I Quilt Linky Party – Confidence

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Welcome to I Quilt linky party at Pretty Bobbins, it’s Thursday (in Nouméa) and time to link up your quilting process.  Please link up, visit a few other linkers and grab my button (code at top right or down the bottom if you’re on a mobile device) and link back in your post.  Let’s spread the quilty love <3 :)  We had some seriously impressive linkers last week and as I was visiting all of the blogs I started thinking about quilting with confidence as quite a few people mentioned this.  Last week a Facebook friend shared a quote that said something like, “don’t compare your middle to someone else’s high point”.  It really struck a cord with me (as did the response that we should never compare our middles ;) ).

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The online quilting community is great, blogs are great, craftsy and flickr and instagram are great.  But every now and then I catch myself comparing my work rather than being inspired.  Don’t get me wrong, 95% of the time I am surfing the web I am being inspired but there is a small part of me that every now and then thinks, “I’m not that good.” rather than “I look forward to being that good” or “I’m going to try that”.  Of course there are better quilters than me, there always will be!  And that’s great, it gives me something to aspire to.  But my point is, compare yourself to yourself.  To how far you’ve come, to what you achieved during your quilting time today, to the skills that come easily now compared to that first lesson when EVERYTHING was a challenge. (I remember being totally perplexed by how to use a rotary cutter and ruler and cutting all my blocks .5″ wrong!).  I used to sometimes feel like blogland was too happy and no one ever said anything real or negative.  But I have come to understand that the encouragement that we give each other is far more important than saying, “it would have looked better if you….” or “those really aren’t my colours…”  I read every comment I get and whilst I can’t always respond, those comments all build my confidence and that makes me a braver and better quilter.  Share the love people! :)

Photo used with permission from Marelize @ Stitch by Stitch

This week I am featuring the lovely Marelize from Stitch by Stitch.  I think I originally “met” Marelize on Instagram and I just LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing her work.  She also quilts on a Bernina and is super amazing at free motion quilting.  Seriously, check her out if you love quilting candy!   Last week she linked up the most BEAUTIFUL quilt in progress and was talking about how it just wasn’t how she imagined.  Marelize, the rest of us can see how stunning that quilt is, your work is divine!  The back really shows the detail. AMAZING!

Photo used with permission by Marelize @ Stitch by Stitch

I’m actually in the same head space as Marelize at the moment.  I love the quilting I did on my “Dream” mini (below) but it isn’t quite there, it’s not how I imagined it would be.  I need to add a bit and I think by attaching the binding next I will be inspired to stitch on those words like I envisaged and decide whether or not to outline the word “dream” or leave it subtle.

As often is the case, the back is the show stealer here…

My other current quandry is the table runner I am making as a thank you/farewell gift for Mr 7′s teacher.  (Thank you for all the useful suggestions and kind thoughts yesterday.  Apparently he was improved this morning but lost focus this afternoon.  That in itself is a HUGE improvement.  Funny that my son is stubborn… ;) )  After so much dense SLQ on the Dream mini I just couldn’t do it again even though it was my first thought for the table runner (this girl needs curves!).

Triangle table runner in progress

I LOVED this baby during the piecing and felt oh so clever how I’d used all teal and placed it from dark to light with the bold pink thrown in.  I actually really thought this one needed some harsh geometric quilting but I didn’t want to quilt over the triangles.  I pondered it for a day and then decided to just jump in.

Stuck in a rut!

I kind of got stuck on the same pattern.  Does that ever happen to you?  Completely not loving it I gave up the idea of something I would love and decided to throw in some half swirls spewing out into pebbles.  I like it a lot more now, but it looks really beachy to me and that wasn’t at all what I was going for….  Ah!  I need to think less and have more confidence in giving hand made gifts!!  Do you give handmade gifts confidently?  It’s that real conundrum, do you give handmade and put in lots of effort and then maybe it ends up at goodwill or in the rubbish…  Or is it only me that is lacking in confidence on the handmade gift front?  Spill the beans people! :)

Adding swirls and pebbles for interest

Now it’s your turn.  I’d love you to link up below.  Please remember that this is a quilting process linky.  We all want to hear about your process, we want to learn and be inspired and share your quilty journey <3  Please remember to visit a few other linkers and add my button to your post or sidebar.  Happy quilting!! :)

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11 Comments on I Quilt Linky Party – Confidence

  1. Alyce {Blossom Heart Quilts}
    November 14, 2013 at 8:23 pm (7 months ago)

    I LOVE what you’re doing with the table runner! The FMQ triangles are so clever! And that Dream wall hanger looks so good from the back. No words of wisdom what you should do with it, except that I can’t wait to see it finished.

