*~*Comments closed. Winner will be announced soon.
Thank you for all your kind and encouraging comments. I appreciated each and every one!
MY blog readers are the best!!*~*
After my epic fail earlier today, I did something else this afternoon to give myself a break. I was really frustrated. Sewing is supposed to be fun and all I kept thinking was, "Am I having fun yet??" Not to accept defeat too easily, tonight I went ahead and attempted the second (and easier) block I had planned on making earlier today. My goal was to end the day on a good note.
Thank you for all your kind and encouraging comments. I appreciated each and every one!
MY blog readers are the best!!*~*
After my epic fail earlier today, I did something else this afternoon to give myself a break. I was really frustrated. Sewing is supposed to be fun and all I kept thinking was, "Am I having fun yet??" Not to accept defeat too easily, tonight I went ahead and attempted the second (and easier) block I had planned on making earlier today. My goal was to end the day on a good note.
It wasn't a good note.
It went together fairly well, though it was still very frustrating tricky figuring out how to connect the sections.
Then the ruler test...
I am admitting defeat.
There, I said it...
I am canceling the quilt-along.
I am wracked with guilt...
The Farmer's Wife quilt is not for me.
*sigh*
There is a ton of interest, so if someone else wants to host the quilt-along, you have my blessing. =)
I am sitting her feeling like a failure with a huge letter "L" on my forehead, but the reality is this...If I am not having fun making this quilt, I am wasting my time and time is short.
I thank you in advance for understanding....
So, that said....To make it up to all of you who were looking foreword to the quilt-along, how about a giveaway instead? =D
I have four fat quarters by Michael Miller up for grabs and one or two more surprises just might find their way into the winner's package, as well. =)
The giveaway will be open until noon on Thursday the 19th of July. Just leave a comment and make sure I am able to contact you via email. =)
I really am sorry...I hope you all forgive me....
Amy, don't feel so badly. You did the right thing giving it up right away. If you had struggled along for a few blocks and then gave it up, I think you would feel worse. You were brave to try the Farmers Wife. Even though it is beautiful, I have not even given it consideration. To me it looks difficult. But there are so many quilt alongs, I'm sure there is something for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI hate that you did not have fun with the Farmer's Wife. But it is true if you are not having fun doing something it will be more like a chore and NO one likes to do chores! LOL (((Hugs))) Amy! I am sure you will find something just wonderful to do with those with beautiful fat quarters. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou are not a failure! And I admire you for admitting the truth. I myself hadn't even gotten started, and my interest was dying quickly as other things popped up. So take care, and find something FUN to work on next.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand. I wish that it had worked for you. (I'm still Swooning along--but so many other things are inserting themselves ahead of even that!) And so it goes...and I get it that you have only so much time! Isn't that the truth?!
ReplyDeleteSo don't fret-it's not worth it. You did the important thing-you quit while you were ahead!
Love those fat quarters! Especially those teeny boomerangs! :)
Blessings~
i am sorry that this one did you in. you are a wonderful quilter. think of all the wonderful FMF you are going to have for another wonderful project!!!!
ReplyDeletea giveaway is a nice perk!!
don't feel too bad
So sorry it did not work out. I have heard they are so hard, and my first two were really hard, and that is all I have done! ;) So, I am there with you!! Just think of the beautiful quilt you will make with you Flea Market Fancy!! ;) xo Heather
ReplyDeleteFirst, I misread the title of your post and thought it was "epic fall" and was already thinking "Oh, no! Not any broken bones or traumatic brain injury, I hope!"
ReplyDeleteI am so glad it was a problem with piecing and not a problem from a fall. It takes a strong woman to admit something is not going to work--we usually just keep trying even if it makes us miserable. We do need to remember that we do some things for fun and if they are no longer fun, then it's okay to stop and do something different. I understand your disappointment, but life is to short....
