I hand-quilted two (quite giant) blocks yesterday while watching football on the TV. As a result of my rusty quilting chops, it took me the majority of the day. But! I now only have about nine giant blocks to go, out of 25 total. Not too shabby.I won't lie. I'm proud. I'm excited. I even threw Quiltie across my bed to see if I still liked him.
And I do.
So that's good.
What's not good?
This:
See the little frayed fabric there on the left? Quiltie's coming apart at a seam. Yeah. Sad.We've had such a rocky road, Quiltie and I, and he is prone to lashing out. But this? Really? I've been so careful with him (except for the neglect part). Coming apart at a seam. Grr.
Anyone have any ideas for a fix? Should I stick some fray check on it and make some real tiny stitches by hand to sew it back together? That's kinda all I can think of to do.
My PIC said I should just look the other way. "It never happened," she said.
My PIC is kind of a genius sometimes.
Hmm.
Hey, everybody! Great news! Quiltie's going great!!
(See what I did there? Oh, I'm good.)
10 comments:
Man, that's some heavy-duty passive aggressiveness on Quiltie's part.
I think the fray-check/darn with tiny stitches is your best bet, unless you want to just applique a patch over the top. I've had lots of success with this:
http://joann.com/joann/catalog_old.jsp?CATID=24991&PRODID=47451
(although it's gotten mixed reviews. Test first, for sure).
It's worked very well for stopping the fraying on hand-appliqued interior points (as well as ribbon. I used to use clear nail polish but that stuff smells awful.)
Good luck.
I am ALL FOR the 'look the other way' strategy. Although fray check sounds almost as lazy and probably a tad wiser.
Ok, here's what I did with mine. (Although mine is a much loved quilt that is only used for keeping warm on the sofa, and is years old).
First I whipstitched the offending area; to nip the fraying in the bud, if you will.
Then, I fray-checked the CRAP out of it.
Finally, I found some coordinating fabric in my stash, from the very same quilt. I created an applique by cutting out a heart and pressing the edges under. (You could even use fusible webbing, then the entire applique patch would stick to the offending area!)
Then I sewed the patch on and quilted a little design in it. I liked it so much a added a few more, for continuity. Yeah.
I now consider it a design feature.
Not a major inability to properly leave a seam allowance. No. Design feature.
If you don't mind a litle tugging, you can also blind-stitch it. Look that up in a book, because I just started to describe it like 80 times and sounded all stupid. But basicaly, you'll tuck the frayed edge under and sew the fold to the part of the quilt next to it with teeny stitches, but more like mattress stitch when you're seaming a knit than whip-stitching. Interesting fact: mattress stitch is how my vet put Bailey's foot back together once. So surely it will save Quiltie.
What never happened? Heh.
Wow! I'm with BigAlice - That Quiltie has some major passive aggressive issues. Once you repair the seam, maybe you should get him into therapy.
As for the coming apart at the seams, I am a big fan of fusible webbing. I don't quilt but I have repaired several quilts I own by first applying the fray check (good stuff), then turning the edges under, tucking an appropriately-sized strip of fusible webbing inside then carefully lining up the edges and ironing flat until the webbing is properly fused. I've also added a few tiny little stitches, just for good measure but they aren't terribly necessary.
I for one am awfully glad to see Quiltie back out in the light of day, neuroses and all.
I think you're idea is great. You could also pull a bit of one edge over the other and make tiny little stitches that would appear to be stiching in the ditch to fix it.
Great job! Its going to be beautiful :)
Oh Quiltie, you're such a brat! I'm all for the fray check idea though. And maybe some tiny stitches.
I now see your PIC redeemed for the slight from last week. Genius indeed! Please let her know I'm watching out for her. ;)
Oh my goodness! You all are brilliant and spectacular and have certainly saved my ass once again. I am now fully equipped to either fix it or ignore it, knowing all my options!! Woo hoo!! Lots of love for you all!
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