This is a post about sewing/quilting. If you aren't into that, then you won't enjoy this post. Then again, if you enjoy giving your opinion... read on.
I found a vintage sheet at the thrift store that I thought was pretty. So I found a couple more thrifted sheets that pulled from that same color scheme. I thought it would be fun piecing them together into a quilt - all out of old thrifted sheets (mostly).
I wanted to try a zig-zag pattern, so I drew out a picture. My brain works visually.
Boyfriend pointed out that it looked kind of southwestern. I know that the southwestern look is making a small comeback, but I have a hard time getting into it.
So I switched out the green solid for a blue solid, hoping that might help...
It looked alright, but then I thought a solid white stripe would help too.
It's not as cool as I originally envisioned, but I figured I'd be happy enough with this. It was mainly for practice purposes anyways. And thrifted sheets are a ton cheaper then fabric.
I washed the sheets, cut long 3.5 inch strips, sewed them together, ironed the seems open, cut those strips into 6.5 inch blocks shown above. I was excited to lie them out in the pattern and begin sewing them all together into the quilt top.
All the fabric is from vintage sheets except for the blue and white solids.
That's when I noticed a slight problem.
Eeeerrrrrrggggghhh!
...
You see, while I was cutting all the long strips, I thought, "wouldn't it be cool to make the solid white zig-zag just an inch skinnier then all the other zig-zags? Great idea Carolyn, way to mix it up a bit and add more visual interest."
WRONG. I didn't think that all the way through.
Yet again, I am reminded how I learn my lessons visually.
Now all those skinnier white stripes are too short when piecing the pattern together! They NEED to all be the same width.
I'm so irritated! How do you think I should solve this problem? I'm thinking of cutting all the other blocks to be the same width. But it kills me to waste an inch of fabric on each of those blocks. Ggggggrrrrrrr!!!
Emory 10 months
I'll end on a happier, prettier note. Emory has four teeth,while her twin sister still only has two. She also enjoys standing on her own now. Don't tell Emory, but I've seen her actually walk while in her pack n play. I'm NOT ready for these babies to start walking!!!
13 comments:
Why not just take apart the white pieces and put the right size on? I figure that it would probably take a little more time then cutting them all but I think you will be more happy with it.
Unguren has a good idea.
It's not a southwest pattern. It's a chevron pattern. Much more chic sounding.
Would you like it if you added 1" strips of a contrasting color/or same color to make the too skinny strips fat enough?
I'm speaking from ZERO experience with quilting or sewing of any kind, but I think you should redo all the white.
WOW... once again you have amazed me! I think this quilt is AWESOME!
Here are my opinions... based on nothing.
the least time consuming, and least drive your eyes and mind crazy option is to cut all of the other squares, I say this because cutting is a TON easier and faster than picking out all of those seams, re-buying and cutting new strips, and re-sewing all of those squares.
HOWEVER - cutting all of them will in turn make the entire quilt smaller. Is that okay with you? Will you be happy with the size? If the answer is no, then take the time to fix it the way you want it.
Squares are square. Make 'em square. Dew a small strip of something subtle on the white sides and square them up.
But what do I know about quilting?
Grandpa O
Ok...from my sewing experience: Never cut down to make things fit...it never works out. I suggest taking off the white parts (save them for another quilt) cut new ones and sew them again. It will take forever, but if you don't you will probably be sad. if it were me I would always look at the quilt and wish I had taken the time to undo my mistake instead of doing the quick fix. You want your lines to match up and cutting down the other ones won't make that happen! Just my quilting opinion!
this is amazing!! seriously its going to be beautiful. i love quilts, just not making them myself :)
I think I may have found the solution you were looking for. I have a few quilting sites I love, one is cluck, cluck sew. The other day she posted an almost identical pattern. She made the white thinner....but same length. Check it out:
http://www.cluckclucksew.com/2011/02/little-climber.html
This totally sounds like something I would do. Do you think you can add a strip to your white pieces then cut them to size? Maybe use your scraps. They don't all have to be the same, then you'll still have that visual interest on the white zig zag. Just a little different than your original vision. Good luck! I can't wait to see how it turns out. Vintage sheets=genious!
all the quilting talk just makes my head hurt. I can honestly say that's a skill I'll never have. For you, I don't doubt you'll get it right....you always amaze me!!!
I would just add white squares to make up the difference where they are to short. It would look like you had planned it that way. Think it looks wonderful! Where did you find the sheets? They are super cute!
P.S. I WOULD NOT cut the others down. In my opinion, that is. :)
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