Achieving the impossible (in quilting, that is)

I am nothing if not a slap-dash quilter. I rarely abide by 1/4 inch seams, and am renowned for not only breaking all the rules, but also teaching others how to break them. I believe quilting should be about happiness and creating warmth, nothing more, nothing less. If breaking a so-called rule works for you and your quilt, then why not go for it?

That's not to say I don't appreciate a precise point when I see one. But I will not be criticising you if you haven't matched your points or trimmed your threads (because who am I to talk?).

Funnily enough, for all this talk of never abiding by 1.4 inch seams, and being a little, er, adhoc with my quilting skills, there are a couple of things to note:

1. The Quilting Goddess must freaking love me because I've only ever had one quilt that hasn't laid flat. It was the Line Art Quilt, and I honestly couldn't do anything with it let alone quilt it, it was THAT BAD. 
2. I am fastidiously fussy about neat needle turn applique and will unpick if I even see a stitch out of place. Go figure.

Over the weekend I was confined inside due to a head cold (must be all that swimming pool PT), so I started joining up my slow burn project - the HST quilt.  And I achieved the seemingly impossible. My points were precise.



I'm not too sure how this happened.  I expect the Bloc Loc ruler I've been using to trim all 288 blocks has contributed to this perfection. To be honest I'm both thrilled to bits, but also a little uncomfortable. This isn't me at all. Heck - I'm even trimming my threads at each end.



I am pressing my joining seams flat, but even with the one section I didn't do that the points are still perfect. Just a little bubblier.



I'm joining my quilt up in 9 patch sections. It's just easier for me to deal with than great lengths of 4 1/2 inch blocks.

I'm using my nifty little Clover pressing tool. I've owned it for ten or more years, and it continues to be my most favourite quilting tool.




I do pin my blocks before sewing. I have been so roundly criticised by other quilters before for pinning and sewing, but it works for me. Maybe they are smarter than I am, being able to join seams and joins precisely without pinning.

So that's what I've been working on. I'm finally starting a feel a little better today so I expect all my spare time from now on will be spent working in the garden and enjoying this glorious winter weather, and back at the swimming pool working on my troublesome back. I think I will miss joining this quilt together though - it's turning into a beauty!