And that's the way it should be, learn from your mistakes, build and grow from there.
So with my second quilt, all of the design decisions were based solely around what would make the judge happy at the county 4-H fair! Instead of using a pattern, I designed my own quilt. And quilting would be done only with quilting thread.
For whatever reason I was into log cabin quilts at that time. So I arranged the four log cabin blocks so they would form a cross in the center (still one of my favorite layouts) and then added curve piecing for the background around the center blocks. Of course, these curved were all pieced, not appliqued. No one told me that curved piecing was difficult - so I did it!
Well, this quilt did much better. It received a Champion ribbon and Grandma was happy!
And just like my first quilt, this one was made with cotton-poly fabrics and hand quilted. Interestingly when you compare the hand-quilting on the two, my quilting was much better when I was younger. I think I had more time and was more careful then.
As I look at this quilt now, I still love it. Would I design such a complex quilt today? My first reaction is "no", but then I think why not? Who would have thought that my designs from roughly 40 years ago would still inspire me today .... Again STOP, don't do the math!
Stay tuned for my post on the third quilt that I ever made. To make sure you don't miss that post, be sure to enter your email in the "subscribe" box at the top of the right hand column.
I remember when I learned how to knit when I was sixteen - picked a pattern out of a womens magazine, it had cables, and all kinds of fancy stitches with a shawl collar. I didn't know it was hard, so I just did it and it came out great!
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