Friday, January 11, 2013

The Learning Curve

The hand quilting is all complete on the Antique Medallion!  I got this quilt sandwiched and ready to go on November 12, 2012 so I consider this very good work on my part.  I wish they all went this smoothly!  After my last stitch, I had to lay the quilt out on the floor and admire it--for a really long time!  In fact, I wanted to call all of the family in and do jumping jacks or something I was so excited!
Centerpiece of Antique Medallion quilt
I remember when I first started the center part of this quilt back in about 2009.  The pattern came out in the American Patchwork and Quilting magazine in April of 2001--one I immediately tore out and stuck in my inspiration book.  I always wanted to make the pineapple/pomegranite part of the pattern, but was so very intimidated.  Scared spit less of it actually because of all the precise-ness of it.  What a perfect way to showcase my mistake making skills!
Sponging out the quilt markings
Years and years later, I finally got up the courage to get started on it and I AM SO GLAD!  This project taught me an invaluable lesson.  Face your fears head on and plow right on through them!  It seems incredible now how frightened of this kind of applique I was!  There are definitely mistakes if you look close enough, but this quilt will always have special meaning to me for what it's done for my confidence ever since.
Ready for binding!
For now it's hanging on the railing in my quilting room to pet as I walk past. I confess that I have started a new project that is all about conquering my fears as well.  Those nasty drunkards path blocks.  Uggghhh....  I am not quite ready to say that I've mastered curved piecing, so I guess I'm gonna drown in it for awhile.  May the prep work take months.*wink
A new learning curve....

11 comments:

  1. I wish I could come on over and give you a big hug with congratulations on a great accomplishment. I am truly so happy for you, and I love the quilt. Also thanks for charing your thoughts during the process of making it. Looking forward to follow you mastering curved sewing.

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  2. Wow, Audrey, it is gorgeous! It is so nice to finish a quilt and love everything about it- sometimes we love it more when it takes us so long to put it all together.

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  3. That is such an amazing and beautiful quilt. Congratulations on finishing the quilting! I'm intimidated by that sort of applique too, so maybe the story behind this quilt will inspire me too. You'll have the hang of those Drunken Paths in no time!

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  4. The Medallion quilt is just beautiful! Congrats on a great finish... love the fabrics and your quilting. I've never made the perfect quilt... all of them have a few or many imperfections, but they are my imperfections and I'm okay with that! How else would we learn?

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  5. it looks so great - you did a good job on it. Have fun with the drunkards path

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  6. Congrats on the beautiful finish. AND facing your fears head on!!!!!! Piecing drunkard path blocks is easy. I use the accuquilt to cut out pieces and they have registration marks. Using the marks I pin the middle and each end.

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  7. Good for you! I think you conquered those fears all right, the result is wonderful. I am really looking forward to your new "learning curves" as I have no doubt it will have equally wonderful results.

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  8. Congratulations! That is very exciting! Amazing what this quilt has accomplished and I am so happy for you!

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  9. This is beautiful---made a note of the magazine to pull--would love to the the center of it anyway. :)

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  10. Yea! Congratulations!!! It is so beautiful. Whatever "mistakes" are there, make it that much more charming and YOU. It is interesting to think about how are quilts build character in us. We think we're making the quilts. But they are also making us! I'm looking forward to seeing your Drunkard's Path. The fabrics look lovely.

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  11. It is amazing to look back over the years of the progress one achieves from when we first learn the basics of patchwork and quilting . I love the colours of your quilt. Please can we see a full photo of the quilt? Well done on taking the plunge to 'have a go', and now you have a wonderful quilt to show for your efforts.

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