Lessons in Imperfection

This week I spent more time with my seam ripper than with my sewing machine.  After signing up for a class to make a ticker tape quilt, I realized that I was going to have to miss the first session and do the initial work on my quilt at home.  No problem, I thought.  I've never made a quilt, but this one is just a 36 inch square and all I had to do was sew the front and back pieces together with batting in the middle.  Well, hours of seam-ripping later, I was flipping out.  I could not get the two pieces of fabric to lay flat.  No matter what I did, the top piece of fabric was bunchy.

In utter frustration, I finally called the store where the class was being held.  Thank goodness I did.  I ended up going in early so that I could work with the instructor on it.  Well, she just threw that fabric and batting on the sewing machine and told me to start stitching.  I protested.  Wasn't it going to be bunchy?  I couldn't totally see the guide line.  My stitches wouldn't be straight.  I needed to flatten everything out again!  With a calming hand on my shoulder, she told me that it would be fine and that any bunching would work itself out once we started putting the little ticker tape squares on.  So, sew I did.

It's bunchy, and my seams are crooked in some places. I'm pinning my little squares on, and I'm pretty sure that it's not going to look flat when I'm finished.  Whether I like it or not, crafting, sewing, and cooking continue to offer me ample opportunity to get up close and personal with my perfectionist side.  It's not always pretty - in fact, sometimes there's foot stamping.  But in the end, it's going to be my quilt - the first quilt that I've ever made. It won't be perfect, but then neither am I.