I remember stressing out over a part of my quilt for my niece and trying to get to perfect. I told my sister. Her response " Considering no one here knows how to sew I would not worry about it. " Quilts are made with love. That is what matters in the end.
Cathy! When you say, "Thanks for watching"- I want to say "thanks for making!" :). I can't imagine the work and energy that goes into making these videos and maintaining the YT channel and the Patreon account---PLUS doing all the quilting! :). I'm sure I speak for lots of us when I say, "Thanks!" and for being so transparent with your highs and lows and being a teacher for us. (and throwing in lots of giggles and humor). The quilt is gorgeous and a great reminder to not get too set on "perfection".
Amy, thank you for this comment. It made me feel a little weepy (in the good way!) I hope you know how meaningful it is to me and how much of an encouragement you are to me! Truly. ❤️
Agreed! I occasionally do beadwork, and many years ago an elder gently got on to me when they saw me undoing several rows after I noticed I'd skipped a bead or grabbed a wrong color (I can't remember the mistake now). As a newer beader at the time, I thought people would be more critical and I wanted less for them to point out! However, the elder told me along the lines of, "Leave the mistake. It's a reminder that none of us are perfect. Only the Creator is." And over the many years since then, I've heard others say they actually purposefully add a subtle 'mistake' to their projects such as a green bead instead of a blue for that very reason. Edit: As I continued to watch, I fondly remembered the first quilt I made from a pattern, which was only about the 3rd quilt I'd ever made. As I labored over it (for a friend's wedding present!) miraculously all my mistakes were working themselves out--I don't know how it happened, but I recall thinking, "Wow, this marriage must really be meant to be, if this is any indication!" I haven't seen the quilt in years and am sure I'd cringe upon my inspection, but it was made with so much love. Even when things were going wrong, I remember I didn't get frustrated or think of giving up. I can't explain it. I was taught that when you make something for someone, not to do so when angry or sad, but with good thoughts & prayers for that person--in this case, people. It can be hard to do when struggling with new skills and on a timeline. However, that was definitely the case with that quilt. I laughed at my mistakes and kept going. They've been married for 20 years and have 3 beautiful girls!
I normally tell my quilty friends NOT to point out their mistakes because I truly believe the imperfections are the good parts , the part that makes a handmade quilt stand worlds apart when compared to a quilt from Target. But you truly do learn a LOT when you make mistakes. Thanks for sharing your mistakes with all of us 😘
So many tips in this quilt of "so many mistakes." The best part: the quilt is full of love and the intention behind it. I know Pamela will cherish it always.
Now that is a video ALL people, not just us ‘sewists’ need to watch, “Progress not perfection”- great wisdom. Thank you SO MUCH, from the bottom of my heart ❤️ for another dose of soul food and inspiration. And love the quilt too. Love from, now wintery, Australia 🇦🇺 xx
Dear Pamela, Congratulations on your college achievement and recent graduation. Thank you for sharing your heart in the field of education with these children who are blessed to be your students. Dear Cathy and Paul, I enjoy each and every video you present to us, however, this one really hit home. Thank you for reminding us it's ok to make mistakes and learn from them. Who wants perfect? Let's just be the best version of ourselves and our quilting as we can be. The quilt is beautiful, just beautiful ♥
That “Perfect lipstick red” for the win! It really moves your eye around the quilt! When people ask me what my favorite part of quilting is, it is always the story of/behind the quilt; the connection to the other and thus to the Other. I’m sure your friend will love this quilt.
Thank you, Sister.❤️ My family weren't convinced of the red in the beginning, but I think it might be my favorite part after that gorgeous madras plaid!
Also the red is the perfect pop color on this quilt and at the same time is simple place for eyes to rest in the midst of complex blocks. I heard you say sashing is not your favorite but you have made very good use of it here!❤
I love this quilting story, and the way you tracked all your learning experiences! Congratulations to your friend Pamela on her graduation. You are two friends who are life-long learners. Learning is what makes life worth living.
Love your description of how to fix your too- small block! My mother did various kinds of handwork, and she was particular. However when a piece was not quite perfect she would say, “a blind man would be glad to see it!”
Just tuned in in time. Looking forward to hear the quilt story! Now watched it all. Pamela will be so thrilled. Karen Brown always says "so much is forgiven as soon as the binding is on" and I found that to be so very true. Great what you could all learn from that quilt 😊
Cathy, I love your story. The quilt is stunning and you should be proud. No one will ever know what you went through to get your "math-ee-ness" just right.
Cathy you have been on such a wonderful learning journey with this quilt. It was a joy to watch its quilt story and laugh with you. It truly is a quilt full of joy.
I was glued to this quilt story because my quilt path has mirrored yours in so many ways. I am not brave enough to start a TH-cam channel, but I have made the same mistakes and stubbornly repeated them, without learning from them. I also am anxious that others will see my mistakes and corrections, but my sister has a mantra that goes something like this - Celebrate the times that you make mistakes, recognize them and try again. It helps me deal with my errors. I continue to enjoy your channel...Keep up the good work!
How special to have blocks by both the maker and receiver in one quilt!! I enjoyed everything about this video--congratulations to you for the lessons learned and your grace in sharing it all with us, and congratulations to Pamela on finishing her degree!! What an accomplishment, and what a great field to go into. I love how you tie it all together--her compassion and patience with your struggles and insight.
I love your honesty about trying to straighten your ditches with quilting. I was laughing so hard because I have been there myself. I really enjoy your quilt stories!!!!
My first quilt came as a kit that I bought 5 years ago. As I was working on it, my mom fell in love with some of the fabric prints because they reminded her of her childhood and it made her happy. When I talked about giving it away after the fairs in August, she became quite distraught so my first quilt is now my mom's quilt. I used some of the fabric scraps to make a couple of log cabin style pillow cases and still have plenty for future scrap quilt projects.
I'm making a quilt for my brother. Seams were an issue for me also and learned lots of new techniques. Wull my brother care about the mistakes? Nope, I doubt he'll see them. He will see the love!! Lessons learned.
What a beautiful quilt for a beautiful friend. And you both have the making of the quilt and the story behind it to share. I love that you kept going and didn’t give up and that you learned from your mistakes. A lovely story ✨💛✨
Your quilt turned out beautiful, and surely Pamela will so appreciate and love this quilt. I think our mistakes are the best parts of quilting, because those are the parts that make a design change. The learning parts are a big trill of quilting. Thanks for sharing your quilting story. 👍❤️🙂
I love the imperfections in quilt patters. All my quilts seem to have "make do or make a way" moments. It's what makes quilting fun and challenging to me. Having to problem solve keeps my mind working.
I made this same quilt after watching your video. For me too, it was a learning quilt as it was the first quilt I made from shirts. I always love learning new things, even if it’s from mistakes. Thanks for sharing. I’m sure this quilt will be a treasure for Pamela forever!