    Reply
  2. Ms Midge
    November 14, 2013 at 8:24 pm (7 months ago)

    I have to say Gemma, and I think I’ve already told you a million times – but YOU are my inspiration when it comes to quilting. YOU have been the one to cheer me on from DAY DOT of my quilting life! And I thank YOU every single time I start a new quilty project :) YOur work is just beautiful xxx

    Reply
  3. Jo
    November 14, 2013 at 9:38 pm (7 months ago)

    I sympathize with the confidence thing. I fret over homemade gifts I give to others, thinking it isn’t good enough and that they won’t like it. I however love anything given to me. The table runner is fantastic. I also admired Marelize’s quilting and couldn’t believe she was doubting herself. I think it has to do with translating what is in ours heads to thread and fabric. If it doesn’t look like what we imagined, this doesn’t mean however it doesn’t look good.

    Reply
  4. Marelize
    November 14, 2013 at 9:43 pm (7 months ago)

    Thanks so much for sharing my quilt here today!
    It certainly helps to just step back for a while, putting a project to one side and look at it, really LOOKING and seeing the beauty. I have left that quilt for a couple of days, and I find myself when looking at it, to finally accept it, and I am quite eager now to carry on.
    Thanks again (hugs)

    Reply
  5. Vera
    November 14, 2013 at 11:45 pm (7 months ago)

    Oh my goodness what an eye candy!

    Reply
  6. Cathy
    November 15, 2013 at 1:43 am (7 months ago)

    Being new to quilting your words really hit home. I often feel like I will never be good enough or as good as someone else. But, I must say I am pleased with my progress. Thanks for boosting my confidence!

    I also fret about homemade gifts of any type. I fret just as much about purchased gifts though. When you give a gift you want to the recipient to love it. It is definitely more worrisome when you have put hours and a piece of yourself into making it.

    Reply
  7. Julia in Mississippi
    November 15, 2013 at 2:03 am (7 months ago)

    I’m still liking your “Dream” mini and the table runner. I especially like how you quilted around the colored triangles and also some of the gray background triangles in the table runner.

    Reply
  8. Renee
    November 15, 2013 at 3:31 am (7 months ago)

    I definitely have the same worries, especially when I make something for someone that has no idea the process I went through to make it! Most of the quilts I’ve made have gone to family and close friends, and they genuinely seem to appreciate them. I love the quilted triangles! What a good idea! I also love the wavy lines with the pebbles, I will have to try that next time :-)

    Reply
  9. Christa Quilts
    November 15, 2013 at 6:42 am (7 months ago)

    You are right – sometimes we just have to go where the quilting takes us, even if it’s now how we originally planned! I’m loving how the triangles pop because of all the awesome quilting around them.

    Reply
  10. Adrianne
    November 15, 2013 at 1:40 pm (7 months ago)

    I hear ya on the confidence thing! I fret about handmade gifts too – I think we all do! I think FMQ is particularly a confidence thing – it seems really scary (and its kind of built up to be this big thing) but actually you just have to DO it. Actually most of life is like that…

    Reply
  11. Lea
    November 21, 2013 at 12:36 am (7 months ago)

    Wow! Your quilting is stunning! Gorgeous!

    I smiled when you talked about your experience cutting fabrics in the beginning. I hand sewed my quilts for a years and years. When I finally started using a rotary cutter and sewing machine I had such a time cutting fabrics accurately, and sewing accurately. The dreaded “V” took a long time for me to get straight.

    When I used to give quilts away it never dawned on me that others wouldn’t want a homemade quilt. I have given quilts to people that have ended up spending their life in the closet. Maybe some ended up in a thrift shop, or the trash I don’t know. I didn’t understand at first and then realized they never asked for a quilt. Maybe they don’t love them like I do (gasp!) Maybe the quilt wasn’t their style? Maybe the quilt was ugly in their eyes? For some reason for the past few years more people I know who aren’t quilters see my quilts and want a handmade quilt. And more men than ever look at my quilts and admire them. It gets them talking about quilts and yes they want them. The quilts I’ve given away in the past 10 years or so (and some made to be raffled for non-profits) have been wanted and friends & family who have them bring the quilt up often in conversation, send pictures, etc. I don’t know why. When I make a quilt I always wonder if the person who receives it will like it.

    Reply

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