Apology to Jane Kay and thoughts on imperfect blocks- long

There is a lady in my Bee group that makes blocks that are very
accurate, very flat, and always the right size. Her blocks are as nice
to look at from the back as from the front. I would love to watch her
sew sometimes, so I could see what she does to get such accurate 1/4"
seams. If you ask her, she just says she uses a 1/4" foot. Well, we all
know there is more to it than that, otherwise, I'd get perfect blocks, too.

Think how easy it would be to assemble a quilt if all the blocks were
the right size, and all the seams nested properly! I have a lot to learn
when it comes to quilting, and a lot to practice. But so far, I'm happy
with what I've accomplished. I agree that quilters should never be
discouraged by a lack of perfection. Everyone was a beginner once, and
everyone can learn something new.

Wendy

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO. wrote:
Debra posted asking for help with squaring up a large block. Then
Jane Kay posted an "expert's" advice which included the statement that
a properly made block should only need the dog ears and threads
trimmed off. I appreciate Jane taking the time to make the post about
trimming blocks and blocking them to make them all "perfect" and I
apologize if my rather heated reply offended Jane in any way.... that
wasn't my intention. I'm sorry.

As Polly said to me in an email- someone needed to respond to the
"expert"- but my response wasn't directed towards Jane herself. Our
newby quilters (and some experienced quilters, too) do NOT need to
think they must aspire to perfect blocks. Their efforts are works of
art- no matter how wonky or lopsided their blocks may be. What our
newest quilters need is encouragement and advice/lessons on how to
work with the less than perfect block. They do not need to feel that
they are not cut out to be quilters because they need to trim more
than dog ears and threads or because their blocks end up being larger
or smaller than the pattern called for. Quilting is about making a
gift from the heart, making a quilt to donate to someone in need, to
celebrate an occassion, to keep our families warm and to decorate the
walls and tables of our homes..... it's NOT a competition to make
perfect blocks!!! Everyone must set their own standards on what is
"good enough" and what needs some more work to improve it.

Once in a great while I am able to make The Perfect Block. It doesn't
need any sliver trimming or any adjusting with a firm steam iron and/
or starch. Sadly, that perfect block is an annoyance to me. All my
other blocks will have their little oopsies and The Perfect Block will
be a pain in the butt to work into the less than perfect blocks to
finish my quilt top.

When I taught quiling, I usually made only quilt tops for my class
samples. My students delighted in inspecting the back sides for my
oopsies. They noticed when I had sewn a seam twice to take up a
little extra in the seam allowance to make a point reach the seam that
interesected it. They noticed when a seam allowance was a scant 1/8
inch when I needed to let it out a bit to make something fit together
properly. They liked to study which way I pressed my seam allowances
and teased me when a seam went to the right at one end and the left at
the other end. And I was happy to have them give me a bad time! The
beginners *needed* to know that "The Teacher" made mistakes, too, and
that I could help them make a respectable looking quilt top. I had
made ALL the mistakes already and could help them work with their
mistakes.

Quilting is NOT about making The Perfect Block.... it's about making
something that puts a smile on YOUR face and makes YOUR heart sing.
Phooey on anything and everyone else- including the "experts". It's
all about YOU.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Each of us quilters has our own definition of "perfect".

To some it may be when every point in the 2" block matches.

To others it may be when half the points in the 10" block joins up.

To yet more it may be when the colours in a crazy quilt block "go" together
without causing you to reach for the sunglasses!

To me? The perfect block is one that I am proud of. One that I can hold up
to my DH and say "What do you think?" and be happy with his answer - because
I am happy with my work.

It is only when we are happy with our blocks that they truly are Perfect.

--
Sharon from Melbourne Australia (Queen of Down Under)
http://www.geocities.com/shazrules/craft.html (takes awhile to load)
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shazrules/my_photos (same as website but
quicker)
"Marcella Peek" wrote in message
...
Sorry, I have to disagree a bit.

There is no shame in wanting what we make to be the best it can be.
There is nothing wrong with someone wanting to do their very best and
maybe even do their best every time.

Striving for quality workmanship does not imply quilter competition. I
strive to make my blocks turn out perfectly sized, squared, pointy,
whatever, but I do it because to do so makes ME happy.