I’m just starting my quilting journey and tend to be a bit of a perfectionist so this is just the thing I needed to hear, progress not perfection! Thanks so much!
Hi Cathy, Loved your video. I have been quilting for 12 years and have struggled with all of the issues you mentioned in making this lovely quilt. Very recently I discovered Philippa Naylor and her on-line quilting tutorials. They are a gold mine of information and well worth the cost ($15.00 per lesson). I feel that my knowledge and quilting skills have elevated to a new, more professional level. Thanks sharing your passion for shirts!
I cannot say it enough-this quilt is such a beauty! ❤❤❤ The “flaws” just bring out the humanity of something handmade. Your friend will be so pleased with such a bountiful and loving gift. It made me so happy seeing it in all its glory. Thank you for sharing it, Cathy. For such a young quilter you create masterpieces.
What a sweet quilt story. I primarily make quilts for charity and it gives me pleasure, even though I will never know the folks who will receive them. I enjoy the process of creating so much. Thank you for your insights into the pleasure of giving.
Beautiful quilt! You can’t even tell there’s an “adjustment”. But I would have made another block that fit the quilt and turned the “too small” block into a pillow. 😊
I’m at about the same stage as you, and each quilt has something I tried for the first time or learned the hard way. Mary’s quilt - learned mitered corners Julia’s quilt - used fancy stitching on the binding Jane’s quilt - DON’T USE DOUBLE POLYESTER BATTING Project Linus Christmas quilt - improv’d log cabins and pinwheels and first attempt at sashing. Guild donation quilts - first long-arming, first ruler long-arming. Patrick’s quilt - first flying geese, lessons in fussy cutting. Etc., etc. I say, stay fearless and soldier on. That’s where I’ve had the most fun, it turned out. Every quilt DOES have a story.❤
Just LOVE your quilt! Love its story, it’s wonderful. I think we all have gone through those points you mentioned…at least I have. I have a few quilts sort of like that because I too was learning as I went. Still not perfect but I embrace what my daughter calls “organic” 😂. Quilting really is my outlet, my therapy so I continue to piece and quilt and learn. Thank you so much for your videos, I thoroughly enjoy them.
❤ Gosh, I just love this, I just laughed so much as it is so much like the quilting stuff that I do. Your quilt looks fabulous and true friends are always forgiving. Life is too short to stress over the little things. Such an encouragement! Thanks ❤
I love your Quilt Stories! This quilt story demonstrates visually how much Pamela means to you, both in the making of the quilt and your obvious emotion in telling the story. What a wonderful story....and quilt! Thank you so much for your videos.
What a wonderful gift. Thanks for sharing your learning journey. It is truly inspiring for those of us who are also (always) on a quilting learning journey.
Love this video! I am a newbie quilter and with every quilt I make I have learned so much. Perfection is my downfall but I just quilted my second one and learned this very same lesson. In the grand scheme it looks good but my lines are definitely not perfectly straight. No one is going to get a ruler and measure. Every quilt is a lesson and a labor of love. So glad to have found your channel
Beautiful quilt with an even better story! Love these videos Cathy! Thank you for voicing the reality for many of us as we hear tips and tricks and think we know better 😉
There is truly a learning journey as a beginning quilter; except, the learning never ends. Thankfully, however, we get better by taking into practice the tips that work for us. Thank you so much for sharing with us. So appreciate your transparency (truly, we can all relate).
It's turned out beautifully Cathy. Been such a treat to watch it grow from the initial experiment and we've learned much from you along the way. Congratulations to your friend as she graduates - she'll appreciate the concept of life long learning and the time, effort and love built into her gift. You can't buy that and as she's as wise as you are she'll bottle it, cherish and preserve it. Amazing how bits of cloth can bond us and generate strong emotions.
Oh friend, trying to put into words how I feel watching this story about your very thoughtful gift. I love this and you so much. Thank you for your kindness and friendship. It's beautiful and I do love it.
This is a beautiful quilt! I would not have noticed the little rectangles if you had not pointed them out! They don’t detract! I really like your border around the back! I think you added to the beauty of the quilt! Pamela is so lucky to have a friend like you! I know she is happy to finish her degree!
Thank you, Sherry! ❤️ I wasn't sure about the border on the back initially, but in the end I was pleased with it. And yes, Pamela is beside herself with happiness and relief to be a college graduate now!!
Hi Cathy! When you held up your quilt the first impression I got was that is a bright happy quilt! So pretty, and airy, if that a word, lol. I just finished a quilt for my bestie, and gave it to her yesterday, with all of my mistakes too! She is besotted with it, and will never see all my mistakes, which also includes not so straight straight line quilting. Lol I tried to do the same as you, make that top stitch straight even if some my block piecing wasn't spot on. Yup, that doesn't work 😆. Just kept going straight and I stopped stressing, it was way more fun. Thank you for sharing the story, so enjoyed it, even the quilt back story is similar to the one I made for my bestie, too funny..See you next time :)
Hello from Melbourne 👋 I hope you are both well! Lately, I've been saving up a couple of episodes at a time to watch, so I can sit down with my knitting and savour your quilting stories. But I had to laugh this week, because it's as though you were right here with me, as I was cutting out a sewing pattern! How lovely to see the Magnolia Quilt finished. Despite it's challenges, it looks beautiful Cathy ❤ There have been lessons along the way,not just for you, we've learnt from them too. There is a link between your friend Pamela, teaching and education, and with the channel here. I don't know if you picked up on that. I feel very sure your friend will treasure her quilt for many years to come ❤ Happy stitching xx
I love your honesty. This reminds me of all the mistakes that I have made along my quilting journey. I have refused to ever take a quilting class so I have had to learn as I go along. However the overcoming of challenges and the solving of problems is so satisfying. Thank you
Thank you, Mary! ❤️ Having not taken any quilting classes either, I have been learning as I go along too! Thank goodness for TH-cam and quilty friends! And yes, I agree 100%---the creative problem-solving and satisfaction of accomplishing what I set out to do is WORTH IT.
That quilt almost has a vintage feel to it, and I LOVE it! We quilters ALWAYS feel the need to point out our mistakes, but nobody ever notices them when all is said and done, and if you look at that quilt a few years from now, you will probably be hard-pressed to find your "mistakes". Just as I typed the previous sentence, you said, "...and no one would ever know". The red cornerstones are so perfect. The backing is wonderful, too! Nice job, Cathy! (BTW, when I make mistakes with my sewing, I always remind myself that "ONLY God is perfect".)
Thank you, Jane! ❤️ I haven't been able to put my finger on it, but I, too, think it has a vintage feel! Thank you for noticing the red cornerstones--my family members weren't convinced when I decided to use red! I could just see it, though, and it came out just as I imagined.😊
Thank you, Connie! ❤️ I think it's helpful for us to share our "oops" so other quilters can learn from our mistakes and feel the camaraderie of "me too!"
