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| Do you see the Stars????? Really????? I don't think so! |
Last week friends from our little Quilting Bee (formerly the guild that folded) decided to make Christmas quilts for all the children removed from their homes by CPS in our county. I was handed a stack of nine fat quarters and was told they were prepared and in order to cut, stack and whack style, into what would make a star design in each block. I was quickly told where to cut, what to move where, how to sew it, keeping the blocks all in order. I did as told, without ever looking through the fabrics. When I finished sewing the first block, I was most unhappy! Yes, there was a faint star, with Santa turned on his side in every block, the carolers upside down in every block, and the combination of kid fabrics and lovely poinsettias, with only one green fabric that reads solid almost made me angry! Not a very good mood for making Christmas quilts for kids who have nothing of their own where they are being kept! When I expressed my displeasure in the fabric combination, with the added problem of the directional fabrics, I was told not to worry ---- "Those kids will LOVE it!" Maybe so, but I wish it could have been better coordinated!
Here are close-ups of the mess:
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| See the carolers on their heads, below and right of Santa? The plaid fabric on the lower left is the backing turned up. |
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| See the carolers in the center on their heads? |
I do love the two poinsettia fabrics, the blue star fabric and the green (only fabric that reads solid!) are both nice, and the kid fabrics are all cute, but why would anyone put them all together, especially in a stack and whack where there's no control on where they fall?!! I turned my blocks one-quarter to the right so Santa would be upright, which made the carolers stand on their heads! Ugh! I didn't stitch in the ditch very well, and I decided to just outline stitch the star shape (?) three times to define it somewhat!
We were told to do quilt-as-you-go on each block, and then put them together with the narrow sashings. I'd never done that, but it wasn't difficult, and that part turned out all right, and I was even able to machine stitch the binding from the back to the top good enough to suit me, particularly after the rest of the mess!
Yeah, I know --- not a good way to be feeling about making a Christmas quilt for a kid who has nothing of his or her own and away from family at Christmas. Probably the most important thing I learned from this experience is to be sure to check out the fabrics I'm handed before I start on the project. You should know by now that Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and I just like for everything to be special in every way for everyone!
I am working on another quilt for the kids, and it won't be fancy or special either, but I'm liking it better than this one anyway, and I think some kid will too!
Sorry this has been such a disgusting post, but I just had to get this off my chest so I can move on to the next one!
Now you've been introduced to the real me, I guess. Hope I didn't run you off from here!
---"Love"
What's that saying? When life gives you lemons, make lemonade? I can't imagine what it must be like to be wrenched from your *home* and siblings - no matter how bad that home may be and having to sleep in a strange bed, in a strange person's house, not knowing your way around (even to go to the bathroom) and not having anything of your own. Despite your disappointment, the child who receives this will be overjoyed to have a snuggly, cuddly quilt to wrap around themselves providing warmth and comfort. No doubt they will examine every piece of every block; perhaps count the number of Santas and secretly wish that this year they might have a nice Christmas like the ones depicted on the fabric. I think I would have cried a bucket of tears making this quilt.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a disgusting post. You did a good job following directions and too bad the star didn't pop out, but the fabrics are nice and hopefully, it will comfort a child going through something hard. The effort you put in it shows that you are a caring person - and I know you are and love you for it. So don't feel bad any more!
ReplyDeleteIt can be hard to follow someone else's plan for fabric. I know it isn't what you hoped for, but it really isn't so bad. Think of it more as a crazy quilt than a star quilt. I think kids will enjoy looking at the variety of fabrics, love the quilt and get comfort from it. They won't know it didn't meet your expectations, they'll just know someone thought of them and cared at a difficult time. Now go enjoy working on the one you planned yourself!
ReplyDeleteI think you did a fine job! But I'm with you. With my OCD, that would have bugged the crud out of me too having all the fabrics turned every which way but up! Still a good thing you did!
ReplyDeleteI found the star, but wouldn't have if you had not told me to look for one. I'm in the boat with you when it comes to doing a poor job of charity quilts. Members of my guild keep saying "it's just for charity - they don't care." Well I care. I care that it's well constructed. I care that the fabrics aren't going to fall apart the first time they're washed. I care that things look like what they're supposed to look like. That being said, I am by no means a perfectionist, a perfect quilter, a fabric (or thread) snob and understand that often the quilts aren't going to get the protection a Paducah-quality art piece will receive, but these represent MY guild and quilters everywhere. We're fighting a stereotype as it is, so why are we making it worse? Okay...back off MY soapbox... I truly hope a child will love what you've made and not be bothered by the acrobatic carolers or lack of obvious stars! If they don't know what the pattern was supposed to be, it looks like random shapes sewn together and that's okay. But how frustrating to follow instructions and not get what you expected!!!
ReplyDeleteUnderstand your disappointment. Maybe a rail fence would have been a better choice for the pattern.
ReplyDeleteI am sure the kids will not be critical though and will enjoy having their own xmas quilt.
Charlotte