Wednesday, June 29, 2011

When the brain takes a vacation

OOPS!!

I was so happy to add that last leaf to the fall runner. Tomorrow is my quilt group meeting and I will have a small piece all basted and ready to begin quilting.

Dig out some backing ... plenty to choose from ...

Whole roll of batting to cut ... no problem there,

lay it all out to prepare for basting ... Find the measure to check that it is straight ...

Huh?

The width is right but the length is supposed to be 38 inches. It is six inches too short!

Get out the notebook with the plan to check. Yep, no problem there. I remember how pleased I was to come up with a design that just fit the dimensions but ... oh no, I left off two rows of leaves.

Now, what?


Well, I could leave it as is and just quilt it ... but it would be the wrong size. Or ... I could un-sew the last two rows and add ten more leaves ... but I have done more than enough un-sewing already. Or ... I could just add two borders on the ends ... I have lots of leaf prints.

So I auditioned a few and this maple leaf print in fall colors seemed to fit, but I thought of my blogging friends and wondered what they would do.


Am I the only one who makes this kind of mistake? Does your brain ever melt down in the heat of summer? Can you think of another "plan B" ... or maybe "C" or "D". Ah well, "The best laid plans of mice and men ..." Perhaps the more mistakes one makes, the better one gets at fixing them.

7 comments:

  1. ph please...you are definitely not the only who makes these kind of mistakes. I always think that my mistakes, and i make plenty, are an excuse to be creative. fix the problem however your gut instinct and tastes prefer. It is looking lovely so far!

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  2. I make mistakes all the time. Measure twice, cut once, doesn't even always work for me. Oh well. Good luck.

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  3. Do the un-sewing and add the 2 rows!! It wont be as hard as you think - we always do things better the second time...

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  4. Its a really pretty table runner. I think though that you will never be quite satisfied with it if you do not unstitch and add the two rows. If you don't want to do that, then I would make that beautiful border fabric you are using wider on the two ends and leave off the leaf print. The leaf print seems to detract from your lovely quilt top. Just my thoughts - but I am sure whatever you decide will be just perfect - it really is a nice table runner. And oh yes...I know the aggravation of making mistakes all too well.

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  5. I always say it's the mistakes that give us character. It stands to reason that it's the same for our quilted things, don't you think? :) blessings, marlene

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  6. Julie - I agree with jules and Teresa. If you don't "unstitch" and add the extra two rows - you may always wish that you had. I have a similar situation with a wall hanging that I was going to call "Done" - just because I got tired of doing the blocks. But I know me - if I don't finish it the way that I had originally intended - it will never really be "Done" in my mind. Those three extra blocks that "I should have made" will haunt me. ;)) But that's just me. Do what works for you! I'm sure that it will be lovely no matter what. ^..^

    P.S. Stop by my blog when you get a chance - I have a new button for A Left-Handed Quilter that I'd like you to add to your blog - if you would, please. Thanks!

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  7. Julie, I think we've all done it. As an intermediate suggestion, why not put on one border the width that will bring the runner up to size and then either piece or applique a fallen leaf or two onto the border, so it looks deliberate! More work, but not so much as 10 more leaves.

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