Wednesday, July 31, 2013

THOUGHTS OF A WANNA BE QUILTER


OK, well it's Wednesday already and time for a post I guess.  My thoughts have been in such a jumble these last couple of days, I am thinking it might be better to just put the lap top down and step away from it all for a while, haha.

I think I might have mentioned a time or two (sorry) that I have been filling my head with a lot of quilting thoughts recently.  From browsing the internet looking for ideas, (easy ones that is) to watching countless tutorials, to gazing and drooling over the most beautiful creations ever seen, to just reading other quilters thoughts and stories, even a totally fictional novel about it...you name it, I've been on it.  I have been to two WONDERFUL quilt stores where I hobbled walked around hoping for the day I would REALLY be a part of it all and not just a dreamer or a wanna be.  I have even bought some fabric, and by carefully copying a tutorial managed to create a VERY EASY quilt top.  So I made another one with different colors.  And while they are OK, I do see a thing or two about them that are not perfect.  (not laying flat enough...a point. off by a fraction of an inch etc. ~ still working on my perfectionist issues) And of course I am WELL aware that a quilt TOP does NOT make a quilt.  They still have to be layered, quilted, and finished...sigh.  But! Then I convince myself there is only one way to learn and that is at the beginning.  Step by step.  I have to make mistakes (and yes live with a few sometimes) to learn, and just like everything else in this life, learn to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. It is what it is.  But meanwhile, I have been feeling a little discouraged with it all.  So I decided OK, Deb, let's try something with a little more a challenge to it.  Sooo, after countless hours of searching, I decided on a simple (yet I knew for me a little more work) Christmas tree created with tiny squares of varying sizes instead of just a big piece cut from a template.  I had plenty of scraps to put to use and got started.  OH..MY...GOODNESS...My admiration for REAL quilters went through the roof with this simple little tree.  Oh soo fiddly.  And if you read my blog at all you know I am NO fan of the "fiddly". I struggled and struggled with it.  From the what must be PERFECTLY precise cutting of the squares, to the arranging of them in the RIGHT way, to the CAREFUL stitching that MUST be perfect for the angles, to the realization of some facts about myself that I guess I had either forgotten or had repressed, lol.  And some of those are....I LOVE quick, easy, and just what I call somewhat mindless sewing. Soo relaxing to me. DEFINITELY not slow, precise, and requiring my constant mental concentration, which is somewhat stressful to me.  I need to able how to figure out how something is done BEFORE I even begin it, not see it come together as I go.  And yet!  I want to do this.  So I am pressing on.  I am not going to dwell (I may have to stop looking) that I am soo far from creating a stunning heirloom quilt that it isn't even funny, and it may NEVER happen.  And for now I am not even going to touch the subject if this is something that is occupying TOO much of my thought process right now.  I seem to need this for some reason or another.  Sooo after ALL of this, let me show you my tree!!  Now this particular table runner will have 3 of the blocks, so I still have 2 more to go. Meanwhile I have a nail appointment this morning and then lunch with my close girlfriend.  Does my life sound as unimportant and/or frivolous as it does to me sometimes?  Since my days of caring for mom have ended, I am again wondering if it's OK to just fill my days with such trivial pursuits, or should I be looking for something more?  Told you...my head is everywhere.  Hope you all have a good day! Blessings to you all, Debbie

LOOKS LIKE NO BIG DEAL HUH?  HAHA  NOT TOTALLY STRAIGHT EITHER

STEP 2...THEN YOU ADD THE TREE BLOCKS TO EITHER SIDE....I THINK I AM EITHER GOING WITH A DIFFERENT COLOR ON THE STAR, OR NO STAR AT ALL?

9 comments:

  1. First things first, You are not a wanna be quilter, the one writing this comment is a wanna be quilter. lol I think you do beautiful work, at anything I have seen you do. Now that is settled!....The Christmas tree quilt is going to be so special! and yes, it is okay to fill your days with things that you enjoy, as a mother I would want that for my daughter, as I know it would help her while she is grieving for her loss. And from one perfectionist to another, I don't think our families would survive if we were any other way. ~smile~
    Hugs,
    Sue

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  2. It looks good to me, Debbie.
    If you are going to enjoy quilting allow yourself time to get better at it-it will come as you do it more!
    Frankly, I fall into the category of Jill of all trades and master of none!

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  3. Debbie, you will have this all figured out before you turn around twice. And, I think the tree is great. I know that I do not have the patience to quilt but I sure do enjoy admiring the work of those that do.

    Happy rest of the week!

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  4. Girl look at you go..and your story had a lesson for me. Thanks for going forward and pushing through..this is beautiful.

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  5. Oh my ... do I need to pull out the blocks I'm currently working on and show you MY mistakes?!?!?! Even after 20+ quilts, there are still mistakes ... so please do NOT beat yourself up over a few mistakes on your very first project. Instead of fretting about a mistake, why not focus on what you did correctly/well. I see no lopped-off triangle tips (a very common mistake with even experienced quilters ... do I need to show you the triangle quilt I made last summer ... and the lopped-off triangle tips on it?). You did WELL, my friend, and don't you try to tell yourself otherwise!

    I like the star ... I just think I would go with another fabric so it stands out/contrasts more.

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  6. Can I just share that when I saw this blog title, I thought it said, Thoughts from a wannbe "QUITTER".

    I thought, Debbie wants to step out of blog land but she just can't seem to quit or let it go. I was prepared to talk you off the ledge. LOL

    Then, I realized it said QUILTER.

    To make it funnier to me, my mother read the title from "A Haven for Vee" and made the same exact mistake.

    Two pathetic peas in a pod who clearly need eye appointments!!

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  7. I just love this Christmas tree and would love to make it. I have tried quilting with a friend and was pretty good at it as long as she was by my side! But, she doesn't live in my state, so...
    As far as pursuing artistic pleasures, I feel the Lord enjoys that we do those things. After all, there is no one more creative than the Holy Spirit!
    Your dear mother would love that you are continuing on with your life journey, Debbie. I know it.
    Hugs & Blessings to you!

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  8. I hear ya! I think this block looks great and I can see that it would be "fiddly"... which is why I'm a fan of the crazy quilt. One thing is certain...practice makes perfect and one learns so much.

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  9. I haven't begun quilting yet but will soon so I"ll be where you are now and honestly? I think your tree looks lovely. I think it will be beautiful when it's completed. As for how your'e spending your time, you've been through so much in the last year or more I think spending a lot of down time doing what you love is in order don't you? :)

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!