The red stars are a lot bright. They may become another color -- eventually. And that Economy Block with the yellow may not become part of this quilt. They're not sewn yet.
I did really, really consider whether to add the words to the couple-with-tree block. The original lettering was too large so I traced my couple and tree on another piece of paper, then added the letters around it. When I held it up to the window to trace the letters onto the block I just couldn't do it.
Perhaps the printed background fabric on the block was one of the reasons I decided against the letters. The print doesn't show in the photo as much as it does in person.
Last night I sewed the first two rows together. This was a challenge I did not enjoy. I altered the length and width of the Lady Liberty and pineapple blocks requiring an adjustment to the other blocks, too. There is no way this quilt will finish anywhere close to square. The left side of the quilt is about 1/2 to 1" longer than the right side.
I claimed getting this far on this quilt as my One Monthly Goal for August. I am unmotivated to finish this quilt and procrastinated working on it all month, almost dreading it. Finally, on Thursday night, as I thought about it before falling asleep, I decided to just fold up all the pieces, put them away, and forget about it. I love Cheri's quilt but I'm not in love with the process of making my own version. By Friday morning, enough sense had returned that I decided to at least finish the goal I had stated at the beginning of August. Now that I've completed that goal, I'll reconsider whether to keep going or not. I have some parts of the rest of the quilt finished but have the lower right corner and the row of stars and houses across the bottom to finish. Still quite a lot, actually.
As much as I like, enjoy, and appreciate primitive quilts, maybe making them myself isn't what I love to do. What do you do when you're "done" with a quilt but the quilt's not yet finished? Do you ever just throw it out or pass it on? Salvage part and repurpose it? Or, perhaps, you never lose interest in a project?
I'm linking this post to One Monthly Goal August Finish Link-up at Elm Street Quilts. Thanks for hosting, Patty.
--Nancy.
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I fold it up and put it away for another day--perhaps...but I must way :
ReplyDeleteI am not enamored with making these on my own either...the pineapple was as far as I got...so you did a WHOLE lot better...just not for me--even though they look so lovely...hugs, Julierose
Thanks, Julierose. That's exactly what I did. I folded it up and laid it aside -- and I feel so free!
DeleteThe quilt looks lovely. Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and congrats on your finish.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patty.
DeleteI'm sorry that you're discouraged with this quilt. But, it happens. Quilting is where you find joy and if you aren't happy making something then the joy is gone. I felt that way about the hexagon unit I recently finished. The joy was gone in that quilt for me. I'm not sure it will ever get quilted because I am so tired of it. I have to admit, when I was finished with the SLOL quilt top it got hung it in the closet and I haven't looked back. I'm in no hurry to get it out and quilt it any time soon. There are too many things I really want to make and spending my energy sewing on something I have no interest in is just wasting my time. I do think your SLOL quilt has turned out very well. Maybe just add another row of economy blocks to the bottom and call it finished. Put the extra blocks you have made on the back. And then, don't try and hand quilt it, just tie it. It's primitive after all. I wouldn't throw it away. Perhaps making the decision to keep it or throw it out should wait till you've distanced yourself from it for a while.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouraging words, Robin. Perhaps my hopes for this quilt were too high -- that it would look and "feel" more like Cheri's quilt than it does. Or perhaps I dragged out the making of it too long. I don't know. I folded it and put it away for a while (or perhaps forever, who knows). Maybe in a few months I'll see the quilt online and decide to pull mine out and work on it again. Really, all I feel right now is relief.
DeleteI agree with everything Robin said above. These days I think there's a point in every single quilt where I just want it done and gone. But I'm also always happy when I do finish it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat. I'm grateful to learn that others face this same feeling. I'm generally a finisher so maybe the pull to finish this quilt will hit me in a month or two. (Or maybe not.) It is satisfying to finish a quilt, even one you don't love or are tired of working on.
DeleteIt looks beautiful, but you know you could simply add the rest that's done, quilt and bind it and hang it on the wall just like that. =) I wouldn't change the red stars of the yellow square, but I might put the squares between the couple and the red stars. Maybe. I still am loving the process, and excited as I SLOWLY finish each part. I'm up to the basket on the top border now. I love each part so much when it goes with the last ones, I can't see ever not feeling that way. But it does happen sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan, and you're right, I could just sew what I've finished together, but I'm not one to hang quilts on walls.