É por estas e outras razões que eu te amo.Estou nessa de costura mais seriamente 12 anos,comecei a + ou - 4 esposa de fazendeiro,eu faço só quando estou de boa,erro para caramba,é muito difícil,quando e se a minha colcha ficar pronta vai ser muito desvalorizada por conta dos tecidos,uso tecidos de banca e minhas sucatas(só trabalho com,de vestuário).Tenho certeza que ninguém vai criticá-la por sua decisão,e logo você vai começar uma de suas maravilhas,como as placas,eu tive um estoque de trezentas e depois vendi para uma blogueira da Nova Zelandia,hehe!Eu quero do fundo do coração que você seja feliz e DEUS te abençoe.Cuide-se.Beijos.
ReplyDeleteI sent you an e-mail......
ReplyDeleteI hope and pray that tomorrow is a better day!
You are the sweetest! Hope today is a great day for you! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteAmy, you are so right, sewing is supposed to be fun. If it's not, then don't do it - NO GUILT - not allowed. *G* Personally, I don't enjoy a challenge in quilting, I love to sew but not if it's frustrating.
ReplyDeleteDon't enter me in your give-away, hon, I didn't plan on making this with you. I just wanted to let you know that I think you're smart to quit while you're ahead and to not feel like a failure - you are not!
Sewing should be fun so if this wasn't fun, it's not worth doing. This has looked to hard for me but I have loved seeing everyone's blocks in other quilt-a-longs.
ReplyDeleteAmy,
ReplyDeleteGlad you admitted that if it isn't fun it isn't worth doing!!! Quilting is suppose to be an outlet for creativity and fun not a chore or something to cause more stress in our lives. You are a creative quilter with an eye for color and style. I loved your Desden plate flowers last week. Go with what works for you best!! Keep creating beautiful things!!
Sorry Amy. Some times it just isn't the 'right time' for something. I have one bock that I love the look of, but hate to make (and both my boys wanted it for college quilts). If I ever make this block again, I'll draw it up and make it using paper piecing. (PS: let one of the quilt along people win, not me.)
ReplyDeleteAmy, you are so very real, dear girl! Guess what? It's OKAY. Take that big L off and throw it away. Not every quilt square is for us all, I look at some and say, "uh, no thanks..." because for every 2 that I say NO to, there are 1000's that are fun and keep a smile on the face. Go ahead, try another one you like, and put that happy grin on. We create, and that is a blessing to us and to others.
ReplyDeleteYou have earned the "Velveteen Rabbit" award for today, and it is the best award to have ~
hugs, pokey
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThose things don't come out perfect with the templates provided, i started mine a long time ago and they were to small, the somebody mention I think that in lily's quilts she had the right size patterns went there printed them, cut them and again to small after a while I heard that the best thing to make them was to buy the Mardi Mitchell templates an that they would come out perfect and blah, blah blah so I thought that is I want it them really bad I would make the at the size that they may come out after all I think if they are off they would all come out of the same size anyways I did like six or seven and because they really got no instructions or any comments on the book, (I mean the letters are there but having no other comments it makes the book so impersonal) so I kind of got bored really soon and just stopped right there. So don't be so disappointed you are not the only one and I wasn't going to expend another 50 to 70 dollars for templates that you probably only use once I still watch my pretty pennies and I know so do you. Hugs. Ruth
ReplyDeleteI think you are on the right track....if it doesn't feel good and you don't enjoy it, move to something you do have fun with. I have worked on projects that were not fun and the time spent was drudgery. I applaud you for recognizing that your talent lies in other quilting areas...there are many other patterns other than FW that will bring joy and happiness. I had hesitated to do the QAL as I didn't know if I would be able to be exact enough to make the blocks consistently even. You have saved me lots of headaches!! ;-)Thanks for the chance to win. Happy stitching ahead!
ReplyDeleteDon't give up! I'm a group that is doing the FWQS as a month to month and we all have different sizes! We decided to use "coping strips" to get them all to be the same size.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right to retire this project. Sewing and quilting are supposed to be fun and relaxing, not an exercise in frustration!
ReplyDeleteI will continue to enjoy your fellowship through your blogging!
Thank you for the email!
every one has the moment when you feel like you don't wont to do something. don't feel bad
ReplyDeleteLife is to short to waste on a project you're not enjoying! Move on and start something else!