I relate to your experience. I took up quilting when I retired. I love it! I am determined to make a quilt for all family members (42 and growing). I finished 14 so far. The 14th is much finer than the 1st. But each of them is full of love and they know that. You are right. There’s no down side.
Have you ever talked about Gees Bend quilts. I don’t think they have any straight lines on their quilts, yet they are gorgeous. I don’t think I could recreate a single one. Their story is also the best part. Love this quilt and the story that goes along with it!
I haven't, Susan, but I HAVE met some of the Gee's Bend quilters! They are an amazing group of women who have persevered through so much many years of oppression and suffering; their quilts are a tribute to their resilience, resourcefulness and creativity!
I love this quilt. Pamela will love and treasure it no doubt. I promise when you were talking about all the things learned while making it, I was thinking how I learn something with every quilt I make. And as a retired teacher #learningismyfavorite, too.
What a great story! I guess the reason I like so much to follow you is this deep humanity you put in all what you explain. I learn a lot about quilting but for me the major point is not 100% there. It's all about your journey, about the meaning, about the binding of friendship... You laugh, you swear, you make mistakes, you learn... and give us to see all that without filter, what a great present! For me you are an artist trying to explain with the best accuracy possible her process of creativity. What law names mistake, art might call it beauty! Always a great fun and deep pleasure to walk in your steps! ❤
Good morning, Cathy. First off, congratulations to Pamela. Graduating from college! The pursuit of excellence in quilting, is exactly that, a pursuit. We are all WIPs (works in progress). I laughed and cringed listening to the story. I have made so many mistakes in my adventure too. When I create, I pray. The Lord is so gracious and kind in the way He's been with me in my sewing room. I will never "arrive" when it comes to learning and that's all good!
Thank you, Stacie for this sweet comment! The time we spend sewing and quilting is precious time for us all, I think. It's no wonder the phrase "Quilting is my therapy" came to be! ❤️
Love the quilt stories. I know your friend will cherish this gift. I was inspired by you to do a Magnolia quilt as well. Mine is all (except 3 blocks) gingham from mens shirts. The other 3 are gingham from my stash. Background is also white from mens shirts. It is backed with a pale pink sheet from a thrift store. Your have taught me well.
Sounds like you don't know this old adage, so I will share it with you now.... 'Every quilt should have a mistake somewhere within it, because quilts are handmade by humans, and humans are not perfect'. I even have a friend who makes beautiful, quite small handmade paper 'quilts', who makes sure she incorporates a "mistake" on purpose because of this. You are in VERY good company! Hope this made you smile. By the way, when hanging, you see nothing of concern. If it is used on a bed, no one will definitely EVER notice. Nice job!
I have never quilted a quilt but have often thought about trying stitch in a ditch. However, my lines are often not straight and I never thought of the problems this would create for me when quilting. Thank you for addressing that problem before I even knew it was a problem! I'm still scared about trying it, and may do something like diagonal lines first but thanks for the encouragement. You are aways so upbeat about your quilting and sometimes I forget it is supposed to be FUN
Laura, the quilting part can be such a daunting task. Every time I start quilting, I realized my shoulders are practically touching my earlobes and I'm often holding my breath! 😂 So I have to take deep breaths and remind myself to relax and just do the thing. LOL. I can hear my coworker saying, "It's not that DEEP!" It's only after I've gotten a fair amount of it done that I realize, "oh it's not so bad." 😂 The easiest quilting I've found (and done most successfully) is actually the crosshatch style, where you stitch to the right of a main seam and then come back and stitch to the left of that same seam. When you do it on the other axis, it ends up making a crosshatch (hashtag) pattern all across the whole quilt. ❤️
I LOVE this quilt - your color combinations are absolutely amazing and spot on. I think stitching in the ditch is hard too - I usually never “stitch in the ditch” I suppose because I’ve had this same problem. 😂. Last - you are right on gifting your quilt to someone you love and someone that loves you. They don’t care - and in the long run it really doesn’t matter. I’ve never had a child/grandchild/friend return a quilt to me because it wasn’t perfect. In the scheme of things - it just doesn’t matter. IMHO - perfection really only matters if you’re making a quilt for competition, museum or displaying on the wall. Thanks for the lovely video today and thanks for sharing your work and your story. ❤
Thank you so much, Peg. ❤️ I can't imagine having any of your quilts returned for ANY reason! And let's face it, even competition, museum and wall (art) quilts no doubt have their imperfections, too. Surely!
Good morning Cathy, what a beautiful quilt story, made with so much love and lessons learned for you. Pamela is going to love this quilt so much. Perfection is over rated when we are making a quilt for someone we know will probably not even notice any mistake and the special feelings they get for being thought of and the fact that you made it with love is all that matters. Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend.🥰
Thank you so much, sweet Debbie! ❤️ And in truth, perfection is overrated altogether in every area of life---if even possible at all. I had a wonderful weekend and I hope you did too! 🥰
❤Wonderful quilt hug you’ve made for your precious friend. Congratulations & bravo Pamela for completing your teaching degree. 👏🏼👏🏼 I love having special friends in life with which to share my journeys, no judgment-only love. Aren’t we blessed to have these wonderful friends in our lives! She’s going to love your quilt hug so very much! And bravo for finishing your long term project as well. Perfection is an illusion and can be paralyzing to our creativity. You’ve made wonderful progress in your quilting journey. You should both be incredibly proud of yourselves. Not everyone has the tenacity to complete difficult and challenging things. These are milestones that make future success inevitable. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I've been looking forward to this particular quilt story. I knew it would be epic and it was! So wonderful to see it finished in all it's glory. And of course we all resonate with your learning curve, as we all have one! I purposefully choose my next project based on what I want to learn next. The challenge is worth all the mistakes it takes to get to the finish line! And I've gotten pretty good at the mantra "done is better than perfect", trying to have faith that at the end of the day, anyone but me will be hard pressed to find the "goofs". And it is so much fun to find a solution to a problem -- I just love how you added the small strip to the wonky block and the beautiful border to the back: Yay you! Congrats to both you and Pamela. I wish we could all be flies on the wall when you give it to her. What a gift you both have in each other!
You are too kind, Laura! ❤️ As you know, you and I share that love of a challenge and the learning that follows! And the creativity we employ in problem-solving is really part of the joy of making, isn't it?!
The first few quilts I made (25ish years ago?) were for my younger brothers, who definitely did not notice or mind all the crooked and lumpy bits. And really, even after so long at it, I still make tons of mistakes. Beginners mind all the way 💚
Beautiful story of love and gifting a quilt. Pamela will feel all of the work and thought you have put in this beautiful project. When I was in Hawaii studying Hawaiian quilting I learned of the most wonderful Hawaiian tradition - sleeping under a quilt before it's gifted. This is their tradition because they believe the quilt absorbs your love and passes that love on to the recipient. I'm pretty sure this quilt has absorbed much love from you because of all of the challenges and thought you put into making it. FYI, I started LOL when you began discussing the backing because somehow I sensed where the sheet story was headed. That's probably because I've also struggled with the mental gymnastics of seam allowances making a project smaller.
