I was so excited about entering a quilt for the first time in my quilt guild's show. I decided to do an art quilt. This was a fused, raw edged applique wall hanging with free motion embroidery and quilting. The applique went together beautifully, but when I started the free motion embroidery, I started getting missed stitches and I was breaking needles. I went through the 'drill' of checking to make sure I was doing everything right. I made sure I had the right needle, I adjusted the tension, the thread was quality embroidery thread, etc. My machine was fairly new and a top of the line machine. I just couldn't figure out what was going wrong!
I did continue working on the quilt; I felt I had an obligation to myself to get this in the show. It was just a few days before the show and I was so frustrated that I called the guild president, partly to vent my frustration and to ask her if I should give up or finish the quilt. Of course, she said CONTINUE! and gave me lots of (much needed)encouragement.
Needless to say, I did finish my wallhanging. My quilt won an honorable mention, so I guess I did more things right than wrong! I learned a few things, too. I learned about thread painting and free motion embroidery and quilting and I learned perserverance. I learned that even though things don't always go your way, somehow they usually turn out OK. I learned that when in doubt, call a friend.
A few days after the show, when I went to use my sewing machine, I realized I had not dropped the feed dogs during the free motion sewing. I almost cried, because I knew there was nothing wrong with my machine! Just the operator!
Don't give up!
Dawn Paoletti
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.jpg "2019 Sponsor - BERNINA Q 24")
