Quilt Washing Anxiety

When I wanted to learn to quilt, I took a course at the only LQS around.  I didn't even really know much about sewing--I had just completed a Parks and Rec beginner sewing class.  We were making a front porch quilt, and one of the ladies in the class, who I later found out works part-time there, made fun of me interminably about my inability to chain sew without using pins to hold my two fabrics together.  Well, excuse me, it was my first quilt!!!  I went to the first two classes, but I didn't go back, and now I mostly shop at the other two LQS within driving distance from the rural area I live in.  Needless to say, I didn't finish that quilt and when I went to sew together each of my rows, each one ended up longer than the next until the edge looked like steps.  I cried and then threw the whole thing in the garbage.  If I only knew that I could have ripped the seams out and actually pinned together each of the seam intersections, the quilt could have been salvaged.

Fast forward about 2 months...I decided to give quilt making another try and enlisted the help of my friend Dreena to show me how to join the rows.  It was a real eye-opener to me how easily I could have fixed the other one I threw away.  Here is that first quilt made with two of Erin Michaels's sock monkey fabric lines:

I think it turned out pretty durn cute for a first quilt.  It's full size and machine quilted by me.

It was a steep learning curve since all the blocks are on point.  I had to fussy cut a lot of the monkeys and I can't tell you how many times I forgot to put the ruler on an angle!

Last week, for reasons unmentionable:), it needed to be washed.  I was soooooooo  nervous!  I have heard of seams popping and all sorts of mishaps, and since this was my first quilt, I was sure it wouldn't survive the washing machine.  But it did!  It looks as great as ever.  I'm sure that probably has more to do with using quality fabrics rather than my sewing ability:)

 On another note, my daughter Bea has been practicing sewing by making these stars.  She works on them pretty much off and on all day long, especially in the car or when we go somewhere and she needs to sit still for a while.  A friend gave her a pack of stars and she's almost through all of them!  I guess we'll be heading to Michaels for more soon!