Thank you, John! ❤️ I love that Hawaiian tradition--so charming (and I suspect real and true.) I can hear you chuckling about my sheet quilt back. Dang seam allowances! 🤦🏻♀️🙄😱😂
You are such a sweet and loving person. Thank you for your honesty and sharing your challenges. It gives me so much hope🥰. I’m in the beginning of my journey. Take care. 🌸tess
I just love watching your videos. Your voice is so calming and easy to listen to. Especially love embracing your mistakes and learning from them and not beating yourself up. So nice to have a loving and accepting friend. Looking forward to your next video
Love this quilt (it’s turned out beautifully) and the story you’ve shared about it and of your friend Pamela…who sounds like a lovely lady! 🥰 Congratulations to her on her graduation! 🎉👏🏻❤️ Also…love how the quilt back (bottom? 😉🤷🏻♀️) turned out with all those little snowball corners!! 😘👌🏻
Wonderful story, Cathy! 🥹 I think there should be a flaw, or a few ☺️, in every masterpiece, whether on purpose or accidentally. I feel like it makes for a much more human experience and adds to the warmth of the piece because you’re focused on who you’re making it for rather than making it perfect like it’s going be judged. Congratulations to Pamela 💫, and a perfect name for the quilt, possibly meaning something different to each of you, since she is a teacher now! I love the quilt back! I, personally, think the borders really accentuate the confetti blocks. I will continue to keep reminding myself that making mistakes is a good thing. 😅
Switching machines several weeks ago now, I’ve been on a 1/4 inch seam journey that was frankly bewildering to me. I thought I had it mastered 😂 New machine = New everything! Excellent discussion today - as per usual actually. Very enjoyable- also as per usual!
Thank you, Dawn! ❤️ Now that I have the 1/4" seam washi tape, I have almost trained my eye to know exactly where to look on my 1/4' walking foot to achieve a scant 1/4" seam. Almost. 😉
Mistakes add character. Well I hope so! In 2020 my granddaughter turned 13, but Covid prevented an in person celebration. I sent sq of fabric to her friends for their signatures, with plans to make 1/2 sq triangles. No experience, no tools. I had a mess. I added large strips of fabric to sq things up. It was a work of love with very noticeable errors. Time to make a nicer quilt for her 18th & graduation next year.
Thank you, Lorrie! ❤️ And I appreciate you sharing about your challenges/mistakes too! We all have them, and it's helpful to hear other quilters stories so we don't feel alone in it!
Gifting a "learning" quilt to a teacher is a beautiful thing, and it's a beautiful quilt! I still like the haphazard plaid blocks better than the fussy-cut ones, but perhaps that's my goblin side showing. I'm sure Pamela will love them all equally and intensely! Also: I totally see you on the drive to be understood. I've always said I'm fine with people despising me, but I *haaaate* being misunderstood even on a surface level. At least they should show me the respect of despising me for the right reasons. 😅The "to be undersood" urge is so real, and it has layers.
Ok I Lol'd at "my goblin side showing." Also, I feel SO UNDERSTOOD by your comment about being understood. ❤️ We are such soul sisters in this way. Sometimes Paul will say, "I understand [you] but I just don't agree." And I almost always think (but never say, for obvious reasons,) "clearly you DON'T understand, because if you did, you'd agree with me!" 😂
So many mistakes that I have made and didn’t notice until I got them back from the my longarm guru. Not much you can do after that. Happy little accidents is what I call them. No matter what, it was made with love. ❤
I remember stressing out over a part of my quilt for my niece and trying to get to perfect. I told my sister. Her response " Considering no one here knows how to sew I would not worry about it. " Quilts are made with love. That is what matters in the end.
Cathy! When you say, "Thanks for watching"- I want to say "thanks for making!" :). I can't imagine the work and energy that goes into making these videos and maintaining the YT channel and the Patreon account---PLUS doing all the quilting! :). I'm sure I speak for lots of us when I say, "Thanks!" and for being so transparent with your highs and lows and being a teacher for us. (and throwing in lots of giggles and humor). The quilt is gorgeous and a great reminder to not get too set on "perfection".
Amy, thank you for this comment. It made me feel a little weepy (in the good way!) I hope you know how meaningful it is to me and how much of an encouragement you are to me! Truly. ❤️
Agreed! I occasionally do beadwork, and many years ago an elder gently got on to me when they saw me undoing several rows after I noticed I'd skipped a bead or grabbed a wrong color (I can't remember the mistake now). As a newer beader at the time, I thought people would be more critical and I wanted less for them to point out! However, the elder told me along the lines of, "Leave the mistake. It's a reminder that none of us are perfect. Only the Creator is." And over the many years since then, I've heard others say they actually purposefully add a subtle 'mistake' to their projects such as a green bead instead of a blue for that very reason.
Edit: As I continued to watch, I fondly remembered the first quilt I made from a pattern, which was only about the 3rd quilt I'd ever made. As I labored over it (for a friend's wedding present!) miraculously all my mistakes were working themselves out--I don't know how it happened, but I recall thinking, "Wow, this marriage must really be meant to be, if this is any indication!" I haven't seen the quilt in years and am sure I'd cringe upon my inspection, but it was made with so much love. Even when things were going wrong, I remember I didn't get frustrated or think of giving up. I can't explain it. I was taught that when you make something for someone, not to do so when angry or sad, but with good thoughts & prayers for that person--in this case, people. It can be hard to do when struggling with new skills and on a timeline. However, that was definitely the case with that quilt. I laughed at my mistakes and kept going. They've been married for 20 years and have 3 beautiful girls!
I normally tell my quilty friends NOT to point out their mistakes because I truly believe the imperfections are the good parts , the part that makes a handmade quilt stand worlds apart when compared to a quilt from Target. But you truly do learn a LOT when you make mistakes. Thanks for sharing your mistakes with all of us 😘
So many tips in this quilt of "so many mistakes." The best part: the quilt is full of love and the intention behind it. I know Pamela will cherish it always.
Thank you, Lisa! ❤️ You know I love to share my mistakes so that everyone else can learn, too! 🤓😘
Now that is a video ALL people, not just us ‘sewists’ need to watch, “Progress not perfection”- great wisdom.
Thank you SO MUCH, from the bottom of my heart ❤️ for another dose of soul food and inspiration. And love the quilt too.
Love from, now wintery, Australia 🇦🇺 xx
Dear Pamela, Congratulations on your college achievement and recent graduation. Thank you for sharing your heart in the field of education with these children who are blessed to be your students.
Dear Cathy and Paul, I enjoy each and every video you present to us, however, this one really hit home. Thank you for reminding us it's ok to make mistakes and learn from them. Who wants perfect? Let's just be the best version of ourselves and our quilting as we can be. The quilt is beautiful, just beautiful ♥
Pamela and Chris will feel wrapped in your love every time they see or use this beautiful quilt.
