Intentions, Imperfection and Acceptance

Do your intentions ever get lost?  Or forgotten? 

I started this quilt before May 9, 2011 (my memory is not that good....I checked my blog posts):

My intention at the time was to make a quilt for myself and use some of the fabrics I had in my stash.  I had a Bali Pop that I liked and I really liked this pattern, Hugs and Kisses, by Jaybird Quilts.  Simple and manageable intention right?  Where did I go astray?

I made all the blocks and that went well.  Then I joined all the blocks and that went well.  I had one seam left to join the two halves of the top together and yet it has hung on my quilt wall for months.  MONTHS!!!  Just waiting for one seam.

You know what it was?  I didn't like how some of my blocks met, they were off here and there so I put it aside.  Perfection got in my way of finishing a quilt for myself.  Not a quilt for some big show.....just a quilt to snuggle under for myself.

I have a confession to make:  I'm not the best piecer in the world.  There....it's out....I feel so much better.  Waldo has even offered to give me some lessons on better piecing. No big deal right?  You know what I tell other people, including my daughter? 

"Just start, have fun and let it be what it turns out to be."

Great advise ay?  I think it is time I start taking it myself.  Acceptance is the word I choose to define my year and I'm guessing I'll be revisiting the practice of ACCEPTANCE over and over again.

I can accept that I'm not a great piecer and I can accept that my quilt will not be show quality and I also admit that if you look for the mistakes, you'll find them.  Somehow finishing a quilt seems so much more exciting than wrangling with all these "issues" so I finished the last seam yesterday.

Instead of tearing out the stitches when the blocks didn't quite meet, I did a basting stitch first.  When I opened the quilt I decided I could live with the imperfections so I then stitched a permanent seam.  There is freedom in letting go :)

Now, to choose the borders and binding.  Here I go again....frustrating the tar out of myself.  I want the quilt to be pleasing to my eye when it is finished.  I'm not the best at choosing colors....so....I went through my stash to see what I had (after all I intended to use my stash...not buy more fabric).  Here are some options:

 

Exhibit A...LOL

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

Exhibit E

Exhibit F

Exhibit G

Exhibit G

And these are only the options I want to show you....am I nuts or what?  I need more color confidence is what I need.  After I publish this post, I'm going down and getting my color wheel....it will tell me which one's work best together.  I'd also like to know your opinion.....someone needs to educate me today :)

Perfectly Imperfect Smiles,

Kelly