Confessions of an 'adequate' quilter

THANK YOU LESLIE

Since this is your first quilt, I'll give you a tip or two.... as long as your stitches aren't ridiculously long (do some practice quilting to 'warm up' and get the hang of it.. write your name, draw stars, do a line of cursive e and l, etc. and trace your quilting pattern with your finger to get the feel of where it goes from one point to the next). I think concentrating on following your pattern and getting your curves smooth, etc. is more important. You can work on your stitch length as you get more advanced. That's just *my* opinion! Also, *I* think it's better to have too small stitches than too large- while praying your don't have to un-sew any of those small stitches! VBG And using a finer thread as opposed to a very heavy cotton will keep your stitch length more disguised and less obvious. Rayons are lovely, not expensive and thin enough to hide minor boo-boos. I love the very thick and heavy 12 wt. cotton threads, but they will show every stitch *very* clearly!

Good luck and have at it! Having fun, finishing your project instead of creating yet another UFO and continuing to love quilting is "The Most Important Thing"!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Gosh Leslie, you do know how to make a 'gal' glow >g< So glad whatever it was worked for you! . In message , Leslie & The Furbabies in MO. writes

Thanks Leslie It's nice to know that those of you who are so busy quilting, still have doubts about your skills. Years ago I used to "sew" a lot. Kids clothes, home decor, my clothes even got into western shirts for DH for a couple of years. My sewing skills were quite good. Then I found quilting and couldn't get enough. I loved the piecing and the quilting part, but most of my quilting was by hand. Then I graduated to SID by machine and handquilting inside the blocks. Quilting skills were growing and improving. Then life changed, divorce, back to school, work..... etc. Quilting has been sporadic since then. I seem to have become a quilt supply collector more that a maker. Over the last ten years or so I have completed half a dozen bed size quilts, that would be including the raggy denim ones that I did for my boys, maybe half a dozen baby quilts, some placemats, table runners, wallhangings. I've been getting braver with the small items and have ventured into some free motion by machine quilting. I have bought the PJ Quilters cd's and a white board and practice on that every now and then while on a "coffee break". The top that I have almost finished may be sitting there undone because I have no idea "how/what" to quilt it. I am a wonderful procrastinator! I read all the books and magazines on techniques, and could probably explain to someone "how" to do something but my actual hands on experience is certainly lacking. Part of the problem is space. Since we run our business from home, there is often someone dropping in to pick up stuff, drop off stuff, or just coming by to talk shop. Our store has taken over our dining room, and most customers end up at the kitchen table drinking coffee. My only other space that could work would be the living room, and it seems that I no sooner get the folding table set up in there and get started, and kids with grandkids show up (they need more space than my kitchen table) or hubby decides he needs a night off and wants to watch a movie! I am supposed to be cleaning out my house to make it look more spacious to put on the market, but I think today I am going to find the time to a least get the last piece of border on my most recent top. I think your story has given me a little push! :)

Marilyn in forecasted to reach +12C today! Alberta, Canada

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net...

Good for you, Leslie! I have a similar problem. I *know* I love free motion quilting, but I have a *terrible* time getting started -- like you. I agonize over the motifs to use and, even when I've finally decided, I can think of a thousand things to procrastinate in the starting. I'm doing that right now. I know exactly how I want to quilt my Northwinds quilt, but I haven't started marking it yet OR layering it

-- although I know I'll have a wonderful time quilting once I begin. :S

One of the things that perfectionist quilters need to understand is that we're the only ones who can see our flaws.

I had a friend who used to call her quilts with supposed errors "primitive" quilts. I myself love the "galloping horse" theory. For those who have never heard it before, the galloping horse theory is that if you passed by your quilt on a clothesline while on a galloping horse, you aren't going to see the flaws.

Then of course there are those wonderful and stunning quilts with humility blocks, so called because only God is perfect. Whatever your reasoning, it's a shame not to finish something beautiful, although I admit I've got more UFO's than I can count (I had to give it up until the kids get older).

However, I've made thousands of quilts in my head that are just waiting to come out when they've flown the coop!