.... Who knew that pattern testing could be so much fun? Please read that last sentence with a severe note of sarcasm. This quilt was a great learning experience for me, again with the sarcasm. It pushed me into the limits of reading color and block construction and FINISHING that I didn't know was possible. But what I learned about myself explains lots of those UFO's I've got hanging around.
I don't follow instructions.
There I said it. And that is exactly the reason I don't finish things. I start with a pattern/design and then I "change" it. Not a good idea...somewhere along the line I get stuck and throw it aside. Yep, that's it! Changing it, not a good idea. Makes finishing it much, much more difficult. Not only don't I have the directions, but chances are since I've deviated from the pattern I don't have the fabric I need to finish it the way I *think* I should. So off it goes into a drawer, box or what-ever with good intentions of facing it another day that doesn't happen. sigh...do you know what I'm talking about?
Let's get to the quilt shall we?
Here it is...
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this quilt!! I've got a kid in the house who loves it too, he's offered to buy it from me. Sorry this one is all mine!! The Modern Squares quilting design is PERFECT!!
When Sue sent me the photo of the quilt I immediately went out and purchased "some" fabric. Notice I said "photo" not instructions, not fabric requirement, "photo". At this point I'm already trying to make it my way by not knowing what I need but going on what I like. MISTAKE!!
When I got the email with the pattern, I looked at the fabric that I purchased and wasn't crazy about the fabric selection. The fabric and pattern laid around for a couple of weeks without motivation from me, since I wasn't happy with my choice. BUT!! I was shifting things around in my room and found a Moda Jelly Roll Moda Scapes that I kinda thought would work. So I made a few blocks, and fell in love.
Made a few more blocks and OH MY GOSH!! I need a huge quilt!! How many blocks can I make??? It's going to be a monster size quilt!! BUT - - the pattern states the quilt is 58" x 70', that's only 32 little 6" blocks!!! I CAN MAKE WAY MORE THAN THAT!! Just look at how fabulous those blocks are!!
MORE! MORE! MORE!
So, on a mission I carefully lay out all of the fabrics and start matching up those beautiful strips of fabrics....
Yes!! It's so fun, and beautiful....
Just looooookkkkkk at those lovely strips....(I'm having way too much fun taking photo's for this planned post...payback will come later, hang in there.)
I'm thinking I'm pretty darn cleaver...I've come up with a good way to chain stitch those puppies!!
At this point I have all the blocks a girl could comfortably make from that jelly roll (I've got 40 blocks and remember the pattern calls for only 32)...now comes putting it on the wall...hummm...let's see how that works for ya....
um...not very well. Where's the design?
How again does that pattern go together....
If I shift them slightly and make a few more blocks,
it MIGHT work...
those beautiful sets from earlier has turned into this, need I say more?
Here's another layout, STILL needing blocks...
how about this one? um, no, blocks still missing....
well, maybe if I take a few apart and move them a different way....
YES!!!!!!!!! Or so I thought!!! Notice how the last row does not start with a block but a solid fabric square? That is going to TOTALLY NOT WORK!! More blocks to be made? But I'm still pluggin' away at it....
this is what I've got to work with, so off to order more fabric......
taking blocks apart to make it happen...next few photo's explain it all.....
E-GAD!!! Am I seriously thinking of changing something else?????
Just shoot me!!!!
done? really? done? has it really happened?
Not really, I still have borders to do, just read the photo's.
TOP IS DONE!!!!!!!
Has been quilted.....
I'm still working on the binding. I really do love this quilt! It pushed me to my limits on some days, but it is so worth it. Looking back at the UFO's that I have laying around, it was those changes that most likely killed the progress. But knowing that I'm feeling positive that I can tackle them with new insight.
How about a little giveaway if you are still with me? Leave me a comment letting me know if you can relate to this post or are you a die hard pattern follower? I've got three charm packs that need new homes.