That “Perfect lipstick red” for the win! It really moves your eye around the quilt! When people ask me what my favorite part of quilting is, it is always the story of/behind the quilt; the connection to the other and thus to the Other. I’m sure your friend will love this quilt.
I, too, love the story of each quilt and try to put that on the label.
Thank you, Sister.❤️ My family weren't convinced of the red in the beginning, but I think it might be my favorite part after that gorgeous madras plaid!
Also the red is the perfect pop color on this quilt and at the same time is simple place for eyes to rest in the midst of complex blocks. I heard you say sashing is not your favorite but you have made very good use of it here!❤
One of the best things about quilting is that it is a never-ending well from which to learn. Learning is the motivation to keep quilting.
I agree 100%!
Love and friendship...the best part is all the thoughts and memories that flood your mind when you are making a quilt for a friend.
I agree, Carol Ann. And couldn't have said it better myself! ❤️
I love this quilting story, and the way you tracked all your learning experiences! Congratulations to your friend Pamela on her graduation. You are two friends who are life-long learners. Learning is what makes life worth living.
Thank you, Susan! ❤️ And I agree: learning IS what makes life worth living!
Love your description of how to fix your too- small block! My mother did various kinds of handwork, and she was particular. However when a piece was not quite perfect she would say, “a blind man would be glad to see it!”
Katharine, I LOVE that: "a blind man would be glad to see it!" ❤️🤩
Just tuned in in time. Looking forward to hear the quilt story!
Now watched it all. Pamela will be so thrilled. Karen Brown always says "so much is forgiven as soon as the binding is on" and I found that to be so very true.
Great what you could all learn from that quilt 😊
Thank you, Julia! ❤️ Karen Brown has so much wisdom---I have found that to be true as well!
Cathy, I love your story. The quilt is stunning and you should be proud. No one will ever know what you went through to get your "math-ee-ness" just right.
Cathy you have been on such a wonderful learning journey with this quilt. It was a joy to watch its quilt story and laugh with you. It truly is a quilt full of joy.
I was glued to this quilt story because my quilt path has mirrored yours in so many ways. I am not brave enough to start a TH-cam channel, but I have made the same mistakes and stubbornly repeated them, without learning from them. I also am anxious that others will see my mistakes and corrections, but my sister has a mantra that goes something like this - Celebrate the times that you make mistakes, recognize them and try again. It helps me deal with my errors. I continue to enjoy your channel...Keep up the good work!
Well said!
Thank you, Kathy! ❤️ If it weren't for the mistakes, how would we learn?!
How special to have blocks by both the maker and receiver in one quilt!! I enjoyed everything about this video--congratulations to you for the lessons learned and your grace in sharing it all with us, and congratulations to Pamela on finishing her degree!! What an accomplishment, and what a great field to go into. I love how you tie it all together--her compassion and patience with your struggles and insight.
I love your honesty about trying to straighten your ditches with quilting. I was laughing so hard because I have been there myself. I really enjoy your quilt stories!!!!
My first quilt came as a kit that I bought 5 years ago. As I was working on it, my mom fell in love with some of the fabric prints because they reminded her of her childhood and it made her happy. When I talked about giving it away after the fairs in August, she became quite distraught so my first quilt is now my mom's quilt. I used some of the fabric scraps to make a couple of log cabin style pillow cases and still have plenty for future scrap quilt projects.
I'm making a quilt for my brother. Seams were an issue for me also and learned lots of new techniques. Wull my brother care about the mistakes? Nope, I doubt he'll see them. He will see the love!! Lessons learned.
What a beautiful quilt for a beautiful friend. And you both have the making of the quilt and the story behind it to share. I love that you kept going and didn’t give up and that you learned from your mistakes. A lovely story ✨💛✨
So many artists never show the opps on their quilting journey. Thank you for letting us all know it’s ok.
You are so welcome, Marianne! I want other quilters to learn from my oops (and maybe feel the bond of "me too!") ❤️
Your quilt turned out beautiful, and surely Pamela will so appreciate and love this quilt. I think our mistakes are the best parts of quilting, because those are the parts that make a design change. The learning parts are a big trill of quilting. Thanks for sharing your quilting story. 👍❤️🙂
Love the story today! Pamela sounds truly quilt worthy and now I want to make one for her too! Hehehe.
I love the imperfections in quilt patters. All my quilts seem to have "make do or make a way" moments. It's what makes quilting fun and challenging to me. Having to problem solve keeps my mind working.
I made this same quilt after watching your video. For me too, it was a learning quilt as it was the first quilt I made from shirts. I always love learning new things, even if it’s from mistakes. Thanks for sharing. I’m sure this quilt will be a treasure for Pamela forever!
I’m just starting my quilting journey and tend to be a bit of a perfectionist so this is just the thing I needed to hear, progress not perfection! Thanks so much!
Hi Cathy, Loved your video. I have been quilting for 12 years and have struggled with all of the issues you mentioned in making this lovely quilt. Very recently I discovered Philippa Naylor and her on-line quilting tutorials. They are a gold mine of information and well worth the cost ($15.00 per lesson). I feel that my knowledge and quilting skills have elevated to a new, more professional level. Thanks sharing your passion for shirts!
Did you ever think this story of your friendship quilt would make someone cry? Congratulations!
Aww! No, but I'm glad it hit you in a meaningful way! ❤️
I cannot say it enough-this quilt is such a beauty! ❤❤❤ The “flaws” just bring out the humanity of something handmade. Your friend will be so pleased with such a bountiful and loving gift. It made me so happy seeing it in all its glory. Thank you for sharing it, Cathy. For such a young quilter you create masterpieces.
There’s so many ways in which this quilt is the story of love, keep on quilting, you’ve got this!
Thank you so much, Lili!❤️ I'm humbled by your kind words.
I love the saying "perfectly imperfect"! That can apply to 'sew' many areas in life--especially quilting!
What a sweet quilt story. I primarily make quilts for charity and it gives me pleasure, even though I will never know the folks who will receive them. I enjoy the process of creating so much. Thank you for your insights into the pleasure of giving.
Beautiful quilt! You can’t even tell there’s an “adjustment”.
But I would have made another block that fit the quilt and turned the “too small” block into a pillow. 😊
A yummy quilt. A yummy story. You both advanced your education, LOL. Thank you for sharing the curriculum.
We DID both advance our education, Diane! How perfectly put. ❤️ and I laughed at "sharing the curriculum." Clever girl. 🤓😘
I remember this one! Looooved the plaid block and bought the pattern for Magnolia as as a result of seeing this project.
I’m at about the same stage as you, and each quilt has something I tried for the first time or learned the hard way.
Mary’s quilt - learned mitered corners
Julia’s quilt - used fancy stitching on the binding
Jane’s quilt - DON’T USE DOUBLE POLYESTER BATTING
Project Linus Christmas quilt - improv’d log cabins and pinwheels and first attempt at sashing.
