It’s been awhile since I’ve done an update on my La Passacaglia quilt! This project has definitely had its moments of neglect where it’s tucked into a quiet corner and doesn’t see the light of day for months. But I’m happy to report that I’ve actually made some pretty good progress on this quilt over the last couple months. (P.S. Many phone pics coming your way!)
I guess let me start by saying that I have seen some La Passacaglias that are absolutely breathtaking. Just search the hashtag #lapassacaglia on Instagram and you will see some stunning work. And then there are some that really aren’t my flavor. (For the record, there is always respect-this quilt is a doozy to complete). As for my quilt, I sit somewhere in the middle of not totally loving it but not hating it either. Finishing a quilt can do wonders for how you feel about it though, so we’ll see what the end results are.
It seemed for almost a year that every other time I laid the pieces out to check my progress I’d completely hate the quilt and feel tempted to throw it in the trash. However, my good husband has done a great job keeping me sane. He pointed out that the problem with working on a project for over three years is that my skills have improved and my tastes have definitely changed. I started this project with a vision in mind and it’s morphed over the course of several life-changing years to a point where I can’t even remember the original vision.
I think it was important for me to realize that the quilt won’t ever be perfect. I think I was putting things on hold for so long waiting for the quilt to magically change and be something I totally and completely adore, but it’s been good for me to take a step back and accept the progress I’ve made and the things I’ve learned and allow this quilt to be a learning quilt. I mean, the truth is that this is a huge project for someone who had never done English Paper Piecing in her life. I’ve improved my skills, recognized things I like and don’t like, found preferred tools and most importantly found a hobby I really love. And I think I’m okay with leaving the quilt as that: a first, hopefully, someday, among many.
So even though this La Passa isn’t perfect (you guys should see some of “hidden” stitches on my earliest rosettes), I have had a lot of fun working on it. And I might be crazy but I’m kind of thinking I want to start another La Passa as soon as this one is done…we’ll see…
So. I did want to mention one more thing that nobody will care about unless you also do English Paper Piecing. But. I had been using silk thread for my hand sewing but I ran out of one of my colors and so I went to a quilt store and bought more thread assuming it was also silk. It wasn’t. It was 100% cotton. And I just have to say that I love using it so much more than the silk! Seriously it makes a huge difference for me. The silk thread is very thin which can be nice but it’s also very slippery and very fragile. The cotton thread just feels sturdier and makes my piecing feel so much more secure. It is a bit thicker but I honestly have a much easier time sewing with it and making my stitches more invisible, oddly enough. I would definitely encourage anyone into EPP to try using cotton thread. And I swear I can sew faster with it. Anyhow…public service announcement over 🙂
This is currently how my quilt is looking, which I realize means nothing to those who’ve never made this pattern but suffice it to say that I’m getting pretty close to finishing. I still have a few more rosettes to make as well as sewing everything together. But all in all I don’t think it will be long before I have a quilt top. For anyone interested, after the top is all pieced, I’ll still need to remove the basting stitches and paper. And then I’ll need to square it out (which, yes, involves chopping off some of those precious rosettes that reside on the sides). I’ll need to decide if I want a border and then quilt it (which my mom will be doing) and bind it. So there’s still plenty to do, but I’m getting close enough that I’m getting that second wind and cruising forward. Maybe the next time I post about it, it’ll be done (hopefully this year;)!
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