20 September 2012

a second chance...

Sometimes we all need a second chance. Don't you think?
This is one of my favorite quilts, the blue bargello I made back in 2009. It's quilted with all over meandering free motion pattern on warm and natural batting. Measuring 60" by 72", that's a bit of work.

The thing is, I was never happy with the quilting of this one. The quilting was all wrong. A lot of work, and my best effort, but still - all wrong. I tried washing it. Didn't help...



So, three years later I decided it was time to give the quilt a second chance. Armed with the hera marker   I am making straight lines this time. Quilting on top of the meandering.



So far I'm done with all the diagonal lines in one direction. Liking what I see, I have decided to continue adding all the crossing diagonal lines. The meandering works as an excellent basting   ; )



When I am done with all the straight line quilting, I am planning to pull out the seam ripper and remove the meander quilting from 3 years ago. In fact, I couldn't wait, so I started undoing the original quilting in this corner. It's a change for the better! Now I am finally looking forward to enjoy using this "old" favorite. There's always hope... 

This is my first second time undoing the quilting on a whole quilt. (Last time it was a baby sized quilt with wool batting. The straight line grid looked so much better in hand-quilting then on machine.)

Have you ever redone the quilting of a whole quilt? Or am I the only one?



16 comments:

Paula, the quilter said...

You are not alone. I was half-way through a quilt when I decided to unstitch it because I disliked the backing. Do not put a flannel back on a flannel top. It is so very hard to quilt through, even on the machine. The straight lines give your quilt a more modern look.

ashley said...

My very "first" quilt is currently being ripped apart. I really didn't know any better when I thought, "oh, nobody will notice those thread tension issues". I have been slowly taking out the quilting for awhile now. Glad to know I'm not alone!

Nifty Quilts said...

All that effort is worth it! I've never unpicked the quilting on a quilt. But there are a few that I'd like to redo. You are inspiring me to do so--someday.

Barb said...

I was thinking that I had never re-quilted anything... and then I remembered a quilt, and another that I removed old and started again! Too bad I didn't consider the "wrong" quilting as basting!

Nina Lise@Mrs Moen said...

I have to say I do like straight line quilting and it suits your quilt very well indeed. I too have un- and requilted a few quilts. One was a baby quilt for a very special young lady and was finished well before the due date, a medallion quilt with free motion quilting, a different pattern for each border. The morning she was born, I ripped out all the quilting stitches and did an allover straight line grid instead. I finished it just in time to bring it to the hospital to meet the baby.

Judy said...

I had an applique quilt that I had finished doing the flowers and the vine around it, then I realized I didn't like the pieced border beneath it, so I ripped it all out to start over. It's one of my favorite quilts now, so it was worth it. Maybe you'll feel the same way when you're done?

Linda said...

So glad you shared this experience. I would never had thought to quilt over the unwanted quilting and then remove it. I would have gone the opposite way. I like your way better.

Leeann said...

I have unpicked a whole quilt but I have unpicked about a quarter when I just had to admit the quilting was ugly! I have also gone back to older quilts and added more quilting to some.

Leeann said...

Opps that should read HAVE NOT above!

Lynne said...

No, I have not had to do that but I've only made a few quilts and only the first two are still here. They have in the ditch quilting which I keep thinking I should "improve" on one of them by adding a bit more quilting.

Anyway, I think you're right - the diagonal lines look better than the meandering!

Lucy | Charm About You said...

I'm not sure I could do that!!
I love your solution although I have to say I really love the look of the lines over the top of the meandering, it adds so much depth!! I would totally add quilting without the unpicking ;)

Amanda Jean said...

good for you! the new quilting looks so much better. (how are you handling the binding, though, I'm wondering?)

i thought about re-quilting my first FMQ quilt...because it's SO BAD! some of the stitches wouldn't take much to rip out because the tension is so off, but then again, it's nice to see how far i've come...

Lappedamen said...

You are definitely not alone. I have re-quilted two wall hangings. Both were heavily quilted so it was quite a job. I like your stright line quilting.

KateKwiltz said...

I have one that sits by the chair in the living room. Whenever I feel like it, I pull stitches out of it. Maybe by Christmas it will be ready to re-quilt.
You're not alone! :)

Mary said...

I have not....I am afraid I am much too lazy. I love the diagonal lines!

Lilla dør said...

Nydelige bilder......flotte farger til inspirasjon.klem