It's seriously tempting to just curl up in the corner of the couch and sulk, even when we're having a good day and I could get some sewing done. I'm still stressed and waiting on things that are beyond my control, so I've decided to loosen up on my quilty goals for now, except for the Patchwork Penguin UFO challenge.
To pin baste the 30s quilt, I needed the front room to be free of kids and their stuff. There are only a couple of chances a week to make that happen, and I've been missing my chances. It doesn't help that I'm not enthused about this quilt.
It finally dawned on me that I've got twelve yards of lavender stuff that might be Kona left from that barn sale last winter. It's perfect, and I won't miss the few yards that this quilt will take. I got my back pieced, tossed it into the dryer to warm the wrinkles out, and then found the mud stains my daughter's cat left when she slept on it.
So no pin basting that night. I called the cat some mean names and got out the good stain remover, the stuff that got bright blue food coloring off of my carpet, and treated the spots.
They did not come out. I am not a happy quilter. I do not love my daughter's cat.
I also don't love this quilt, or want to sink any more money into it. That purple fabric is perfect. And while I was fighting with the rest of this, I found a couple of problems with the top. Did I mention that I don't love this quilt?
Done is better than perfect. Most of my quilts, except the ones I've deliberately hidden away from my family, have some sort of damage to them. If I put this quilt away until I figure out another backing, I'm not likely to return to it anytime soon.
So I basted the quilt with my original backing. I'm too annoyed at this point to even go through the other eight or so yards of purple fabric to make a spotless backing. Because that stupid cat will sleep on it once it's done. Or someone will duct tape pennies to it, or throw up on it, or spill something.
If I unexpectedly fall in love with this quilt, there's always applique.
What about you? Would you use damaged fabric to back a utility quilt you intended to keep for your own family?
Weekly Stash Report
Fabric Used this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Used year to Date: 0 yards
Added this Week: 6 yards
Added Year to Date: 26 yards
Net Used for 2011: -26 yards
Yarn Used this Week: 300 yards
Yarn Used year to Date: 950 yards
Yarn Added this Week: 0 yards
Yarn Added Year to Date: 2600 yards
Net Used for 2011: -1650 yards
Six yards of fabric sounds like a lot, now that I'm thinking in terms of using enough to balance it out. But if I look at what it is, I've got no regrets.
Two yards is a crinkly, bright sort of floral not quite stripe and will be absolutely perfect to back that lap quilt I just finished. For a buck twenty-five, I got enough to back two, or maybe three little quilts.
The other four yards is a vintage sheet in a big splashy blue and green floral print that I absolutely love. I'm thinking of using it to back By the Lake, since I've already used the blue and green flannel sheet I was going to use for By the Lake on Grandma's Donuts.
hmmm...would I use a stained backing on a utility quilt...I probably would...especially to get it finished and "out of my hair."
ReplyDeleteI would because I know that it is going to get dragged around the house and the fur babies are going to sleep on it anyways. Also,done is better than perfect in my book.
ReplyDeleteI would - and if I wanted to cover the stains, I'd machine stitch squares them.
ReplyDelete