Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Wrestling

This is a long post.  If you want to see my work in progress, scroll down till you get to the photos.

I rarely take the easy, sure way to a finished quilt.  Sometimes I see a quilt pattern that looks wonderful but imagine just one or two little tweaks that I think will make it better, make it my own.  Or maybe I want a similar quilt but just a little smaller.  Or larger.  Or with the first border narrower and the second wider wider, or a pieced border.  I make things harder for myself when I try to change up patterns and especially when I choose to create without a pattern -- the times when I dream up a quilt in my mind:  imagine, draw, choose fabric, cut, sew, alter, sew some more.

Why do I do this?  Elizabeth Healey, author of Stitch, Fabric & Thread:  An Inspirational Guide for Creative Stitches, offered these thoughts which mirror my own.
There is great comfort in following a design created by someone else, be it a shop-bought kit, an article in a magazine, a book or even an online tutorial, since much of the planning and thinking is done for you.  All you have to do is follow the instructions and you should get a replica of what's on the packet.  Coming up with your own design is far more daunting and can be filled with frustrating moments as you strive to realise your vision.  But when you get it right, it is infinitely more satisfying than anything bought off the shelf.

Creating from scratch can be difficult, daunting, challenging, and can call a maker's creativity into question causing self-doubt and uncertainty.  But when one succeeds -- what joy!

Without doubt, the most challenging quilt to make is/has been the Gwenny-style basket of flowers medallion I began last year.  It was part of a sew-along hosted by Lori of Humble Quilts.  I'd already made the center when the sew-along began; the border themes were suggested by others but the creative interpretations and decisions were mine.


The first border theme was childhood.


The next border was log cabins.


So far so good with all of the above.  The next border was stars.  And that was the border where I started to question the way this quilt was going.  By now it measured about 58" x 64".  I wondered about the widths of the borders -- were they too similar, not similar enough, etc.  And the colors?  Not much variety in colors in the borders.  But I continued on.


The last border was "something fishy."  With such a large quilt and only a month to make a border, I chose what I called fish tails.  I should have realized, but didn't, that a 3½" final border (4" on the bottom) for a quilt this size wouldn't work -- would be disproportionately narrow compared to the other borders.


By the time that border was stitched in place I knew the quilt was in trouble.  I auditioned a few additional pieces of fabric around it with the idea of adding one more border but it seemed to me that nothing worked.  (Can you imagine me wrestling?  I'm not suggesting that I disliked the process, just that the choices didn't come easily.)  It was nearing the holidays and I needed the floor space so I folded the top away to work on later.

Later came last week.  I laid the quilt out on the floor again and within a day decided to remove the fish border, make the star border narrower, and add a wide blue border with the idea of adding applique.  (Blue water is definitely fishy.)  This is where the quilt is today.  (I'm beginning to think this style of quilt--Gwen Marston/liberated-- is beyond my current abilities.)


I've thought about omitting the vines and adding only flowers and leaves, as though they're floating on top of water.  I've thought about vines and leaves only.  I've thought about circles/bubbles; clam shells; waves in some form or other; etc.  If I had found a printed fabric that would have worked for a broder, I would have used it.  To some extent I'm probably stuck on too literal an interpretation of "something fishy" but at this point it doesn't really matter whether this border has anything fishy about it because the sew-along is over.

I could just stitch those vines, flowers, and leaves down and call it done.  Gwenny style?  I'm not so sure.  Good enough?  Yes, probably.  That border is not unlike many I've seen around the internet when I search google or pinterest.  It works well enough.  But could it be better?  Could it be more original?  Could there be a border that adds to the quilt more than this one does?  I think the answer is probably yes to those last three questions. 

So I'm wondering, dear readers, when you create an original quilt of your own design, do you keep working on it, playing with it, wrestling with it until it's perfect?  At what point do you decide it's perfect?  Do you ever settle for good enough, call it a learning experience, and move on?

By the end of October I want to have made a decision about the border on this quilt and have begun (and maybe finished) it -- for One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts.

I'm linking this post to
> WOW at Esther's Blog
> Let's Bee Social #197 at Sew Fresh Quilts
> wip link-up at Silly Mama quilts
> Midweek Makers #92 at Quilt Fabrication
> UFO Progress at Jo's Country Junction
> One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts
> Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts 
Thank you, ladies, for hosting.

