Tuesday, August 24, 2010

how to traumatize a quilter... day one

I didn't start out with the intention of traumatizing anyone but as it turns out I have.
It all started with a new project of mine that is intended to bring to conclusion, an aging, unloved, and bothersome project.
A couple of years ago I started a new quilt design. I was actually working on it at one of our quilt retreats a.k.a. giggle fest. It is a small quilt and when I was making it I did have my doubts about the colors of some of the 4 patch units but forged ahead anyway.
I finished the top and sandwiched the quilt and then started quilting it using my "Fearless Blonde Quilting" method. This is a technique using freezer paper shapes to quilt around. I cut out a bunch of freezer paper daisies and ironed them to the quilt sandwich and started quilting.

 At our quilt retreats we all share ideas and inspirations and it was suggested more then once that I make daisy appliques to put on the quilt. So even though the quilt was already sandwiched, and partially quilted I went ahead and prepared the appliques and started machine blanket stitching them to the quilt through all layers.
Learn from my experience - do not try to machine applique AFTER the quilt has been sandwiched!!!!
Needless to say it was a real pain in the patuttie trying to wrestle the quilt round and round while trying to stitch down those darn daisies!


I am not one to quit something after I start it, but this project was losing it's luster really fast!
I kept at it and got about 10 or 12 daisies stitched down to that @$^%* quilt top.
It has now been sitting in my closet for about 2 years and has been haunting me.
I pulled it from it's hiding place the other day and decided enough was enough!
I need to liberate myself from this thorn in my paw. This UFO has got to go!
Which brings me to  -  how to traumatize a quilter........
My good friend Marti was painting her living room/dining room and I volunteered to help out one day.
I headed over to her house armed with a variety of paint supplies, trim brush, paint roller, extension handle, and a new addition .....a colorful new dropcloth.
OH YES this quilt is not going to just gather dust in a closet and disintegrate it's going to go out working.
Poor Marti tried her best to save the #@&* quilt. She offered to take out the blanket stitching, the quilting and she even offered to quilt it, if only I would spare it. She was traumatized at the thought of my actions.
I must admit I almost relented, after all I LOVE quilts, all quilts - except this one.
I took one more look at those orange and purple 4 patches, and all those daisies yet to be done and I held steadfast in my mission to be released from this quilt that has been haunting me.
Despite Marti's best pouty face I headed over to the paint area, spread out my colorful new dropcloth, placed my roller pan on top and proceeded to paint her walls a beautiful new green.....




Come on, admit it. Don't you have a UFO project or two that has been haunting you??

 To the faint of heart.... yes, I am going to make up for this quilt destruction by making a new one and donating it to charity. I will post my progress of my liberation from this @&^%* quilt and the emergence of the new.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Linda, you are too funny!

Kwiltsfl said...

Didn't Paul Simon write a song "There Must Be 50 Ways to Leave Your @##$% Quilt?" LOL

Darlee said...

Good for you... we really need to let go of those ufo's that haunt us and move onward to more inspiring projects.

Stitched With Prayer said...

Linda, LOLOL...I think I might have unpicked the few daisy's I had stitched on and finished it up but that may not have been an alternative either. At least your wonderful colorful drop cloth can be reused, unlike those awful plastic ones! Your post really cracked me up though...which isn't a good thing as I'm recovering from abdominal surgery, but it is a great thing in that it just feels sooooo darn good to laugh out loud. As for UFO's haunting me...well, my usually start out whispering, then they get a little louder over time until their screaming gets my attention. Believe me, I haven't been able to sit at my sewing machine for over 2 months so there is a LOT of screaming going on in my sewing area. Strange thing is, I still hear it no matter where I am and it gets especially loud if I visit my favorite LQS...wonder what's up with that, *wink*. Thanks for a great, albiet painful, belly laugh!!!

Linda/Thistledown and Co. said...

Dear Stitched, I am happy I made you laugh but please don't pull any stitches. I wish you a complete recovery from your surgery and hope you are back to stitching with gusto soon.