ReplyDeleteSO glad you shared this - I, too, am a big loser when it comes to quilt alongs. I tried my hardest to keep up with Barbara Brackman and her Civil War Block of the WEEK along. Not only could I not keep up, but I couldn't follow the patterns and none - I say NONE of my blocks would work together. My seams stunk, my corners never matched and I fretted each week about what fabric to use. So, yes, I can wear the big L on my forehead too! LOSERS unite!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI think I saw somewhere that you are paper piecing these using the foundation patterns from the yahoo group. Did you check the scaling on your printer before printing? If you haven't that might be why the block is coming out small. I've done 10 of these blocks and it's not something I can do one after another. Sometimes I need easy! Don't be so hard on yourself!
ReplyDeleteAwww Amy I am so sorry.
ReplyDeleteHugs
donna
Oh Amy. I am so sorry. Sending hugs to you. Love. Trish
ReplyDeleteTake it easy on yourself! We all "fail" at times...just gives us the impetus to appreciate our achievements all the more!
ReplyDeleteOf course, that said, I will take any excuse to enter a give-away, lol. So, here is my entry...
Thanks for the opportunity!
lindapawlak@verizon.net
Amy I've always considered myself a terrible piecer - I can applique, hand or machine, and I can embroider, but those quarter inch seams defeated me. :( However, I recently got a tip from a friend that has made all the difference in my piecing skills and the final outcome of a block. I put several layers of masking tape - a long strip of it - on my sewing machine bed at the quarter inch mark. My fabric bumps up against that tape and I actually end up with a quarter inch seam, not slightly larger, or slightly smaller. It has made all the difference in the world for me. I just found a new product last week that is the same thing as layers of masking tape but it is a cling tape. They make it thin for the back of your rulers to mark a cutting line, or thick for putting on your sewing machine bed. I don't remember the maker but the LQS had it and it works great! I hope you try again - it's worth it. blessings, marlene
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU AMY!
ReplyDeleteSOME BLOCKS ARE STUBBORN LIKE THAT!
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR A SWEET GIVEAWAY!
msstitcher1948@yahoo.com
Don't feel bad and sorry. Things don't work out sometimes.... Cheers up! :)
ReplyDeletesometimes a fail just lets us know about something we can improve on if we so choose. Sometimes as you say, if something isn't fun to do, why do it? it is a personal choice because we all have different lives and different things we need to accomplish.I have seen blocks that if I attempted them, I would be in a straight jacket for sure. I KNOW it! so I choose instead to admire the person who made them and continue on my own path happily. no need to apologize. sometimes it is what it is. your blog is still inspiring. and a giveaway is a great way to say "uncle". count me in dawnieq73@aol.com
ReplyDeleteA quiter? Never!! It was a great idea and sometimes things just don't work. I have only tried one block and it failed the ruler test too!! I am going to try again tomorrow. We'll see.... thanks for the giveaway!!
ReplyDeletechris
Better to have stopped if it wasn't fun for you...there's always a next time! I'd much rather be doing something that I found fun, loved and wanted to do than torture myself and get increasingly frustrated doing something because I thought I *should*.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
shel704 at aol dot com
Sorry it's not working out for you... I haven't even tried it yet, so you've gotten farther than I have! Would love to enter the giveaway... Love those colors, and they're not ones I would get for myself! (Although they *would* work for another quilt I've been collecting for...)
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog. Ironically enough, it was by following a quilt-along button. I'll be back, adding it to my Google Reader queue today!
Oh my! I just headed over to check out the progress of your FW. I haven't started yet. I've had a few knitting/crocheting projects that had/have to be finished before allowing myself to start another project (well....one had a non self imposed deadline). SO sorry it's not working out for you. :-(
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your quilting troubles...maybe the next time you try, it will just "click". You are so thoughtful to giveaway such pretty fabric. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteLol, you're not the only one that can't seem to get the seams right. I feel your pain and frustration.
ReplyDeletemtaylor944@att dot blackberry dot net
At least you decided it wasn't for you before you got too far into it! Are there any others out there interested in starting? I could probably host on my blog (never done such a thing so I would have to figure out how!) :)
ReplyDelete