Guild donation quilts - first long-arming, first ruler long-arming.
Patrick’s quilt - first flying geese, lessons in fussy cutting.
Etc., etc.
I say, stay fearless and soldier on. That’s where I’ve had the most fun, it turned out. Every quilt DOES have a story.❤
I love that you can document/remember what new thing you learned with each quilt. Thank you for sharing with us.
Just LOVE your quilt! Love its story, it’s wonderful. I think we all have gone through those points you mentioned…at least I have. I have a few quilts sort of like that because I too was learning as I went. Still not perfect but I embrace what my daughter calls “organic” 😂. Quilting really is my outlet, my therapy so I continue to piece and quilt and learn. Thank you so much for your videos, I thoroughly enjoy them.
❤ Gosh, I just love this, I just laughed so much as it is so much like the quilting stuff that I do. Your quilt looks fabulous and true friends are always forgiving. Life is too short to stress over the little things. Such an encouragement! Thanks ❤
❤ I love the journey this quilt took you on and the reminder to myself that imperfection is okay especially when I am giving it to those I love 💕
Such a beautiful quilt for your friend! ❤ Thank you for sharing this even with your “mistakes.” Chelsi would be proud! 🎉
I love your Quilt Stories! This quilt story demonstrates visually how much Pamela means to you, both in the making of the quilt and your obvious emotion in telling the story. What a wonderful story....and quilt! Thank you so much for your videos.
Aww! Thank you, Sylvie! ❤️ I hadn't thought of it that way: a visual demonstration of love and friendship. I LOVE that!!! 🤩❤️
She will love this beautiful quilt because you put so much of yourself into it! Such a happy quilt!!❤❤
What a wonderful gift. Thanks for sharing your learning journey. It is truly inspiring for those of us who are also (always) on a quilting learning journey.
Love this video! I am a newbie quilter and with every quilt I make I have learned so much. Perfection is my downfall but I just quilted my second one and learned this very same lesson. In the grand scheme it looks good but my lines are definitely not perfectly straight. No one is going to get a ruler and measure. Every quilt is a lesson and a labor of love. So glad to have found your channel
Beautiful quilt with an even better story! Love these videos Cathy! Thank you for voicing the reality for many of us as we hear tips and tricks and think we know better 😉
Thank you so much, Giselle! ❤️ And here I was thinking I was the only one! 😉
There is truly a learning journey as a beginning quilter; except, the learning never ends. Thankfully, however, we get better by taking into practice the tips that work for us. Thank you so much for sharing with us. So appreciate your transparency (truly, we can all relate).
Love your honesty and taking us on the journey. Beautiful quilt and I didn't see the issue until you pointed it out. No quilt police here.
I love how much you have to say on a subject. That quilt is beautiful!
It's turned out beautifully Cathy. Been such a treat to watch it grow from the initial experiment and we've learned much from you along the way.
Congratulations to your friend as she graduates - she'll appreciate the concept of life long learning and the time, effort and love built into her gift. You can't buy that and as she's as wise as you are she'll bottle it, cherish and preserve it.
Amazing how bits of cloth can bond us and generate strong emotions.
Oh friend, trying to put into words how I feel watching this story about your very thoughtful gift. I love this and you so much. Thank you for your kindness and friendship. It's beautiful and I do love it.
You're so very welcome! I love you, my friend! ❤️
This is a beautiful quilt! I would not have noticed the little rectangles if you had not pointed them out! They don’t detract! I really like your border around the back! I think you added to the beauty of the quilt! Pamela is so lucky to have a friend like you! I know she is happy to finish her degree!
Thank you, Sherry! ❤️ I wasn't sure about the border on the back initially, but in the end I was pleased with it. And yes, Pamela is beside herself with happiness and relief to be a college graduate now!!
Hi Cathy! When you held up your quilt the first impression I got was that is a bright happy quilt! So pretty, and airy, if that a word, lol.
I just finished a quilt for my bestie, and gave it to her yesterday, with all of my mistakes too! She is besotted with it, and will never see all my mistakes, which also includes not so straight straight line quilting. Lol I tried to do the same as you, make that top stitch straight even if some my block piecing wasn't spot on. Yup, that doesn't work 😆. Just kept going straight and I stopped stressing, it was way more fun. Thank you for sharing the story, so enjoyed it, even the quilt back story is similar to the one I made for my bestie, too funny..See you next time :)
Hello from Melbourne 👋 I hope you are both well! Lately, I've been saving up a couple of episodes at a time to watch, so I can sit down with my knitting and savour your quilting stories. But I had to laugh this week, because it's as though you were right here with me, as I was cutting out a sewing pattern!
How lovely to see the Magnolia Quilt finished. Despite it's challenges, it looks beautiful Cathy ❤ There have been lessons along the way,not just for you, we've learnt from them too. There is a link between your friend Pamela, teaching and education, and with the channel here. I don't know if you picked up on that. I feel very sure your friend will treasure her quilt for many years to come ❤
Happy stitching xx
I love your honesty. This reminds me of all the mistakes that I have made along my quilting journey. I have refused to ever take a quilting class so I have had to learn as I go along. However the overcoming of challenges and the solving of problems is so satisfying. Thank you
Thank you, Mary! ❤️ Having not taken any quilting classes either, I have been learning as I go along too! Thank goodness for TH-cam and quilty friends! And yes, I agree 100%---the creative problem-solving and satisfaction of accomplishing what I set out to do is WORTH IT.
That quilt almost has a vintage feel to it, and I LOVE it! We quilters ALWAYS feel the need to point out our mistakes, but nobody ever notices them when all is said and done, and if you look at that quilt a few years from now, you will probably be hard-pressed to find your "mistakes". Just as I typed the previous sentence, you said, "...and no one would ever know". The red cornerstones are so perfect. The backing is wonderful, too! Nice job, Cathy! (BTW, when I make mistakes with my sewing, I always remind myself that "ONLY God is perfect".)
Thank you, Jane! ❤️ I haven't been able to put my finger on it, but I, too, think it has a vintage feel! Thank you for noticing the red cornerstones--my family members weren't convinced when I decided to use red! I could just see it, though, and it came out just as I imagined.😊
Love your "confession ", and see your "oops", but only because you pointed it out😅 Love,love how the final quilt finished ❤🎉❤
Thank you, Connie! ❤️ I think it's helpful for us to share our "oops" so other quilters can learn from our mistakes and feel the camaraderie of "me too!"
There are so many things to love about this quilt story! Who knew that your friend could impart so much quilting knowledge from far away? (giggle).
Angela, right?! She was teaching me without even knowing it! 😘
I relate to your experience. I took up quilting when I retired. I love it! I am determined to make a quilt for all family members (42 and growing). I finished 14 so far. The 14th is much finer than the 1st. But each of them is full of love and they know that. You are right. There’s no down side.
