Mini-Quilt swap - Retrospect

When I signed up for the Modern Quilt Guild swap I thought it would be a good experience.  Taking someone else's likes and dislikes and translating that into a mini quilt for them.  I went through the process in the stages set out for us.  We were not allowed to show our progress.   Working blind and only communicating through social media is harder than you may think.  I can't see or feel the quality or up close details of their work.  It is hard to see if what they are saying matches what they are doing in a blind piece of work.   We had 5 months to finish our swaps and get it to the recipient.  Some opted to hand deliver at QuiltCon, but my swap partner and I chose to mail them to each other.  It was exciting to see what she would come up with from the spec sheet I submitted.  The day came, it arrived in a padded envelope (our limits were no larger than 30" square).   My heart dropped to the floor.  I was devastated.  I was expecting something else entirely.  This is a picture of it after pieces had fallen off.  I think she used elmer's school glue in little spots to hold the elements onto the surface with minimal stitching.  There was a multi-colored ribbon around the outer edges that was hanging off and completely fell off.

 

Take note:  this picture is the BEFORE.  

The thought came to me that she just threw this thing together and didn't care about it.  In the spec sheet I was specific and relayed so much information to her.  I also sent her some images of the work I do.  This is why I was so disappointed when it arrived.  So, lesson learned for me and I put it in my closet and forgot all about this disheartening episode.  

Fast forward 5 months, I was cleaning out the closet and came across this thorn in my side and had a revelation.   I am going to salvage this thing and make it better!  By doing this, I will be able to move on.  What's the harm in trying as I would throw it in the bin anyway or cut it up and make a doorstop, a cat toy, whatever...

The question I keep asking is "WHY would anyone do this?"

Dreadful

Tearing off these pieces was easy as her stitching was so loose and horrible.

Here's the pile.  What a terrible mess.  Now to move on.    I mean REALLY?  Who puts these things like burlap with felt and batiks on a quilt?

This is a picture of the quilt I made for her according to her spec sheet.   It is free form for the most part and since this is suppose to be MODERN, I thought why not use some improv.  I worked very hard on her mini quilt and wanted to keep it for myself.  I spent hours on it.  All free motion quilted and machine applique.  

Anyway, back to this atrocity.  I wanted to keep this background as is and just build from here.  My DS called this an '80's throw back. 

This is the back of the quilt.  I don't understand the edges and technique of binding she used.  It's just weird. 

I combed through my patterns for some applique I could do.  The chaise was appealing and I could make it look like a picture of a room.   What else might be in a lounge or sewing room?   I thought of a framed picture and added that.   The corners needed something, so I had some large printed flower fabric and cut that up to add.  I pictured someone sitting on the chaise doing a little sewing and needed more sewing related elements and added those.  I kept filling in spaces and adding bits until I was pretty happy.  Finally, this is what the transformation looks like.   All the pieces I added are machine appliqued on top of her background.   There are some embroidered bits I added as well.  

This is how I work, stuff all over, buttons on the floor.  Although, I don't have flowers scattered everywhere, but wouldn't that be nice to walk among flowers?  

My DS thinks it has a very 1980's feel to it.  I guess the loud colors with neon and zebra stripes gives it that impression.  Overall though, I think this is a major "SAVE" and now I have no thoughts of binning it.