The Quilt Police
I recently finished piecing my Civil War quilt top from our quilt exchange and was so excited to finally have it all done.
When Eric came home and I showed him the quilt top he said "That looks good" ... but then he stood there staring at it for a long time without saying a word.
Finally I asked him what was wrong and he said "How hard would it be to unpick these two blocks and switch them?"
What the heck? I just finished it, there was no way I was going to unpick it!
Eric is less then passionate about most of the quilts I have made, but every now and then there is something he doesn't like and he becomes very outspoken. He looks at a quilts like a math equation instead of art.
He kept pleading his case and trying to get me to unpick it, finally I said "You can unpick it if you want to".
The next morning the quilt was on my sewing table with the bottom row and sashing completely unpicked. Holy cow he was serious!
I re-sewed it with the two blocks switched. I will admit that it looks a little better, but not enough to justify unpicking it.
When he saw it re-sewn with the two blocks switched he very sincerely said "Thank you so much for doing that, it looks so much better now".
****I am THINKING about hand quilting this quilt, does anyone have any suggestions about what kind of batting and thread to use? I have never really hand quilted anything except a very small doll quilt.
7 comments:
That quilt is amazing! I can see Eric getting it in his head that it wasn't right. He has that woodworker's perfection eye. When I have hand quilted I have still used cotton batting, get a good needle, straw needles, they are the same needles you'd use to hand applique, and I just used the same mettler thread I use to machine quilt. I've also used hand quilting thread, it is thick and doesn't move as smooth through the quilt, but it makes up in durability what your stitch strength lacks when you do it by hand rather than by machine. Maybe start in the middle and do one square and see what you think, I think it would be awesome for a Civil War quilt to be hand quilted. I always try to get Dave to bind my quilts because since he's a surgeon he ought to be good at "closing" be as of yet, he has staunchly refused. One day, one day!
I think that is so funny about Eric wanting you to unpick those squares and switch them.
I don't have any advice about hand quilting, but I see that Tasha has given you some good advice! I would love to see a picture when you are finished!
I's glad Eric put his seam ripper where his mouth is.
That Eric! There is no one quite like him! But hey, I guess you have to appreicate his honesty and his willingness to work to make it "right." You are a master quilter! I LOVE the one with the homes on it. Stunning!
I am so glad you are feeling a bit better. I think it's wise to switch doctors, and I hope the next one will take better care of you and give you the treatment you deserve. Love you, Chanel!
I do hand quilting most of the time(I like how it looks) and I use hand quilting thread but like the first poster said it is thick. I get that wax stuff(a older friend put me onto that)and wax the thread. Your quilt is beautiful!
I am SOOO laughing. Because I remember taking quilts over to Eric for inspection because he could always find something I couldn't see. I think that is why I was so nervous about your red & white quilt.
It turned out beautiful!! And hand quilting? I am surprised you may consider that. Did you forget about your terrible carpal tunnel??
Chanel-that is hilarious about Eric! I actually thought Anthony was the only "less than passionate" husband when it comes to quilting. Your work is gorgious! By the way...finished my Halloween quilt last year--thanks for your pointers! Natalie
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