--Nancy.
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40 comments:

  1. Oh, Nancy, you are thinking way too hard about this. I thought the quilt looked fine with the fish tails, but will admit that when I saw the replacement border it just felt right. I think it enhances the design beautifully and pulls it all together.
    Why worry about whether or not it is "Gwennie" style, if it looks good and you like it? And as to the "something fishy", I'd say it is fishy if you can't do what works for the quilt because of a theme chosen months ago that doesn't have to apply to your border anymore.
    If I were you, I'd start stitching that applique down. It is going to be beautiful!! And I don't think it is beyond your abilities--just maybe not your preferred style. You are a great quilter!

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    1. LOL. Janet, you are so right about my thinking too hard. I sometimes think it's the "curse" of being an introvert that we just think too much, and sometimes too long.
      Part of me wants to meet the challenge of the Gwenny quilt-along. The other bigger part of me wants to make a quilt I like and get it done. That's winning at the moment.
      I didn't have much time to work on the quilt after changing the outer border because my daughter was here for a few days this week (with her two kittens who love to race across the floor and slide on the quilt). She and the kitties are coming again this Wednesday for a week of vacation so I need to get these applique pieces arranged and either pinned or basted in place before then.
      Thank you for your encouragement to decide and do. I appreciate it.

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  2. How could you think this is beyond your capabilities? Look how far you've already gotten! Like Janet said, the qal is over--no guilt for doing what your quilt needs! The last border is wonderful & you should feel good about coming up with a better (to you) solution. The doubts & insecurities are all part of the learning curve. Work through them, finish your border stitching then put it away for awhile. The next time you get your quilt top out, you'll appreciate how special the entire quilt is.😊

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    1. Audrey, I really like your though that doubts and uncertainties are part of the learning curve. I need to remind myself of that more often and just keep going. As a recovering perfectionist, I need to let go of the idea that every quilt will be perfect and better than the last. Thanks for your encouragement. (And did you know you're a no-reply blogger?)

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  3. Really interesting post. I can't add much more to what Audrey and Janet have written. The quilt along was supposed to give inspiration but needn't be followed to the letter. I find my self-designed quilts do evolve as I make them and I don't always like them at the end but they have all taught me new things! Sometimes I have to tell myself, as Angela Walters says 'finished is better than perfect'. :-) And we are our own worst critics - especially when self-doubt creeps in.

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    1. Hi, Allison. I've never really used a pattern for any quilt (but have for blocks) so I guess in a way all of my quilts are self-designed, at least to some extent. I like the aspect of play that happens when I decide as I go along, but it is also challenging sometimes. And yes, that's true for me, too, that I've learned something(s) new with every quilt I've made.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic, Allison.

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  4. I don't think about my sewing choices that much to be honest, I just do what feels right in the moment, I don't really think about it! I have three small kids and sewing is my escapism so maybe I'm too mentally exhausted to think about anything!!

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    1. Oh, yes, ES, I can imagine how tired you must feel with three little ones. It's amazing you can find time to sew!

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  5. My personal opinion, I like the blue with the applique a lot more than the fish tails. Looking at the new border made me feel peaceful. No one is going to show up at your home and chastise you for changing the border. Use the border that makes you smile! Happy stitching.

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    1. Hi, Gretchen. Those fish tails didn't work for me either, and this blue border is growing on me. I've made more stars and leaves and hope to play with the layout tomorrow. Thanks for your encouraging words. I appreciate them.

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  6. You know what's the best part about the "something fishy" theme? The fact that you can use the phrase to justify every choice. "There's something fishy about that last border..."
    (That being said, that last border looks to me like starfish dancing amid the kelp. If you add circles for flower centers, they'll be bubbles. Done!) (And I love the way it draws the applique and the blue out from the center of the quilt!)
    I spend a lot of time dithering over my quilts - every single one of them - auditioning colors or borders, and second-guessing myself at each step along the way.
    I admire people who can have a clear idea at the start and then sail through to the finish, but I recognize that that's not the way I work. I'm learning how to clamp a lid on the self doubt, and just get the maximum enjoyment out of the process of making. I actually enjoy the dithering part, while I wait for things to click.

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    1. You are so right, Gayle, about being able to call almost anything "something fishy." It just depends on how one looks at it.