DeleteI've seen your progress on this quilt and it looks wonderful. I think I mentioned to someone else that maybe I dragged out the process of making too long. Good that you're speeding right along with yours, even if speeding is relatively slowly.
I look at your quilt and salivate, I love it so much!! It is laborious...I call this part the "Big slog" toward something fun at the end!! I find the pieces that didn't quite fit in actually become accent and my favorite parts later....hugs!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouragement, Julie. For now the quilt is "resting." Perhaps I'll pull it out again to finish it (or perhaps not). I like your term "the Big Slog." I think it's a great term for just keeping going with a quilt-in-progress that you want to be done. I'll have to remember than when I reach this point again.
DeleteI have been there many times, and I have no problem abandoning a project- passing it on, shortening it up, or even tossing it (only after storing it away for awhile, and looking at it with fresh eyes). I always learn something in the process (about a new technique, or values clarification on what I really actually enjoy or don't enjoy) but I don't want to waste precious quilting time on something that is just frustrating or something I don't even like anymore. It's the "sunk cost fallacy" applied to quilting;).
ReplyDeleteSo perfectly said, Cynthia. This quilt is folded and laid aside for a while (or possibly forever) but if I pull it out again, it will be with fresh eyes and, hopefully, a little objectivity. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I'm glad to know others stop working on in-progress quilts, too.
DeleteNancy, I agree with others that if you are not enjoying making this quilt, end it! I would perhaps add a simple border, quilt it and call it done. It would make a nice wall hanging or look cute draped over a chair. I've come to the conclusion that I will never be able to make all the quilts that I would like to, and I shouldn't be wasting my time on something that doesn't bring me pleasure. If you really don't care about it, your could donate it to a charity group that would finish it for a raffle, pass it on to a friend, or even sell it as is.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts, Karen. I really like your statement, "I shouldn't be wasting time on something that doesn't bring me pleasure." That's exactly what was happening with this quilt. I've laid it aside for now. Maybe it will pull me back one of these days or months or years.
DeleteYou are doing really good on your Sweet Land of Liberty blocks. Won't be long and you will have the wholequilt created.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karen. You're right it wouldn't be long if I weren't sick of it. I just folded it and laid it aside for a while. When you come to dread working on a quilt, you know it's time to take a break.
DeleteI think it looks beautiful. If you aren’t having fun, just finish as is.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karrin. I've folded it and laid it aside for a while. Maybe it will call me one of these days/months/years and I'll pull it out and work on it again. Just not now.
DeleteWhen I don't love making something I put it away for a while--sometimes a long while. When I pull it out again I determine if there is a way to finish it quickly, or if I don't even want to do that I pass it on to someone else. I agree with others who say that if you don't love it, don't expend more energy on it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janet. That's exactly what I've done -- put it away for a while, neatly folded with all the pieces and small blocks that I've already finished. (Though I'm strongly tempted to pull the Economy blocks back out and make more for a small quilt. Won't do it for a while, though.) I've felt nothing to relief to have it out of my sight. Oh so sad.... ;-)
DeleteI m so sorry that you're disenchanted with this quilt, that is sad---because it's a delightful quilt and your version is so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteFor the couple block, you could just put your initials or the date?
The ''good part'' about your saying you might give up on this, or any project, is that it gives me the courage to do the same. I have, for my winter orojects a half finished Barbara Brackman sewalong that I just do not want to work on; it bores me crazy. I kinda hate it,lol. [not BB's work of course, but what I have accomplished. So ugly.] So your dilemma serves a small helpful purpose, even tho I hope you do finish SLoL.
love
lizzy
Thanks for your kind words about this quilt, Lizzy. I think the problem is that my version isn't close enough to looking like Cheri's version, which I love. It may call me again later to work on it in which case I'll pull it out and reevaluate but just for now, it's out of my mind.
DeleteIf you read any of the other comments on this post you'll see that others advocate stopping work on a project or quilt that isn't fun anymore. It's not like we're working for pay and have a deadline so it's easy enough to lay a project aside for a while.