If you are like me, you have some quilt blocks, tops or even finished quilts that you really do not like. You had a great idea, a vision in your head and what you have ended up with has fallen a little short. What do you do with these quilt projects?
For me the challenge becomes finishing them. This quilt is a case in point. I made the top months and months ago. It sat sadly in the corner of my quilt space, unloved. But last week, when I realized I had not given quilts to Project Linus in months, my wonky churn dash got dusted off and is now finished.
I must admit I took some short cuts with finishing this quilt.
1. I did simple, quick and easy straight line quilting using plain white thread.
2. I used a whole cloth back – IKEA fabric of course. No fancy pieced or even scrap pieced back.
3. I raided my box of pre-made binding and just picked one. Usually I um and ah about the binding (it is a big decision after all). 9 times out of ten I normally end up making binding specially for the quilt being finished.
4. I machine bound the quilt. I usually like to hand sew the binding, as I find it a nice handmade finishing touch.
All these little decision mean I get the quilt done much quicker, with minimal fuss. The quilt is then ready to be washed, dried and then delivered to Project Linus, leaving me ready to move onto the next one.
This is the next one… another quilt top that has been sitting in my cupboard, this time for years.
I encourage you dust off an old unfinished top or that pile of quilt blocks. Finish the sucker – quilt it, bind it, wash it and deliver it to your local Project Linus or Quilts for Valor or Wrap them in love or Quilts for Kids or whatever charity you choose. Let someone love and be comforted by your quilty creation.
Go on you know you want too…
WOMBAT QUILTS 
I love your churn dash!!! But it is a good cause so I won’t protest. Sometimes I’m just sick of one too. Good idea.
Great post! I make a lot of charity quilts where I use up scraps. Get them sewn up and out of the sewing room! Love what I see of the quilt #2. Looks scrappy…I know I am going to like it!
I think your churn dash is lovely — when you posed the question my response was use it for donation as well. I know there is someone out there that will give it a good home and enjoy the time I put into it even if I can’t see the beauty in the item at the time.
Well put Katie. Some one will love it.
Someone, somewhere, is going to love those quilts. And Ikea sells fabric?! How could I not know this, sheesh….
Ikea sells some great fabric. I have used both their by the yard fabric and their sheet sets/duvet covers to back my quilts. Their prints are so much fun a are durable – my 15 year old log cabin is backed with Ikea fabric and is still going strong.
Just as well there isn’t an Ikea near me then!!! Day trip!
I think it looks very pretty even with your shortcuts.
I love your Churn Dash too! The backing is so gorgeous. Thanks for promoting the good causes. Have a great weekend. Marie
Nice! Way to get it done even when you’re not feeling it. I’m certain that someone will receive it and it will be well loved!
Congratulations on finishing it up. What a great gift.
Congrats on the finish! Yes, I think we all have made those quilts…. That did not turn out quite like we envisioned. Glad to see you are thinking of others who would appreciate such a fine gift! But really, I like the straight line quilting! And the backing and binding are sweet. I don’t see the shortcuts…. Looks great to me!
Even though you don’t love it, the recipient surely will. I think that your “shortcuts” look great too. Sometimes I think we are our own worst critics when it comes to things like that.
🙂 Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
Amen! (Hope you are better very soon!!)
As Brenda Papadakis of Dear Jane fame says, ‘Finished is better than perfect’. It looks great, but I know what it is like to have the finished result not quite end up like you planned.
Sometimes things turn out and I don’t like them, my amazing vision just isn’t and they just make me sad. These are the hardest. Sometimes though, they just turn out different to how I had envisaged them, and these ones I can still love!
I agree with you. But i do get some comfort from giving the not so loved quilts away. It means all the work is not completely in vane.
That’s true! Also, everyone has different tastes and I do think that you are probably more critical of your own work than others will be. It’s easy to spot where you went off course on something when you made it yourself, but far more difficult when being presented with someone else’s finished article. A quilt is a lovely gift to receive, partially because of the work that goes into making them. 🙂
Well done on finishing up your quilt, I love churn dash quilts! And that ikea fabric is lovely! I got a great alphabet duvet set from there last weekend. 🙂
Their fabric really is such great fun and just the perfect size. I love that even their yardage is wide.
I quite like your quilt, especially the one-piece back and the straight line quilting 🙂
I am in the process of making a quilt that is not very pleasant looking, but it is for my 3-year-old and he doesn’t really care what it looks like. He doesn’t see the ugliness that I see, he sees a gift that is just for him, and he is excited about it, so that is all the incentive I need to finish it sooner rather than later.
That is the perfect incentive to finish a quilt.
I think you’ve made the best out of a not so great situation! It may not be perfect for you, but someone out there in need will love it to death!
It can be so hard to work on something you’re not really interested in. Great job cranking it out. I’m sure someone out there is glad to you did!!
Donate the quilt. You are right, sometimes they just don’t meet our expectations. I have a project that I am working on now and it a simple little wall hanging and I know once it is finished I will like it better. But right now I am forcing myself to finish it.
Good for you! I have a few projects I need to dust off. And that backing is just so much fun 🙂