It's OK to feel differently, but we can feel differently and still
respect someone elses need to either make their blocks perfectly or not.

marcella
loves perfect blocks

In article . com,
"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote:

Debra posted asking for help with squaring up a large block. Then
Jane Kay posted an "expert's" advice which included the statement that
a properly made block should only need the dog ears and threads
trimmed off. I appreciate Jane taking the time to make the post about
trimming blocks and blocking them to make them all "perfect" and I
apologize if my rather heated reply offended Jane in any way.... that
wasn't my intention. I'm sorry.

As Polly said to me in an email- someone needed to respond to the
"expert"- but my response wasn't directed towards Jane herself. Our
newby quilters (and some experienced quilters, too) do NOT need to
think they must aspire to perfect blocks. Their efforts are works of
art- no matter how wonky or lopsided their blocks may be. What our
newest quilters need is encouragement and advice/lessons on how to
work with the less than perfect block. They do not need to feel that
they are not cut out to be quilters because they need to trim more
than dog ears and threads or because their blocks end up being larger
or smaller than the pattern called for. Quilting is about making a
gift from the heart, making a quilt to donate to someone in need, to
celebrate an occassion, to keep our families warm and to decorate the
walls and tables of our homes..... it's NOT a competition to make
perfect blocks!!! Everyone must set their own standards on what is
"good enough" and what needs some more work to improve it.

Once in a great while I am able to make The Perfect Block. It doesn't
need any sliver trimming or any adjusting with a firm steam iron and/
or starch. Sadly, that perfect block is an annoyance to me. All my
other blocks will have their little oopsies and The Perfect Block will
be a pain in the butt to work into the less than perfect blocks to
finish my quilt top.

When I taught quiling, I usually made only quilt tops for my class
samples. My students delighted in inspecting the back sides for my
oopsies. They noticed when I had sewn a seam twice to take up a
little extra in the seam allowance to make a point reach the seam that
interesected it. They noticed when a seam allowance was a scant 1/8
inch when I needed to let it out a bit to make something fit together
properly. They liked to study which way I pressed my seam allowances
and teased me when a seam went to the right at one end and the left at
the other end. And I was happy to have them give me a bad time! The
beginners *needed* to know that "The Teacher" made mistakes, too, and
that I could help them make a respectable looking quilt top. I had
made ALL the mistakes already and could help them work with their
mistakes.

Quilting is NOT about making The Perfect Block.... it's about making
something that puts a smile on YOUR face and makes YOUR heart sing.
Phooey on anything and everyone else- including the "experts". It's
all about YOU.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Oh God Polly! Somehow you always manage to say the right thing - and make
me laugh. Thank you!

--
Sharon from Melbourne Australia (Queen of Down Under)
http://www.geocities.com/shazrules/craft.html (takes awhile to load)
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shazrules/my_photos (same as website but
quicker)
"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
I keep a mistake too, Patti. When I was first teaching my young neighbor
from way down the lane how to quilt, there was a HST chicken she wanted to
try. There were 3 HSTs that were ½ background and ½ chicken fabric. They
were to be stitched to the backside of the chick for tail feathers. Well.
That was the plan. When she sewed the chicken together, she put the HSTs
upside down. Instead of creating a tail feather shape, they look like
they're poking into the poor chicken's fanny.
The size and points of the HSTs are perfect. Polly

"Patti" wrote, in part (I do keep a finished, 1/12 scale log cabin to
show anyone interested in
progressing, especially in miniatures, because it contains so many
mistakes it is a perfect teaching tool!!)

That chicken is a painful reminder that perfect points are not enough. Well.
It's painful to the poor chicken. We are reminded that a square has four
sides. It matters a whole lot which sides you stitch together. So glad
you enjoyed it, Sharon. Polly

"Sharon Harper" wrote in message
...
Oh God Polly! Somehow you always manage to say the right thing - and make
me laugh. Thank you!

