This was the question that was forwarded to me this morning along with
3 photos attachments of 3 quilt blocks: a framed 4-patch, a log cabin block and a rail fence block. The originator of the question wants to make a simple quilt and wanted to know if 'patience' was required to make a quilt. I replied that I thought patience was necessary only after making that first mistake, i.e. cutting the wrong measurement, sewing the wrong seam or something similar which happens to everyone. Among other things, I also said that it was a difficult question to answer without knowing the personality involved - what is your answer to this question? jennellh
Patience is only necessary if you want to finish your quilt, or if you want your quilt to look good.
I am a roaringly impatient person. All my life I've skated on adrenalin and loved it. Learning to make quilts has been like a life lesson in patience. I wish I'd learned to quilt earlier in my life. So many things would have gone better if I'd already had that lesson.
I have been patient all my life - even surpassed my Dad in that department! I planted some grass seed in a pot for the cats last week
- that has taken some patience on my part to uncover the shoots this morning - I wanted to see them react to some fresh growth for nibbling on - the catnip seeds have only shown 4 shoots so far, after 3wks. Thats not to say that a week's worth of patience is a big thing but when the end result is for my furry friends - its a big thing! Wouldn't you also say that ambition is required to finish your quilt? I only started my first quilt experience because there was a pattern available which featured 'owls' - fabric selection was difficult then because there wasn't much available in my area at that time. I didn't have today's equipment and I remember making plastic templates and tracing all the pieces onto my fabrics to cut them out using scissors
- by comparis> Patience is only necessary if you want to finish your quilt, or if you
Unquestionably, indisputably, incontestably, undeniably, categorically, conclusively, indubitably, incontrovertably, inarguably, true dat, and das a fack, Jack! Take your pick! 8^D
Well, you're (IMO) half-right. Everyone makes mistakes, but I think that patience is required nevertheless even aside from avoiding/ correcting mistakes. I think you can also tell her that old adage that, "Anything worth doing is worth taking the time to do right."
Oh, I don't think it's that subtle (but maybe I'm wrong); I get it. Is a quilt-maker the same as a quilter, or is that a subtle difference? ;-)
Wow, you're generous! I'm thinking of the scores of... (what's a good word for na=EFve person?) on Yahoo Answers who get a remote inclination to make a quilt and have no clue what they're letting themselves in for... But you make a good point that "quilt" can cover a lot of territory definition-wise. Sometimes I get so carried away with ideas that I momentarily(?) forget. :-)
LOL! Ever notice that those types usually wind up with a LOT of those mistakes that nobody will notice? 8^D Not that there's anything WRONG with that. When I finally take hands to machine, I'm sure I'm going to wind up with what I think is a textbook example of mistakes that nobody but me will notice that is actually a textbook example of mistakes that everybody BUT me will notice, and I'll be damned proud of it. Either way it's really going to be something to behold - either awe-inspiring or aw-ful! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! That's ok; that's how some of us learn, and in a way I think I'd rather deal with all my mistakes at once rather than one at a time... YMMV.
Yes, patience is necessary, because whether you can devote a lot of time to quilting or only a small bit eked in here and there, it is a big process between conception and the last stitch on the binding.
I think a lot of people who have some sewing ability/knowledge from any source- home ec classes, helping mom or granny or a neighbor or someone who makes clothing or home dec items- sees the quilt as the pieces.... whatever the shape of those pieces. Most with that experience could grasp a basic idea of how those pieces go together and grasp the assembly process. But once it's made then they get to 'what do I do with this quilt top'?
The actual quilting the layers together and the binding seem to be the bugaboos. Think how many completed quilt tops only you see for sale... and how many of *our* UFOs came to an abrupt halt when it was time to quilt them? Maybe they burn-out and lose interest by that point. Maybe the investment of the time it takes to quilt the top is more than they are willing to do or maybe they have no idea 'how' to quilt- either the actual process or the designs, etc.
And, while teaching quilting, I was always dismayed at how many wanted to make a bed quilt for their very first project. Shoot- that can still overwhelm me after twenty plus years! I wish all students would start with a table runner or a baby quilt and finish it start to end and see if they like the process rather than investing in everything needed for a bed sized quilt and burn-out from the time commitment involved. That always made me sad....
Leslie & The Furbabies > Yes, I do think patience is required to be a quilt-maker, but not
Oh, I don't think it's that subtle (but maybe I'm wrong); I get it. Is a quilt-maker the same as a quilter, or is that a subtle difference? ;-)
Wow, you're generous! I'm thinking of the scores of... (what's a good word for naïve person?) on Yahoo Answers who get a remote inclination to make a quilt and have no clue what they're letting themselves in for... But you make a good point that "quilt" can cover a lot of territory definition-wise. Sometimes I get so carried away with ideas that I momentarily(?) forget. :-)
I was only using 'quilt-maker' as opposed to 'quilter', just to encompass all the various stages. Quilter *might* be seen as someone who only does the last part - the quilting. I'm just trying to be more accurate in speech these days >gIs a quilt-maker the same as a quilter, or is that a subtle
I had a great time piecing my first quilt top -- out of satin and taffeta, no less. Really slippery. But I was inspired by the appearance of the fabric.
But as soon as I finished piecing that project, I realized that I wasn't ready to quilt it. So I started and finished a small Welsh project that looked like fun, and I'm thrilled with it. I practiced hand and machine quilting on this piece. I agree that it's best to start quilting with small projects. I plan to start another Welsh wall-hanging soon with some tricky triangles, and try some more challenging hand- and machine-quilting.
But the Welsh use butted edges instead of bound, so I still have to learn binding skills. I plan to practice binding on a queen-size cotton-and linen project that is simply rectangles, which I am in the process of cutting. I plan to machine quilt it in hanging diamonds as quickly as my SM skills will permit. I'll use scraps for the binding, so I expect to have lots of practice piecing and finishing the binding. Its beauty is not as important (though I do expect it to look very cozy and inviting) as getting it done and practicing quilting and binding.
Only then will I consider quilting my queen-size taffeta-and-satin project, or the calico Churn Dash project I plan to start cutting soon.
I am not ambitious enough, at this point, to even consider piecing curves or diamonds. I know my limits :-) And it's really fun to work within my limits, with only occasional "gumption traps" that require patience.
Sheesh! I go take a nap and here you all are having a very interesting discussion; you were very nice about it and quite thorough but I'm feeling left out. The potential quilter produced pictures of : a framed 4-patch, a log cabin block and a rail fence block. One of my few virtues is patience. ( Everybody ought to have one of two of them.) But, even Goody-Two-Shoes me knows my limits. The quilt blocks she was considering don't strain patience (probably) but hand me a Double Wedding Ring to master and I could show you real violence. Polly
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