I'll randomly draw 3 names on September 19th. Let me know your choices in order, Moda Juggling Summer, P&B Textiles Bear Essentials or Michael Miller Pastel Pops. Don't forget that's two things you've got to tell me in one comment. Since this lovely quilt pattern comes from over the ocean, I'm going to open up shipping to everyone.
Other GREAT things are happening around here, besides all of the fabulous quilt's that I've been quilting. I'll post some new quilt pictures very soon.
thanks for checking on me,
hugs,
joanne
love to hear what you've got to say............
28 comments:
I do have one UFO that I tried to resize using triangles and it has now been in the UFO pile for 7 yrs, thank you for this post as I will have to dig it out and retry. I would love to have the Moda Juggling Summer.
Brenda McWhirter
brendamm6435@sbcglobal.net
What a beautiful quilt! I rarely follow patterns, and it almost always gets me in a pickle one way or another. Thanks for the giveaway too! I'd prefer the Bear Essentials first, then the Juggling summer. I don't think I'm interested in the other one.
Wow, you are SO far ahead of my skills it isn't even funny. I am not a die hard pattern follower, but I am not creative like you, either. I'm the start-and-then-panic-and-put-the-unfinished-quilt-in-a-tote person. :)
I'd love any of them, but I'll choose Moda's Juggling Summer. I can always use a little more summer. :)
Joanne, the main reason I hate patterns is because not a lot of people are good pattern WRITERS. I can't figure out what they want you to do half the time...lol...and I love the Michael Miller Pastel Pops. Spectacular job on that quilt by the way.
Giggle~ yes, I have been there! I often change little things and then think I should've KISS'd it! :-) Your quilt turned out lovely! I like the order you have them displayed! Have a great week!
I am a big fan of creating my own designs... I just wish I had a spot for a design wall. As you showed so well here, it's important to step back and really see your quilt as your making those decisions!
Love the quilt, love the QUILTING! You're so right... it's perfect.
Thanks for the generous giveaway Joanne, you're the sweetest! hmmm... Moda 1st, Michael Miller 2nd and P&B 3rd.
I just loved your "Adventures with a pattern" post, it was great fun. Thanks so much for pattern testing for me, I think we both learnt a lot from it.
Your quilt is beautiful!! I myself need a pattern and follow the instructions precisely.
(By the way, I would choose the Moda Juggling Summer if I won!)
Hmmmm can I relate? Let me see...YES absolutely...of course...INDEED and all the rest :)
I need a finish...desperately!
I love that quilt and you know my organizational skills would have had those piles in piles...and messy! You did very well.
Hugs,
Kelly
I usually start off following a pattern and then somewhere along the way I decide to change things a bit!!
I like Juggling Summer best then Pastel Pops and Bear Essentials
First of all...I love the prints and shading you chose for Tubix.
Secondly...Welcome to Sue's Pattern Tester Sorority! I made 3 quilts from 2 of her patterns earlier this year! Getting everything squared up on the diagonal is quite the experience isn't it?
Thirdly...I often tell quilty friends that patterns are merely a suggestion...you are free to make your own choices and discoveries! I had the unmitigated gall to make one quilt following Sues instructions to the "T"...and then I made it "My Way"...AND told her about it...step by step!!!! As always...HRH took it graciously...I think...
Congratulations on your finish! It's truly lovely! Although it Sounds like you need to make version two to defray the cost of materials for version one!
I don't normally use patterns for piecing though I have used a couple for applique as i cannot draw!
Except when it is a group project when I follow the pattern to the nth degree - even if there are easier/better ways of doing it!
Your quilt is wonderful, I share your need to change patterns. Unfortunately I don't have the knowledge to successfully carry them out though.
I would give a good home to any fabric, it would be petted and stroked!!!
I love how it came out and it was fun to read your story about it. I too was a tester, I made mine smaller-I had no problem with this one. BUT yes I do like to 'do my own thing' with patterns and yes I can relate a bit!!
