Monday, March 31, 2014

Design Wall Monday

My March UFO blocks are still on the design wall this week. 
I am attempting to join them together in a quilt-as-you-go style. I have the vertical sashings pinned on, and am having a dickens of a time getting the sashings centered. For a while I really tried hard to fix it. I gave it my best effort, sewing and unsewing several times, by machine and by hand. But not a single one would agree to be centered. How is that possible?!?  There is no logical explanation for why this is happening. I have done this many times before without any problem. (Click here to see my favorite scrappy QAYG quilt from 3 years ago)
Sometimes circumstances defy logic. 
Or tasks defy ability?
Finally the quilt and I had a little
chat about the options. 
Choice A - quilt goes back in the UFO closet again, or 
Choice B - quilter learns to be satisfied with consistently uncentered sashing.
We agreed on choice B, and I will be hand stitching the sashing this week. It is an interesting experience to carry on, while trying not focus on the glaring problem. There must be a life lesson in there somewhere?!
To see more design wall postings, hop over to Patchwork Times.

10 comments:

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

I had been wondering what QAYG method you were using. I'd thought to myself that might be a nice thing to so..perhaps I'd quilt one row at a time of something or other.

As a skilled & experienced quilter you see a problem but had you not mentioned it I'd have just looked at the quilt overall and thought 'oh so pretty' :)

It's the color and composition and the intricacy of the blocks that I see :)

Lesley said...

Your blocks are so wonderful that they will be the stars of your quilt! If the sashing is a tad off, I'm sure when all is said and done that it won't be noticeable at all!

Deanna W said...

It is a very small but important part but when you stand back and look at the whole...a finish is the best result.Good luck getting it all stitched down this week!

Judy D in WA said...

We are our own worst critics. In the end, this is a fabulous quilt, flaws (that only you see) and all.

Mary said...

Are you pinning from the center? Maybe pressing the part to be turned under with Best press would stiffen it so it didn't stretch. Just thinking, I haven't tried the QAYG method. I doubt I ever will.

Janet O. said...

I've always loved these blocks.
Nice of you to come to a compromise with the quilt. : )
It wouldn't really be an issue if there wasn't such a contrast in the fabric colors. That makes you notice it more. But once it is washed and squishy, I hope you can just enjoy it--are you keeping this one?

Vroomans' Quilts said...

The blocks are the standout and don't think anyone but you notice the difference. Finish it, wash it for the crinkle goodness, and love it.

Deb A said...

Ok, I keep looking and I just don't see it? I think you and the quilt made the correct decision - finish and wash and all will be happy. =)

Cathy Tomm said...

Great looking blocks. Good luck with the quilt as you go. My mom does it sometimes, not for me (long arm it all).

Nell's Quilts said...

Am I correct in recalling that you used the brown sashing to even out the size on these blocks?
Could that be part of the problem? You won't get what you say is centred if you did that. The brown edges will line up but not the blue on the inside. AT any rate when you squared up the blocks the difference in the width of the brown strips on the outside edges is so small it shouldn't make a glaring difference. As everyone said, only you will see it. Everyone else will see a beautiful quilt.