I sewed rows of Bow-ties together off and on all weekend. It was challenging for me because I so wanted to work on something else (
anything else actually). I'd sew a few rows, take a break, come back later, sew some more until eventually I got the whole quilt top together. This one was not fun to sew together at all.
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| Sewing the rows |
Way too many seams to match up {that didn't want to match up} because the seams from the hand sewing didn't come all the way out to the edge of the block. Even with supercallafragalistic pinning, the fabric would sometimes slip and move, making besties of me and my seam ripper. Agghhh....
My oldest daughter came up to the quilt room on Saturday evening to sit on the floor and cheer me on. Ha. As if. Mostly she just wanted to chat about the dramas of teenage life and being a senior in high school. Do you remember those days? Feeling so surreal that high school was
almost over! And did I tell you that her basketball team won #1 at districts in our league (for the second year in a row)! Now for the
stress excitement of Regionals and then if we win, state? I tell you, my kids are so athletic, I'd sometimes wonder if they were adopted if I didn't remember the exact moments of their birth.
Nevertheless, her company helped me stick to the details until I had a finished quilt top. I am
so glad now that I stuck to this particular lay-out instead of the classic look of the bow-ties. It's exactly what I wanted to achieve when I started this particular project! Kind of a scrappy vintage-y look that reminds me of picnics at the lake or other carefree summer days.
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| Bow-ties |
My bow-tie quilt is 13 rows by 14 rows which makes it barely a rectangle by any measurement. Since I'm a 'give me a square quilt' or 'make sure it's an obvious rectangle' kind of gal, I'm thinking I'll go ahead and make another row. Just one. There are 8 blocks already sewn together, which only makes for 5 more to get cut out and sewn up--not too terrible a proposition, right? I can DO THIS.
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| A closer look at Bow-ties |
If I was in the mood to do it. Which I'm not. *Note to self: Don't jump ahead with sewing a quilt top together before all of the blocks are sewn together
ever again. For some strange reason the motivation to continue on drastically declines along with the last seam.
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| More Bow-ties |
I thought I'd get the cutting part out of the way yesterday evening, but alas, I had a houseful of company. Wonder how many other excuses I'll come up with before I do the right thing?
Oh yeah, one other thing I wanted to mention--there are no true puckers in this quilt. It just hasn't been ironed yet. We'll call it bad blogger etiquette and just leave it at that.*wink
Yes, you can, yes, you can. Hope you find the time to do that "one more row" I really like the layout as well. The teal background makes it look modern and fresh.
ReplyDeleteI think it looks great! Love the blue in there.
ReplyDeleteI really like your fabrics with the background. They look great together. Sorry you had to spend so much time with your seam ripper. I wish I could say that never happened to me, but sadly, I've been right there with you on occasion. I think, in the end, you will think it was worth it. If not, just send it to me. :)
ReplyDeleteSO pretty--the background is gorgeous! You did a great job! And you're so lucky to have a daughter that age that wants to talk to her mom..so many don't!
ReplyDeletematching seams in your sewing room sounds like trying to match seams at times in my sewing room - I am not a precise cutter and I am not a precise sewer = seams that do not match! love the quilt - love the background
ReplyDeleteYay!!
ReplyDeleteonly... I thought it was supposed to be easier to match seams when they're hand pieced? Shows what I know - not!
good for you~!!
ReplyDeletei love the look of that bright turquoise. it made a very 'happy' quilt top even if putting it together didn't make you happy.
just a few more blocks and it will be the 'perfect' size. hang in there.
:-)
libbyQ
Very pretty, very special, intense and calming at the same time. Completed, this bow tie quilt top demonstrates that it is more than worth the effort you put into it, and you chose the right fabrics and design! I like it the way it is but they do shrink after quilting. Perhaps you have a specific bed you'd like to use to test the size and shape. Way to go!
ReplyDeleteWell done for sticking to sewing the quilt together. A few more blocks wont take long. It looks so wonderful, that teal blue is just so alive!! and the bow ties are the perfect compliment. It's nice to see an unironed top, it's got more texture :)
ReplyDeleteYou did it! Love that aqua! So bright and cheerful!
ReplyDeleteWell done! That is looking really fabulous. Good on you for sticking to it and getting the top pieced.
ReplyDeleteI know that feeling of just wanting to get a difficult part over. I just want to marathon sew and then get on to more fun parts.
ReplyDeleteIt looks fantastic - good for you for persevering! I have the same issues when sewing a top together that may or may not need another row. I do find it really challenging to get back into making those extra blocks.
ReplyDeleteIt looks great to me. I love it. Hugs
ReplyDeleteYour bow tie top is beautiful! When I handpiece bowties, knowing they will be put together by machine, I always start sewing from the outside edge of the block. It really helps.
ReplyDeleteIt looks wonderful! I love the browns with the turquoise and the big dots made by the pattern. The pain of putting it together will be forgotten soon, and you'll have a beautiful quilt forever.
ReplyDeleteWell, gosh. Anything I was going to say has already been said in all the other comments.
ReplyDeleteDo stay with it, I'm cheering you on for a finish. Usually where I get stuck is the quilting part. I really need to get working on learning my Handi Quilter seeing how I have about a dozen tops to quilt.
It's gorgeous - despite all the heartache you had putting it together.
ReplyDeleteI'm a total slacker. I could easily convince myself NOT to do the final row!
Hey guess what, you were working the right way all along! I was reading the blog of a writer recently (we creatives seem to have all the same "blockage" problems). He had read a study that said that people work most efficiently in "chunks" of time of about 1 -2 hours. Then we need to break and do something else for awhile to keep us fresh and engaged. So see, you were doing the right thing all along!
ReplyDeleteThe top is looking great but remember the quilt will tell you what it wants---yes, you may want a defined square or rectangle (and feel like you "have to" make more blocks) but maybe it's happy just like it is? You guys should talk it out together and decide!
Wow, I love the turquoise "dots" especially with the brown and gold fabrics! You know this, I'm sure, but all the work of matching seams will soon be a distant memory. I hope you're able to get those last few blocks made soon! Been there and done that and probably will again.
ReplyDelete