Sad sad quilter

I was doing more fan quilting this morning and I just love the loft from the wool batting.
 
loft


But then I took a few steps back from the quilt and realized that the fan quilting was messing with the lines of the block piecing.  The loft of the batting and the shape of the fans were distracting.  It kind of reminded me of funhouse mirrors.  That is not a look I go for in my quilting.

fan quilting


As most of you know, string blocks involve a lot of piecing and a lot of love.  When some strings finish at ¼ or ½", it takes a long time to finish a 12" block.  It just didn't seem respectful of the time put in by my bee mates to quilt them in a way that took away from the strings.

block close up


So, I'm ripping out all of the fan quilting.  It is almost halfway done, so that is a lot of stitches to rip.  But I quilted some varied width diagonal lines on the other half of the quilt and I think that this plan is going to work better.

diagonal quilting

Just send me some extra patience with my seam ripper for the next two or three days.

26 comments:

Susan said...

I think you have made the correct decision here Melinda! The straight lines look perfectly matched to the strings! Now, back to the unpicker!

Tamie said...

I hate when things don't work out the way you think they will. But, you have learned something so all is not lost. I love how the straight lines look too.

LethargicLass said...

I get what you mean about wanting the blocks to show but I loved the fans... looked like ripples on the water... gorgeous!

karen said...

Great to trust your creative intuition on something like that....... best of luck with all that gentle undoing, I'm sure many of us can relate!! :-)

Kleep said...

So much stitch ripping...good luck!

Amy Friend said...

Oh, that must hurt Melinda, I'm so sorry!

Kim with a K said...

Oh so sad...you will be so pleased with it when it is done to your liking!!!
It will be worth it...looks so pretty!

Kim with a K said...

Argh!
I just looked at your previous post...so much work!!!
You really do have a lot of patience already!!!

Rebecca said...

Ohhhhh, I see what you mean. Trippy.

I love baptist fans, but I think you made the right decision. It's looking great.

Thanks for sharing your basting process earlier.

Anonymous said...

You are a better woman than I am...I don't think I'd have the patience to rip out so much quilting! Good luck!

giddy99 said...

Love the straight lines! Actually, straight line quilting is my favorite. :)

quilting butterfly said...

I have to say you did an awesome job though on the fan pattern! That is not that easy to me either. But I agree that you have made the right choice for quilting your amazing quilt. It really shows off the design with the straight line quilting. :) your just catching up to your Mom with her years of ripping stitches out...lol.

Lucy | Charm About You said...

oh dear! You are right though. I loved the first quilting pattern so it's a shame it didn't work. I wouldn't have the patience for ripping either, hope you're done quickly!

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

Oh no!!!! You're right, though. I hope you can quilt fans on your next quilt, I love them!

Barb said...

Oh no! I'm so sorry you have to rip out all of those stitches. But I think you are right, the straight lines complement all of those teeny strings much better.

Jo @ life in lists said...

Oh no, what an awful discovery! But it will be so worth it in the end when it all looks fabulous. I think it's the right call though.

Flaun of I Plead Quilty! said...

Well, poo. I hate ripping out, especially when it's quilting!

Charise said...

So sorry you had to do that: (. It is such a beautiful quilt ! The straight line looks so nice!

Wens said...

Oh wow - I don't envy you that un-picking... Good for you, even though it's tough to even contemplate a re-do that big it's usually worth it. The quilt is lovely.

Frederick Nunley said...

How sad it is that you worked so far with that lovely fan quilting, only to realize it wasn't working for your top design. I agree with you, if it isn't working pull it out and start over to get it like YOU want it to be. God's speed to the picker and the quilter! Thanks for sharing the good and the bad of quilting on your blog.

Alli said...

Oh nooooo! Poor you with all the ripping out of stitches! I admire your ability to just buckle down and do it, though -- when I had to rip out quilting stitches, it took me two years to finish the quilt. :}

Nilya said...

Oh my Gosh- You ripped it off?
I am really in great respect of you, that you did this, because you had a bad Feeling about it. Hope you are happe with it now!!!

Heidi Staples said...

Oh, Melinda, I'm so sorry!!! Good for you, though, to do what feels right despite the work. You'll never regret it, even if you do have a stiff wrist for a day or two! ;)

Anjeanette said...

That is just crazy! But in the end, I think you made the right choice. The fans were awesome but distracting. You have just climbed another rung on my cool ladder. I have a new respect for you and your mad seam ripping skills!

Anonymous said...

as much as all that seam ripping sucks, i think you made the right decision. you are the most patient crafter i know... you will work this til you get it exactly right and then you will make my jaw drop and my mind blow! :)
-melissa

Jessie said...

Oh, nooo.. if it were me I would most certainly fold it up and very carefully wedge it into a stack somewhere, not to be worked on again for months or years. I certainly admire your tenacity to keep on trucking through such a setback!

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