My Creative space: Warning!! quilters avert your eyes now!

You know what I have learnt?
Just because someone  dares you to do something doesn't mean you have to? How old am I? 15? Apparently, yes!
It all started with this. I have been tempted before by this lovely bloggers quilts, but Kirsty's made me want to do it.
Kirsty even sent me Kates pattern.... But I read it and cutting all those pieces the same size all perfect and neat... Chest tightens, heart begins to beat faster, ( not in a good way) I know I am not capable of this kind of sameness and oneness... I looked at it again over a few days, even got out fabric one night, got overwhelmed, put it away. But because I was dared... it was on my mind....I went looking on the interweb for inspiration, felt worse, even more overwhelmed... But on Sunday morning at 2am I woke up with plans!

Perhaps I might do it differently next time though.

So here are some things I learnt that will make it easier next time. MOST of them are obvious to anyone with any sewing experience, unlike myself who still considers herself very much a beginner.

Perhaps think about how big it will be before you start
Perhaps some planning, a little sketch or something... With measurements!

Perhaps cut out shapes on a hard surface ( not the lounge room rug)

Perhaps use  that modern device called a tape measure, like actually get one out and measure your pieces of fabric.

Perhaps cut the pieces in a straight line on a hard surface by using things like a chalk mark and a ruler

Iron AND ironing board:

Get them out!

Perhaps iron all the squares before you start. Perhaps buy an ironing board bigger than the one you sit on the table that you currently use! ( I only iron small things like toy pieces and cushion covers it is about half the size of a normal sized one.)

Perhaps have some kind of system when you sew the pieces together where you decide to fold the seams over to one side or iron them open before you start sewing them all together.

Perhaps have those special pins with the bend in them.

Perhaps have chocolate biscuits for the pinning it all together process which proved quite painfully tedious and stressful in trying to keep dog from laying on the "quilt." and the 4 year old from walking on it.

Sew: Perhaps pop a new sharp needle in the machine so the one you are using doesn't break so when you are changing it half of it doesn't fall down in between those dog teeth looking bits causing you to lift the entire sewing machine over your head and shake vigorously and when it didn't come out just pretend that it didn't happen and put a new sharp needle in and start sewing again hoping for the best.

Perhaps have chocolate biscuits and dog treats ( for Zac obviously) again for the now I have to unpin it turned it right side out and realized I now have to pin it again!!! ( as am using this method- so as to avoid binding)

Pin.

Have dilemma about how to "quilt" and need to ask a stupid question...call in the expert who provided not only her phone number but links to examples to help answer my dumb question. Thank you Andi for always being very kind and encouraging.

Decide to use little ties method of quilting as I cannot decide what colour to use for the lines I wanted to sew like the original one Kirsty made- which was the whole point of this quilt to begin with - to make a quilt with all those lines across it....

So basically I started here, got overwhelmed, popped over here  and came back with this. 

It is backed with chenille and well, someone loves it and loves that I made it for her.

So would I make another one? Yep sure would! But this time I am going to cut on table, measure with chalk and ruler and iron and be patient and slow and maybe even be in the house alone for the pinning bit.....and I already have plans for the next one which will be more about quilting than actually about the patch- worky bit....Well that's the plan anyway but really anything could happen.

Andi will be running a quilting workshop called Embrace The Wonk ( LOVE it!) later in the month, details are over here.
Here at chunkychooky we embrace the wonk, we revel in it. We poo poo people who tell us it has to be perfect, it has to be neat, it has to be this it has to be that. I am Embracing the Wonk and am pround of myself that I faced up to the challenge and I finished it and I am not completley embarassed about it, but mostly I am thrilled that it will keep my little one warm on the lounge, which really is the whole point of a quilt right?
 More Creative Spaces at Kirstys place.