Lovely quilt. Full of love. Thanks for sharing.
Once again your positive slant on quilting is so reassuring and a pleasure to watch. Love catching up on a Friday night 😊
Aww! Thank you, Charlotte. That is a wonderful compliment! ❤️
Quilting is all about the love--and learning.
Have you ever talked about Gees Bend quilts. I don’t think they have any straight lines on their quilts, yet they are gorgeous. I don’t think I could recreate a single one. Their story is also the best part. Love this quilt and the story that goes along with it!
I haven't, Susan, but I HAVE met some of the Gee's Bend quilters! They are an amazing group of women who have persevered through so much many years of oppression and suffering; their quilts are a tribute to their resilience, resourcefulness and creativity!
I love this quilt. Pamela will love and treasure it no doubt. I promise when you were talking about all the things learned while making it, I was thinking how I learn something with every quilt I make. And as a retired teacher #learningismyfavorite, too.
Why am I not surprised that you are a retired teacher, Dedra! #teachersaremyfavoritetoo ❤️
What a great story! I guess the reason I like so much to follow you is this deep humanity you put in all what you explain. I learn a lot about quilting but for me the major point is not 100% there. It's all about your journey, about the meaning, about the binding of friendship... You laugh, you swear, you make mistakes, you learn... and give us to see all that without filter, what a great present! For me you are an artist trying to explain with the best accuracy possible her process of creativity. What law names mistake, art might call it beauty! Always a great fun and deep pleasure to walk in your steps! ❤
Oh my goodness! What a wonderful comment---I'm humbled and pleased. Thank you so very much! ❤️
Good morning, Cathy. First off, congratulations to Pamela. Graduating from college! The pursuit of excellence in quilting, is exactly that, a pursuit. We are all WIPs (works in progress). I laughed and cringed listening to the story. I have made so many mistakes in my adventure too. When I create, I pray. The Lord is so gracious and kind in the way He's been with me in my sewing room. I will never "arrive" when it comes to learning and that's all good!
Thank you, Stacie for this sweet comment! The time we spend sewing and quilting is precious time for us all, I think. It's no wonder the phrase "Quilting is my therapy" came to be! ❤️
I just made this quilt and so enjoyed it. I made some changes in it and had fun with it.
Love the quilt stories. I know your friend will cherish this gift. I was inspired by you to do a Magnolia quilt as well. Mine is all (except 3 blocks) gingham from mens shirts. The other 3 are gingham from my stash.
Background is also white from mens shirts. It is backed with a pale pink sheet from a thrift store. Your have taught me well.
Sounds like you don't know this old adage, so I will share it with you now.... 'Every quilt should have a mistake somewhere within it, because quilts are handmade by humans, and humans are not perfect'. I even have a friend who makes beautiful, quite small handmade paper 'quilts', who makes sure she incorporates a "mistake" on purpose because of this. You are in VERY good company! Hope this made you smile. By the way, when hanging, you see nothing of concern. If it is used on a bed, no one will definitely EVER notice. Nice job!
Thank you, Lynda! ❤️ And no, I haven't heard that adage until now---and it DID make me smile! 😊
Lucky Pamela! And lucky you! Thank you.
I have never quilted a quilt but have often thought about trying stitch in a ditch. However, my lines are often not straight and I never thought of the problems this would create for me when quilting. Thank you for addressing that problem before I even knew it was a problem! I'm still scared about trying it, and may do something like diagonal lines first but thanks for the encouragement. You are aways so upbeat about your quilting and sometimes I forget it is supposed to be FUN
Laura, the quilting part can be such a daunting task. Every time I start quilting, I realized my shoulders are practically touching my earlobes and I'm often holding my breath! 😂 So I have to take deep breaths and remind myself to relax and just do the thing. LOL. I can hear my coworker saying, "It's not that DEEP!" It's only after I've gotten a fair amount of it done that I realize, "oh it's not so bad." 😂 The easiest quilting I've found (and done most successfully) is actually the crosshatch style, where you stitch to the right of a main seam and then come back and stitch to the left of that same seam. When you do it on the other axis, it ends up making a crosshatch (hashtag) pattern all across the whole quilt. ❤️
I LOVE this quilt - your color combinations are absolutely amazing and spot on. I think stitching in the ditch is hard too - I usually never “stitch in the ditch” I suppose because I’ve had this same problem. 😂. Last - you are right on gifting your quilt to someone you love and someone that loves you. They don’t care - and in the long run it really doesn’t matter. I’ve never had a child/grandchild/friend return a quilt to me because it wasn’t perfect. In the scheme of things - it just doesn’t matter. IMHO - perfection really only matters if you’re making a quilt for competition, museum or displaying on the wall. Thanks for the lovely video today and thanks for sharing your work and your story. ❤
Thank you so much, Peg. ❤️ I can't imagine having any of your quilts returned for ANY reason! And let's face it, even competition, museum and wall (art) quilts no doubt have their imperfections, too. Surely!
I absolutely love the story of this quilt!! What a blessing to be gifted all the love of your learning!
Thank you, Gina!
Beautiful quilt! Love the pattern!
Good morning Cathy, what a beautiful quilt story, made with so much love and lessons learned for you. Pamela is going to love this quilt so much. Perfection is over rated when we are making a quilt for someone we know will probably not even notice any mistake and the special feelings they get for being thought of and the fact that you made it with love is all that matters. Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend.🥰
Thank you so much, sweet Debbie! ❤️ And in truth, perfection is overrated altogether in every area of life---if even possible at all. I had a wonderful weekend and I hope you did too! 🥰
I’ve been so looking forward to this quilt story! Love the quilt, the story of learning the scant 1/4 inch, & the backing story! Great episode!!!
Thank you so much, Julia! ❤️
This quilt is gorgeous! I hope that you can cherish the beauty without feeling the sting of imperfections! Your friend will looove this forever!
Thank you, Anne! ❤️ Yes, I look at it and see success---the imperfections no longer bother me at all!
❤Wonderful quilt hug you’ve made for your precious friend. Congratulations & bravo Pamela for completing your teaching degree. 👏🏼👏🏼
I love having special friends in life with which to share my journeys, no judgment-only love. Aren’t we blessed to have these wonderful friends in our lives!
She’s going to love your quilt hug so very much! And bravo for finishing your long term project as well. Perfection is an illusion and can be paralyzing to our creativity. You’ve made wonderful progress in your quilting journey.
You should both be incredibly proud of yourselves. Not everyone has the tenacity to complete difficult and challenging things. These are milestones that make future success inevitable. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Ok so this comment made me just a bit teary. In the good way. ❤️ Thank you, Shannon. 🥰
I've been looking forward to this particular quilt story. I knew it would be epic and it was! So wonderful to see it finished in all it's glory. And of course we all resonate with your learning curve, as we all have one! I purposefully choose my next project based on what I want to learn next. The challenge is worth all the mistakes it takes to get to the finish line! And I've gotten pretty good at the mantra "done is better than perfect", trying to have faith that at the end of the day, anyone but me will be hard pressed to find the "goofs". And it is so much fun to find a solution to a problem -- I just love how you added the small strip to the wonky block and the beautiful border to the back: Yay you! Congrats to both you and Pamela. I wish we could all be flies on the wall when you give it to her. What a gift you both have in each other!