      I have to admit that I'm surprised to hear that you dither, and that's because you accomplish so much. Block after block, quilt after quilt, all in quick succession, all such fun. I, too, admire people who have a clear idea and then just make it. I think the way everyone's brain works is so individual. Some think too much (especially introverts), some make snap decisions (esp. extroverts), some see more clearly or more quickly. I really do enjoy the dithering, indecisive times. It gives me the opportunity to explore lots of options. I just wish I had a clearer imagination so I could see what those options looked like before I cut and stitched and then decided they didn't work. I claimed this quilt border for my one monthly goal knowing that it would require me to decide and then act, thereby stopping the indecisiveness. (But then I've had nearly a year of being indecisive, with the quilt folded away and my mind thinking about it occasionally.)

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the border. I did intend to put circles in the centers of some of the stars. Maybe I'm on a roll now....

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  7. love, love all your borders!
    thanks so much for linking up!

    brooke@sillymamaquilts.com

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    1. Hi, Brooke. Thanks for your kind words about the borders. And thanks, too, for hosting the link-up (and including your email in the comment).

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  8. Love the borders. Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and good luck on your project.

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    1. Thank you, Patty. And thanks for hosting One Monthly Goal. I haven't participated since earlier in the year and I'm hoping claiming a specific goal this month will help me finish this quilt!

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  9. I do the same thing - just can't seem to leave a pattern as is - have to always change something. I do love your last suggestion as it shows in your picture. It marries
    the first border perfectly! Job well done!

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    1. Hi, Bonny. Maybe there's just something about making it our own by changing the pattern.

      Thanks for your thoughts about the last border on this quilt. I appreciate the input.

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  10. I vote to keep the last border as you have it - flowers, vines, leaves, everything. The way I see it, it ties in perfectly with the center, and finishes the piece perfectly.
    And kudos to you for seeing what parts could be better - I think you are well on your way to finishing this now. Thanks for sharing today!

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging thoughts, Susan. I appreciate them!

      That last border is staying if only because I'm ready to move on with this quilt. But like you say, I think it works for the whole quilt.

      Thanks for hosting the link-up.

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  11. Ditto Susan and others who really like it this way. At some point you have to say enough -- just do it. You've let it stew in the back of your mind for a while. The big deciding factor should be will you like the finished product. If you hate that last border, change it. If you like it finish it. If you want to get rid of it as is I'll be happy to send my address to you!

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    1. Thank you, Bonnie. Yes, it's true: we can mull, stew, deliberate, dither for so long that everything's becomes a muddle. I don't know if I will love the finished quilt but I think the final border will work for this quilt.

      I'll keep in mind your offer to give this quilt a home. I might take you up on it.

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  12. Oh Nancy, I feel so guilty for causing you angst. I was the one who chose the "something fishy" border. And, then I cheated and simply did a scallop border! Until I joined the internet quilting world, I had never followed a published pattern. I made my first quilt when I was 9 years old and I have created my own designs ever since. However, my years of teaching have made me realize that not everyone is comfortable with the creative process. I find that I don't mind making mistakes (and I make a lot!) as long as I learn from them. I do feel that the more you practice at creating, the easier it is. I hope your finished quilt brings you joy. I love it! By the way, I have a sister who cannot deviate from a pattern to save her soul, that is why she knits for me and I make quilts for her! Enjoy the day.

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    1. Oh, Wendy, please don't feel guilty. I think "something fishy" was a great border idea. I just couldn't decide so quickly on what would work for this quilt. I noticed that several other quilters chose borders that were arches or semi-circles or scallops -- waves, or huge clam shells, or.... And thank you for your kind words about this quilt.

      I think there's definitely a learning curve when creating one's own patterns and designs for quilts, unless maybe a person has a background in graphic arts or one of the other arts, in which case it might come more easily. I don't mind the mistakes, either, (and hopefully I learn from them) unless the result is an ugly finish.

      Your quilts are just gorgeous.

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  13. In my very first fashion design job, just out of fairly useless fashion design school/ university, I was taught that to successfully design, you must picture the finished item in your mind. It takes practice and sketching one's FINAL plan can be a good reminder for long projects. This is very contrary to a Gwennie free form method and one of the reasons I didn't do this sewalong and usually do not follow mystery quilts. Am I always happy with my envisioned results? No, of course not. Does it look like I envisioned and like my working sketch? Yes. A note about not liking results, is: I almost never like a project when it is just completed, I guess I am tired of it, tired by the focus and effort. Later I may dig the quilt out and like it a lot. But practicing envisioning of designs never fails me.

    lizzy at gone to the beach lizzzz.d@gmail.com

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    1. Hi, Lizzie. I do sometimes sketch a design, especially if it's for an applique block, but think I often edit and adjust it as I go along. To me that seems like part of the creative process. But I can also understand that the creative process can happen while designing on paper with an end in mind.

