I included this photo in my tutorial about binding because sometimes we have to not take everything so damn seriously.
"Only you can decide it this is worth ripping out and doing it over." I write in the tutorial. "I had already stitches several inches to the left of this boo-boo when I noticed it. As I get older, my vision isn't quite what it used to be, so I cut myself some slack. This quilt was intended to be a couch quilt, so I left it alone."
It's important to know what's really important and what isn't. When I went looking for this particular mistake to take a picture of it, I couldn't find it. I know some quilters say that if you can't see the mistake from a horse galloping twenty feet away then you should leave it, but that's just a bit too cavalier for me. I'm a bit fussier than that, but I do have my limits. If this quilt had been intended as a show quilt, or if I had been making it on commission, I would have removed my stitching and fixed it.
However, a very wise woman once said to me, "You're making something by hand. Always leave the evidence of your hand in your work. You don't want people thinking this was made by a machine."
I like knowing that goof is in the quilt. Maybe someday my niece will notice it and think, "Oh look, Auntie was here."
Ultimately, that's the real goal. So this "oops" moment is a little prize. A little jewel of imperfection and the ultimate evidence that a real live breathing person made that quilt.
6 comments:
Thank you for sharing that bit of imperfection. I’m am trying to let go of the perfectionism, because, after all, no one is perfect.
As a recovering perfectionist, I try to remember what my dad told us often as kids. Works made by hand are not perfect like a machine, they show the hand of the artist, but those slight flaws and variations are what give the work a human touch. If you want perfect, buy something made by a machine and it will feel perfect but not unique or special. He was a teacher by trade, but he is also a skilled builder and craftsman and it was a good message for a perfectionist on how to enjoy creativity and life.
Yeah, shows it was truly hand made. I figure if you had a hard time finding it, it won't even be noticed by anyone elese.
Ah Lynn, that is such a sweet quote, "leave evidence of your hand in your work". Thank you for sharing that! I will remember that for a long time! I also, have left behind little stitches on the front side while sewing binding on. And I also have argued with myself whether to rip them out!
Awesome! For ALL the right reasons.
I've done that same thing! And you're right. Sometimes it's just time to leave it be.:)
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