What Should I Do?

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I sun printed a few fabrics in the spring and used them to make a wall hanging that I planned to enter into a show at the Springville Museum of Art.
I was pushing the deadline, as usual, but still could make it if I could just get the quilting done.
Part way in, the threads started breaking.
UGH!
I was trying to quilt tight and over a lot of seams.
Why do I always make things so difficult for myself?!?
I didn't like the stitching and decided the quilt wouldn't be done in time at the rate I was going so I threw it aside. The show has now come and gone but yesterday I thought that perhaps I could finish the piece for another show.
I picked up the quilt and decided it just needed easy quilting.
Lots of lines.
Easy Peasy.
I was done quickly!
I like this quilting much much better.
If only I had done that to begin with!

It is hard to tell from this photo but now I have two very different types of quilting on this piece.  I feel that the squares I quilted in the beginning look terrible compared to the lines.
The quilt police would not be happy at all.

So now the question is:
WHAT SHOULD I DO?

1) Bind it and call it good.
Throw the quilt police's opinion out the window.

 2) Pick out all the small stitching and redo it in lines.  
I'm willing to do that if it would make the quilt look better and make it pleasing to the quilt show police.

3) Cut the offending quilted middle bit out of the quilt altogether and piece it back together.
OR
4) Here's a radical idea. Paint over the top of it and use this as a background for something else entirely!
So, what do YOU think?!?
I need help people!

Comments

Sylvia said…
First of all, ignore the quilt police. Don't work to make them happy, work to make YOU happy. (and of course, listen to every bit of advice that I give you ;) )

I would just bind it and call it good. The different quilting in the middle looks just fine.
September 4, 2013 at 11:45 AM
aisha said…
Well said Sylvia. There are too many quilts waiting for you to make them, so don't waste time with this one. It looks fine.
September 4, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Anonymous said…
Would you consider fusing over the offending area and some other areas too?
September 4, 2013 at 12:05 PM
Runwita said…
If there are specific areas that really offend you everytime you look at it, then fusing an applique over those areas might offer a workable solution for you. (But then I suffer from the disease common for many southern women, perfectionism.) 0;-))
September 4, 2013 at 12:39 PM
Chickpea said…
bind it fisrt, leave with it, decide later...
September 4, 2013 at 1:11 PM
Chickpea said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
September 4, 2013 at 1:11 PM
Jeannie said…
Do you like it? If you do, to heck with the quilt police. If not, I like the idea of painting lightly over some areas. I say this only because it is a technique I have always wanted to try and haven't yet. :) Or, you could add some simple hand embroidery to add another element.
September 4, 2013 at 1:25 PM
Unknown said…
First - Forget the quilt police. They are in LaLaland anyway. Now, I would say bind it and call it done. Then give it a name that embraces the differences. Like "Lost in Translation" "Symmetry Interrupted"...You get the idea.
September 4, 2013 at 1:30 PM
Unknown said…
I think it looks fine, if you are not comfortable but it away for a couple months then go back and look at it, you might like it like I do now.
Ann in Virginia
September 4, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Marilyn Wall said…
Lisa, I get the opinion that you weren't happy or you wouldn't have asked the question. If you like it, leave it if you don't take it out and do the lines. I had a similar situation recently and I ended up ripping it out. But only because I wasn't happy. If what this is worth.
September 4, 2013 at 1:33 PM
Thread Born said…
You have to decide how invested you are in it. If it bugs you you can put it out of sight (for at least a while) and re-evaluate when you don't feel so "close" to it. If you feel bold and won't be sad if things don't work out exactly (or maybe it will be even better) then I say do something radical like painting it!-Julie
September 4, 2013 at 6:46 PM
quilthexle said…
Honestly, I don't care too much about the quilt police - but I have a strong feeling that you are unhappy with the squares you quilted first. So, I would vote for "rip them out" - because I think no matter what else you do with this quilt, you will always look at the quilted squares first and be unhappy about them. which would be a pity !
September 5, 2013 at 5:15 AM
Lynda said…
Lisa, You've got some good advice. It's a beautiful piece but if you aren't happy with it put it away, cut it up or paint over it. That piece I painted over, I still don't like it even though it looks better. I've not pitched it yet because it still might be good cut up. I just hate those quilt police.
September 5, 2013 at 5:47 AM
Anonymous said…
Lisa the quilt is beautiful either way I look at it. There are two things I would like to offer 1) when the thread is breaking like that try sizing up a needle or changing the type of needle; and 2) I'm concerned about the quilt police comment and I'm not sure how to address it in a way that will make sense.

Teri
September 5, 2013 at 6:20 AM
Martha Ginn said…
Lisa, I like your quilting, and the differences add interest. Since the overall look is rather free-form, it seems logical that the quilting should not be uniform all over. ONLY if you feel you have to apologize for some part of it when you show it should you make any revisions.
Martha Ginn
September 5, 2013 at 9:20 AM
Kit Lang said…
As for the quilt police, f**k 'em. :P But if YOU'RE not happy with it, be ruthless! Rip that sucker apart or paint over it, if that's what you feel it needs, or even bin it! It's only fabric. :)

But why have something out there with your name on it that doesn't meet your standards?

Kit
September 5, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Colleen E Kelly said…
Once again we judge ourselves, or let others do it. Why? Wrong! I agree with Kit Lang.
Quilt police, quilt show judges, ones who think they have a right to make you feel your work is less than; should find an island and go compete together. Hopefully they will stay there.Unless a contest is of consideration; leave it alone!! Go on to the next project. This is how this one turned out. Yahoo! Another one finished or about to be. I love it. Perfection really means pathetic and I sure do not want to be in that category. I love your quilt, anxious to see the next. This is how this one turned out, enjoy the process.
September 11, 2013 at 10:55 AM
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