Perfect - NOT

Well  I blathered about solving my problems with doing designs vertically i.e. twisted ropes and such like.  It worked for a while until I tried to do one close to the rail at the front.  I have a wobble.  GRRR!!!!! Frustrated but chalk it up to another learning lesson. If you think you need to roll the quilt; do it.  Working close to the rails with tools does not work.   Next project is to put some sacrifice quilt sandwiches on the frame and PRACTICE.  Also going to have a boo at the hardware store for some shapes in the right thickness for templates.  That way I can feel them which I cannot do with on line templates.

But getting my quilt fix this morning I came across quilts by Shirley Kelly.  In particular her Flowers of the Crown highlighted today on The Quilt Show.   THE QUILT SHOW  This is a member site so if the link does not work try this one. A SHIRLEY KELLY QUILT  It is a fabulous quilt but what is so revealing is the interview with Shirley on The Quilt Show.  It is honest about how difficult the quilt was and how many people had input.  So just starting out with machine quilting this tells me that I should not beat myself up for not being perfect and to practice, practice and learn from every source possible.

When I think of my first quilt, a child's quilt from McCalls, that I called Bumps and  Squiggles I know I have come a bit of the way down the road.  The quilt hangs in  my frame room and I do not notice the bumps and squiggles now.  I just love its happy colours and the way it makes me feel.

A couple of years ago I started learning to play the piano and those lines and notes seemed impossible to conquer.  I can now sit and play songs I thought were impossible and can entertain myself and the dogs who just collapse in rest when I play.  (They used to bark when I started.)  The only drawback to the collapsing is when it is on the foot pedals.

So with these good thoughts I will content myself with what I have gotten good at and learn the rest.