You are too kind, Laura! ❤️ As you know, you and I share that love of a challenge and the learning that follows! And the creativity we employ in problem-solving is really part of the joy of making, isn't it?!
Great video! I nodded my head in agreement so many times! The quilt is gorgeous. You did good. Oh! It's not a mistake, it's "organic".
Thank you, Claudia! ❤️
The first few quilts I made (25ish years ago?) were for my younger brothers, who definitely did not notice or mind all the crooked and lumpy bits. And really, even after so long at it, I still make tons of mistakes. Beginners mind all the way 💚
Beautiful story of love and gifting a quilt. Pamela will feel all of the work and thought you have put in this beautiful project. When I was in Hawaii studying Hawaiian quilting I learned of the most wonderful Hawaiian tradition - sleeping under a quilt before it's gifted. This is their tradition because they believe the quilt absorbs your love and passes that love on to the recipient. I'm pretty sure this quilt has absorbed much love from you because of all of the challenges and thought you put into making it. FYI, I started LOL when you began discussing the backing because somehow I sensed where the sheet story was headed. That's probably because I've also struggled with the mental gymnastics of seam allowances making a project smaller.
Thank you, John! ❤️ I love that Hawaiian tradition--so charming (and I suspect real and true.) I can hear you chuckling about my sheet quilt back. Dang seam allowances! 🤦🏻♀️🙄😱😂
Thanks for this video, Cathy. I love this quilt. It's on my to do list one of these days
Thanks, Anne! ❤️ You will love making it!
You are such a sweet and loving person. Thank you for your honesty and sharing your challenges. It gives me so much hope🥰. I’m in the beginning of my journey. Take care.
🌸tess
Thank you, Tess!❤️ I'm still pretty early in my quilt journey, too---it is such fun, but can be daunting so I'm glad you're encouraged here!
I just love watching your videos. Your voice is so calming and easy to listen to. Especially love embracing your mistakes and learning from them and not beating yourself up. So nice to have a loving and accepting friend. Looking forward to your next video
Thank you, Cindy! ❤️ Thank YOU for watching and commenting and offering encouraging words---it means so much!
What a lovely video 🌹 it touched my “sewist” soul 🌷
Love this quilt (it’s turned out beautifully) and the story you’ve shared about it and of your friend Pamela…who sounds like a lovely lady! 🥰 Congratulations to her on her graduation! 🎉👏🏻❤️
Also…love how the quilt back (bottom? 😉🤷🏻♀️) turned out with all those little snowball corners!! 😘👌🏻
Ahh, thank you, Charity! ❤️ You have seen it through the whole process, haven't you?!
@@TheCatBirdQuilts yes! 🥰👍🏻 It’s lovely to see it finished 👏🏻🫶🏻
Wonderful story, Cathy! 🥹 I think there should be a flaw, or a few ☺️, in every masterpiece, whether on purpose or accidentally. I feel like it makes for a much more human experience and adds to the warmth of the piece because you’re focused on who you’re making it for rather than making it perfect like it’s going be judged. Congratulations to Pamela 💫, and a perfect name for the quilt, possibly meaning something different to each of you, since she is a teacher now! I love the quilt back! I, personally, think the borders really accentuate the confetti blocks. I will continue to keep reminding myself that making mistakes is a good thing. 😅
Aww! Thank you, Rhonda! ❤️ And yes, you are so right! I too, keep reminding myself that mistakes is a good thing! 🤓😘
Beautiful quilt ❤❤❤
Such a special story!
Switching machines several weeks ago now, I’ve been on a 1/4 inch seam journey that was frankly bewildering to me. I thought I had it mastered 😂
New machine = New everything!
Excellent discussion today - as per usual actually. Very enjoyable- also as per usual!
Thank you, Dawn! ❤️ Now that I have the 1/4" seam washi tape, I have almost trained my eye to know exactly where to look on my 1/4' walking foot to achieve a scant 1/4" seam.
Almost. 😉
Mistakes add character. Well I hope so! In 2020 my granddaughter turned 13, but Covid prevented an in person celebration. I sent sq of fabric to her friends for their signatures, with plans to make 1/2 sq triangles. No experience, no tools. I had a mess. I added large strips of fabric to sq things up. It was a work of love with very noticeable errors. Time to make a nicer quilt for her 18th & graduation next year.
What I neglected to say is that your tiny extension is so minor. I’d be thrilled to have an itty bitty, almost not visible, correction. Love it.
Thank you, Lorrie! ❤️ And I appreciate you sharing about your challenges/mistakes too! We all have them, and it's helpful to hear other quilters stories so we don't feel alone in it!
@@TheCatBirdQuilts I made a tote bag today. Absolutely perfect, until I discovered one gusseted corner done wrong. Ugh. Oh well.
This quilt is fabulous 🩷🌸🩷
Thanks, Betty! ❤️
So glad you posted this one! I've loved following along with it. Learning is my favorite, too!
Thank you, Meg!
Gifting a "learning" quilt to a teacher is a beautiful thing, and it's a beautiful quilt! I still like the haphazard plaid blocks better than the fussy-cut ones, but perhaps that's my goblin side showing. I'm sure Pamela will love them all equally and intensely!
Also: I totally see you on the drive to be understood. I've always said I'm fine with people despising me, but I *haaaate* being misunderstood even on a surface level. At least they should show me the respect of despising me for the right reasons. 😅The "to be undersood" urge is so real, and it has layers.
Ok I Lol'd at "my goblin side showing."
Also, I feel SO UNDERSTOOD by your comment about being understood. ❤️ We are such soul sisters in this way. Sometimes Paul will say, "I understand [you] but I just don't agree." And I almost always think (but never say, for obvious reasons,) "clearly you DON'T understand, because if you did, you'd agree with me!" 😂
Love the story with the quilt.
Thank you so much! ❤️
quilt looks beautiful. 😍
Hi tuning in from Rural NSW Australia 😊
Hi Charlotte! (a couple days late for me!)
Gosh, I just love this video so much. ❤
So many mistakes that I have made and didn’t notice until I got them back from the my longarm guru. Not much you can do after that. Happy little accidents is what I call them. No matter what, it was made with love. ❤
You are so right, Veronica! ❤️ And "happy little accidents" is an excellent name for them---channeling your inner Bob Ross!
The quilt looks great! Mine are experiments in accepting my oopsies and moving on..LOL
I am very touched by this story, thank you very much for it! ❤
Thank you so much, Susanne! ❤️ I'm so glad it was meaningful to you!