      I'm like you about not liking a quilt. Sometimes I dislike it by the time the top is finished, sometimes before, and sometimes only just by the time I've finished hand quilting it (after 3 or 4 months of having it in my hands every day). I usually find that after a rest, I change my mind.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts about creating a design/sketch/image beforehand. I will try that.

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  14. I tend to doubt myself and get stuck on following other people's rules too. I often have to stop myself and tell myself that I must follow my own rules and no one else. They can make their own quilts. You know what is right. Do that.

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    1. Thank you, Shasta. I guess doubt needs constant attending to push it away.

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  15. I have finished quilts to just get them out of the way - not because I have a great plan. (And then I give them away so I'm not reminded of something that didn't work out right.) I once made a quilt that I didn't like as I progressed. I decided to call it the "Merit Quilt" because it still had merit and I did the most accurate piecing and appliqueing I knew how. I hand quilted it and it looked gorgeous but I still didn't like it. So, I gave it away and my nephew's wife was thrilled. It was her colors and her style - not mine. I'm trying to be more spontaneous in my quilt construction but I find myself seeking order and balance. I really like the blue direction you are going in. Maybe you should just finish it the way you want and not try to complete the sewalong.

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    1. Thanks for your thoughts about the border on this quilt, Robin. Since the sew-along has been over for nearly a year, I think I will just finish it, probably like in the last photo. I'll be glad to have it done but I also want to like it (especially because I really, really like the basket of flowers in the center).

      I think it takes time, energy, and determination to finish a quilt we don't like. Good for you for finishing the Merit Quilt, and even better to find a home for it with someone who loves it.

      I like spontaneous but I probably just think to much to ever be too spontaneous. I've tried it in the past and haven't been pleased with the results. Like you, I like order and balance.

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  16. lol. I usually take the easy way out. I am only aiming to have a finish. But that is just me. Your quilt is beautiful :)

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    1. Hi, GML. Thank you. I sometimes take the easy way out, too, unless I really like the quilt or some aspect of the quilt I'm working on. In this case, I really like the center basket with flowers of this quilt and want to do it justice with the border.

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  17. I tend to be one of those people that think that you are overthinking this and putting too much pressure on yourself...but that's just the way I think. The quilt looks beautiful to me. Hopefully, you find something you feel comfortable with soon so you don't stress out too much about this. Happy sewing! Andrea

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    1. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this quilt, Andrea. I agree that I'm probably over-thinking the border. I'm at the point of deciding and moving on with the decision.

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  18. I love the blue border you are working on. I would finish it as you have it layed out and call it done. The stars on the border pick up the theme of some of the flower shapes and make a co-hesive design. When I was making my quilt, I stopped part way through as the quilt spoke to me and said "I'm done".

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    1. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the quilt and that final border, Karen. I think I will finish the prep work for the flowers, vines, and leaves, and then work on a layout. My daughter and her two kittens are coming to visit on Wednesday and need to get everything pinned in place before they come. Nothing like specific pressure to make decisions on a quilt, huh?

      I remember that you didn't do all the borders but I couldn't remember your quilt so I scrolled through your blog in my feedly feed to see take a look. (I don't think I actually found a photo of your finish). But I'm so amazed at how prolific you are! Block after block after block -- all beautiful, many claiming I should find the pattern and make them.

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  19. I liked the fish tails! But I like how you changed it up too.

    I'm an introvert that doesn't think too much. I used to save that for work not play. I don't usually add borders to my quilts that way I don't have to think too much. I did make a Gwennie that's in the quilting queue. I liked the challenge it offered.

    Good luck on getting this one to the finish line!

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    1. Thanks, Cathy. I think I sometimes over-generalize about introverts. We are alike in some ways but not always alike every way. I joined the Gwenny medallion sew along for the challenge, too, so I can't complain about being challenged. I tend to write about my process as much as my finishes.
      I was hoping to have it finished by the end of this week but I think it will take me another few days.

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  20. Nancy me encanta tu cesta de flores!
    y me encanta tu frontera de apliques
    ¡¡me gusta mucho tu edredón!!

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