Wednesday, 12 November 2014

On Failure

I quilted Murmuration and it was a disaster! It looks so awful that I can't bring myself to post a picture of it here:-)  It is not salvageable because I don't think the raw edge applique will survive unpicking.  It's only a quilt, but I was a bit despondent - then I cheered up because at least with every thing that doesn't work I am finding out what does, and learning more about what I like in the process.

There are two ways to go after this - one is to chalk it down to experience and let it go, and the other is to leave the idea simmering for a bit and then try to come at it from a different angle - which is what I'm going to do.







18 comments:

  1. My first ever pattern for a knitted toy turned out to be a complete disaster–the creature looked deformed! Rather than think of it as a mistake though, I look at it from time to time, and use it as a gauge of how much I've learnt. I've even come to love it's wonkiness, hopefully you'll come to feel the same about your quilt, it might even inspire you to greater things.

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  2. oh, what a shame!!!! Give it another go!

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  3. Oh no how frustrating! Maybe let a little time pass and then come back to it again with hopefully renewed enthusiasm, ideas and motivation!

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  4. Oh no! It looked great unquilted.... Are you sure it's that bad? :-(

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  5. You have the right idea, sleep on it :-) (Well, you know what I mean)
    xx

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  6. We have all had projects like that Catherine, I am sure that everything you have learned from this one will lead to something wonderful in another one :)

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  7. Oh that's a shame. Maybe it is not so bad, it is just that it didn't come out as you expected.

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  8. I know exactly how you are feeling! I quilted a quilt a little while back and when I washed it, it looked terrible. I think it had something to do with some of the fabric had been pre-shrunk and the main fabric had! I have not been able to look at it again!

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  9. Oh dear! It looked so cute unquilted. Put it away and come back another time, that's what I do (and probably why I have quite a few WIPs....)

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  10. Oh that is despondent-making! How gutting! But so impressive to be able to Think of it in terms of learning what works-it just would be good if learning wasn't so painful. Definitely wait and see what comes to mind. I have a few projects waiting to see if can salvage them in a way I'll be happy with. For me it's the waste that gets to me but I'm getting better at being braver. Wish it hadn't happened to you but is encouraging that others' things don't always work out flawlessly as it often seems in blog land!

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  11. I totally get the feeling, but it is all just learning. Your quilt is beautiful, if you are sure the quilting is not ok, and it might be after some distance, make her again and try the quilting again - she is not even huge so it won't take that long. Thank you for sharing the process, including the not good part. Quilting is like science, there is no bad process here.

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  12. That's a pity, Catherine. It looked lovely unquilted. Well, making mistakes is one of the ways of learning. I am glad you are not giving up and going to to give it another chance. I am sure you will find a way that works for this mini.

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  13. Oh dear, I feel for you. Quilting is so much my weak point, and I have a couple of tops that I'm putting off quilting because I'm scared I'll ruin them. Hope your idea is simmering well and you do manage to salvage something from this.

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  14. don't get all Frozen on us..... keep at it and give it another go x

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  15. Oh that is such a shame :-( Hope your new idea works out.

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  16. Good luck!!! It's awful when things don't work out as planned. You're right that either way it's a learning experience.

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  17. Put it in the cupboard until you have forgiven it and it's willing to behave properly and then give it another chance ;o) Good luck!

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