--
Sharon from Melbourne Australia (Queen of Down Under)
http://www.geocities.com/shazrules/craft.html (takes awhile to load)
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shazrules/my_photos (same as website but
quicker)
"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
I keep a mistake too, Patti. When I was first teaching my young neighbor
from way down the lane how to quilt, there was a HST chicken she wanted to
try. There were 3 HSTs that were ½ background and ½ chicken fabric. They
were to be stitched to the backside of the chick for tail feathers. Well.
That was the plan. When she sewed the chicken together, she put the HSTs
upside down. Instead of creating a tail feather shape, they look like
they're poking into the poor chicken's fanny.
The size and points of the HSTs are perfect. Polly

"Patti" wrote, in part (I do keep a finished, 1/12 scale log cabin to
show anyone interested in
progressing, especially in miniatures, because it contains so many
mistakes it is a perfect teaching tool!!)

I have a bunch of old blocks that are definitely NOT perfect. I grimace
every time I see them, but I can't stand to throw things away. So I decided
to sew them into a quilt, anyway, easily and quickly, and donate them to the
homeless shelter. They're still prettier than what they already have, and
I'll have the satisfaction that they ended up being useful to someone.

I also have a DGD, aged 5, who is a "holy terror." I love her more than I
can tell, but she really is, well, rambunctious. I have most of the
blocks done for a really nice quilt I'm planning for her, but I've had to
admit to myself that she is simply not ready for it. My not-perfect blocks
can still be used to make her a "whatever" quilt. Whatever she does to it,
it's really OK. The other quilt will still be there, waiting until she
becomes more "ladylike." LOL

René

"Marcella Peek" wrote in message
...
Sorry, I have to disagree a bit.

There is no shame in wanting what we make to be the best it can be.
There is nothing wrong with someone wanting to do their very best and
maybe even do their best every time.

Striving for quality workmanship does not imply quilter competition. I
strive to make my blocks turn out perfectly sized, squared, pointy,
whatever, but I do it because to do so makes ME happy.

It's OK to feel differently, but we can feel differently and still
respect someone elses need to either make their blocks perfectly or not.

marcella
loves perfect blocks

In article . com,
"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote:

Debra posted asking for help with squaring up a large block. Then
Jane Kay posted an "expert's" advice which included the statement that
a properly made block should only need the dog ears and threads
trimmed off. I appreciate Jane taking the time to make the post about
trimming blocks and blocking them to make them all "perfect" and I
apologize if my rather heated reply offended Jane in any way.... that
wasn't my intention. I'm sorry.

As Polly said to me in an email- someone needed to respond to the
"expert"- but my response wasn't directed towards Jane herself. Our
newby quilters (and some experienced quilters, too) do NOT need to
think they must aspire to perfect blocks. Their efforts are works of
art- no matter how wonky or lopsided their blocks may be. What our
newest quilters need is encouragement and advice/lessons on how to
work with the less than perfect block. They do not need to feel that
they are not cut out to be quilters because they need to trim more
than dog ears and threads or because their blocks end up being larger
or smaller than the pattern called for. Quilting is about making a
gift from the heart, making a quilt to donate to someone in need, to
celebrate an occassion, to keep our families warm and to decorate the
walls and tables of our homes..... it's NOT a competition to make
perfect blocks!!! Everyone must set their own standards on what is
"good enough" and what needs some more work to improve it.

Once in a great while I am able to make The Perfect Block. It doesn't
need any sliver trimming or any adjusting with a firm steam iron and/
or starch. Sadly, that perfect block is an annoyance to me. All my
other blocks will have their little oopsies and The Perfect Block will
be a pain in the butt to work into the less than perfect blocks to
finish my quilt top.

When I taught quiling, I usually made only quilt tops for my class
samples. My students delighted in inspecting the back sides for my
oopsies. They noticed when I had sewn a seam twice to take up a
little extra in the seam allowance to make a point reach the seam that
interesected it. They noticed when a seam allowance was a scant 1/8
inch when I needed to let it out a bit to make something fit together
properly. They liked to study which way I pressed my seam allowances
and teased me when a seam went to the right at one end and the left at
the other end. And I was happy to have them give me a bad time! The
beginners *needed* to know that "The Teacher" made mistakes, too, and
that I could help them make a respectable looking quilt top. I had
made ALL the mistakes already and could help them work with their
mistakes.

Quilting is NOT about making The Perfect Block.... it's about making
something that puts a smile on YOUR face and makes YOUR heart sing.
Phooey on anything and everyone else- including the "experts". It's
all about YOU.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.