I am often asked about how I get my points to be so pointy and my seams to match up so well. Disclaimer: As you may or may not know, I have a degree in engineering, a perfectionist seamstress mom, and a perfectionist carpenter father who passed too young. It’s in my DNA to try to get things as “perfect” as I can. It’s just the way I’m made – I can’t help it. (You should have seen me at a free-form quilt workshop – I was so stressed 😉
Anyway, I know not everyone is like me, but since so many quilters bring it up – I assume some would like to know how to make their quilts just a little bit better. As a quilt show chair for numerous guild shows, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “my quilt isn’t good enough to hang” or that other famous line “don’t look too closely at my quilt.”
I think the challenge for many quilters is that they are essentially self taught and may not have had the opportunity to learn some of the tips and techniques that would help them create a quilt that wouldn’t elicit those lines. It’s not their fault. They pick up a pattern they have fallen in love with, hoping to exactly re-create the cover quilt. Unfortunately a pattern may only supply the basic information for what is needed to create the finished product, but not the entire story of how to get there. The designer probably had a lot more experience to get things just right and then stressed even more over it because it was going to be photographed for the cover! It’s simply cost prohibitive to get all of the process information into the pattern. Assumptions about the quilter’s skills have to be made.
To solve this problem, I created a workshop a few years back called the “College of Continuous Quilting Improvement (CCQI)” Yes it’s a nerdy title (refer back to my education!) – and yes my attendees have to take (and pass) a quiz, but they all graduate and receive a diploma at the end! In every workshop, it is very gratifying to see the “Aha” moments when quilters finally overcome what had always been a quilty struggle.
In an attempt to reach those quilters who might not have an opportunity to take my workshop, I am starting a series of blog posts where I’ll share some of my tips and techniques. The beauty of quilting is that there is more than one way to get the same result. I’m going to share how I do it. If you’re struggling with a particular issue, maybe it will help and if it works for you great! If you already have a technique that achieves the result you’re looking for. That’s great too! I am here to help not judge!
In the end, all that matters is that you’re happy and proud of your work.
No more apologies!
Stay tuned for CCQI Tips & Techniques – Part 1!
Happy quilting!
Helle-May