Friday, November 23, 2012

Uncharted Territory...of the crafty kind

I am a crafty girl.

I live, breathe, and love everything crafty.  There's just something about creating an item for my home that means so very much to me.

But there's one craft that I have never delved into.  It intimidated me so very much that anytime I thought of even trying, I talked myself out of it.

No time.  No experience. You don't know what you're doing.  You'll never be able to make something that intricate.  It's difficult, you won't understand it.

I tell you, the excuses I came with were just ridiculous.

But while at JoAnn's a few days ago, I found fabric that I HAD to have and I HAD to use for this.

And I realize I haven't even told you what the heck I'm talking about....well....Quilting of course.

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So yesterday, after filling my tummy with Thanksgiving goodies, I sat in front of the TV and cut and cut and cut and cut, for hours it seemed. Though I didn't even realize it as I had the Hallmark Channel running with Christmas movies :)

By the time I was done, I had pretty much all my fabric cut for the top.

I'm not doing anything intricate as it is my very first quilt and I'm nowhere near comfortable with some of the hardest blocks out there.

But I'm kind of following this pattern by Flossie Teacakes.

I am having so much fun already and it makes me wonder why I ever made such a huge thing out this.

This morning, after housework and in between laundry loads, I sat back down and finished the cutting.

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Sat at my desk watching my Portuguese TV, cutting and then sewing rectangle, after rectangle, after rectangle.


Hours I have spent on this quilt today, just quietly working through it and I have never felt so relaxed. I'm finding this whole process to be as therapeutic as crocheting or knitting.

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Now comes the best part...arranging all these blocks into the pattern I want. Placement is everything and I can already tell that I'm going to take a while until I'm happy and ready to start sewing the blocks into rows.

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I wish I could explain the feeling I have just seeing this......knowing that I am doing this myself, sewing every piece, touching every thread, putting my heart and love into this quilt.

And I want to hand sew it, I don't want to use the machine.

I know everyone has their own opinion on what works better, but I really want to....no...I NEED to do this by hand.

I want my very first quilt to reflect how important this is to me :)

So question for you all, do you quilt?  Any tips, advice for this first time quilter? 



7 comments:

Nikita said...

ohhh!!! its gorgeous! I know EXACTLY how you feel.. I just completed my first two quilts well I'll say one, because the first one is sooo small..and what an amazing feeling it was. I was so scared and so intimidated by the whole process I kept putting it off for MONTHS..finally I just sat down one day with my material and..did it. It was so relaxing and I loved the fact that it was something for my children to have hopefully for a very long time.

I have no tips as I am just learning to do this myself.. There are a lot of great blogs out there though that have been a a huge help. www.cluckclucksew.com is one and www.stitcherdickerydock.com

Just enjoy the process and trust me when I say it probably won't be your last quilt.. I've come to learn that quilting is addicting.
: )

CaityClaire said...

Wow Sandra! This is going to be AMAZING! I don't quilt, for all the exact same reasons you mentioned. But I have always loved handmade quilts, and admired people who can. There is quilting group at my church, they create hundreds of beautiful, individualised children's quilts each year- made with more love than you could ever imagine. They are then given to kids in foster homes, so that these children have at least one special item that belongs to only them, and that they can take with them as they move from place to place. I think there is something very special about homemade quilts, and the quilters. It's something I thought I'd never be able to do, but you never know. You may have just inspired me! Enjoy every moment, although I think you already are!

Debby said...

Love the colors you have picked!! I hate to tell you this but here goes. Your hooked!!!! There is no turning back. Ha, I haven't tried to hand quilt yet but I am working on a Grandmothers flower garden quilt that is being done all by hand. When it comes time for quilting (years from now) I will hand quilt it

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Dear Sandra ~ This is wonderful. The colors and patterns are great and the layout is great! What a lovely first piece you are creating.

I also started my first quilt this week, sewing the squares by hand, then will embellish the piece too. It is for us, a quilt made with love for our life together. I cut the squares out 2 years ago and they have just been sitting in a stack. I am a procrastinator. I also have paisleys in mine. I too feel relaxed while making this piece.

Love and hugs to you as you lovingly create this work of art that will be a comfort to you and those who cuddle under it.

FlowerLady

Linds said...

I think you meant that you would be hand quilting it - yes, I do that every time. I think you will love that part especially.
Sew the top on the machine though. That way you will be getting seams accurate etc etc.
Once you have placed it as you want to, what I do is pick up a row from the top down, and pin the pile together with a piece of paper with a number 1 on the top. then 2, 3, 4 etc.
Then, sew each line in a strip and pin the finished strip over the ironing board, with that number 1 on it.2, 3, 4 etc and do the rest, then you will always know exactly where you are.
It works for me!

Amy said...

beautiful! I have been quilting since 1989, I have always quilted mine by hand. Until the last couple of years. My neck and my hands just won't allow me to do all of the hand quilting I love to do so much. I have learned to quilt on my sewing machine, and as much as I don't like it, I have to accept it and know that at least I did it myself. I always felt that my quilts must be hand quilted to be "authentic" or to have the genuine feel to them. Not too long ago I had a quilter say to me that if the women of 100 years ago had machines to do their quilting, they would have used them. Hand sewing and quilting was the only way back then, so they had no choice. That helped me a little, but I still would rather hand quilt :-(

Kelli said...

Yes, I DO quilt! I have quilted about 20 or so years and I took a class at Hancocks fabrics then mostly taught myself and used books. Someone said use the machine to piece it and I would agree, at least at first, it keeps the top from being all wonky and out of shape and helps you be more able to hand quilt it without difficulty. About the most important thing is a consistent seam allowance. That can make or break your quilt for sure! I like the rail fence blocks, they are lovely! You can check out some of my quilts at kellisquilts dot blogspot dot com (without the words "dot") of course!