Your quilt is beautiful. Seems that you had fun making this quilt. That adds to your affection for it. I tend to follow directions for the most part. But don't assume that makes things easier because we all have our own way of interpreting things, even those that are in black and white. I love the P&B Basics. Thanks for giveaway.
so enjoyed reading about the creation of this lovely quilt.I try and follow instructions but it does not always work! my choice of charm packs 1 bear essentials, 2 juggling 3 pastel pops fingers crossed!
I am a die hard pattern follower! Ha! Ha! And donkeys fly? I do start with good intentions as I bought the pattern because I loved the particular quilt. Then my brain starts "helping me" - disaster usually follows. I do find I follow picture instructions much better than written. YOUR QUILT TURNED OUT LOVELY! GOOD JOB.
I'm so glad you stuck with it: it's beautiful!
Nice final quilt, and nice photos of "the process"! When I plan to follow a pattern, I usually stick to the pattern once I start cutting the fabric. When I see a pattern that I want to deviate from, I'm usually pretty painstaking about planning it out, making my own diagrams, calculating the amount of fabric for each area/color, etc. I have a lot of "plans" in drawers or folders that have never reached the "production" phase because I keep tweaking, or can't quite come up with the "best" way to lay it out. You may be more of a "visual" quilter; you have to see what it looks like to figure out where to go with it. I, too, am visual, but I have a phobia about taking a sharp blade to my pretty fabrics, and do so only after I've analyzed things to death! -Chris M.
P.S. I would love to have a chance to cut up your P&B or Moda Summer fabrics!
I'm posting this on behalf of Deb (carent1 at neb dot rr dot com). It was posted on my blog, but should have been here really. Deb said:
"Love the quilt, it's one that I would like to make. I do follow the pattern because I'm always concerned after spending that much money on the material don't want to mess it up! I like the juggling summer, then pastel pop."
Directions??? We are supposed to follow directions??? Well, my goodness, what a revelation!!!!! Read the directions all the way through before beginning??? Oops, sorry, sprayed my computer screen on that one! That must be why I buy yardage...5 yards, 10 yards, oh heck, I'll take the whole bolt! LOVE your quilt and I totally relate to your "issues"! The only time I follow a pattern religiously is when I am testing a pattern for a designer!!!
I am a pattern follower. Once I do it once though I will mess around and change things up. I like the Moda Juggling Summer.
Hahaha - Yes! This has happened to me. And have I learned my lesson? No. I still try to change it. Every once in a while I get a quilt pattern and follow it completely - it's always so easy. Then the next time I'm right back at, changing things around. As for the the charm squares - they are all lovely and I would love to win any of them.
OK, I started laughing with the line "I don't follow instructions." I have never made a quilt following the instructions. Even if I draft the pattern myself I can't follow the instructions. Right now I have my owl quilt on the wall, unfinished, because I didn't follow the instructions (didn't like the look) so still have to figure out what I want it to look like in the end. I don't have a preference for the charm squares: if I win it will become a child's charity quilt, somehow. ;-)
I have a hard time even getting started because I'm always trying to do it my way! I have a terrible time making my inner "artiste" shut up so I can get something done!
I enjoyed seeing your process and loved your blog. I will be adding your blog to my reading list :)
Loved reading your creation of the quilt story. I'm a "directions follower" and when my interpretation of the directions fails me, I'm sure it's the pattern - until I persevere and then realize there was nothing wrong with the pattern writing, it was me. But I do enjoy going out and buying more fabric or patterns and books. I bought the pattern and fabric for a one block wonder quilt and there was a 3D block like your quilt inserted in a couple places. So I needed to get a pattern for that 3D block and I followed a few links, went through some work finding the book. Received the book and realized I once had the same exact book and sent it off to the thrift store when I cleaned out my sewing room. I still haven't made that one block wonder. So I'll decline on your kind offer for a charm pack because I've got lots of them I needed for some yet unsewn project!!
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