I am sooooo glad you have figured out what truly
makes you happy. You go girl!!!

When I first started..20 some years ago..I thought it all had to be by the book..then I saw MARY ELLEN HOPKINS on TV..she was my liberator..she had a saying OPP..Own Personal Preference !! Design it..sandwhich it..quilt it..bind it and you have a quilt..I have made quilts my DD or DH have said ..are you sure..and they always seem to be the one people love..so go for it! Example: 2 years ago..I put 11 quilts in a local Coffee House ..that we all hang out..for a month to exhibit..DD said I shouldn't show (2) I'd picked out..they sold 1/2 hour after going up..we were'nt even doing it to sell..we did it to show quilting has come along way..one was bought by the owner and still hangs there...sooo goes to show you to express yourself..glad you learned it early and young !!

Well said!!

I'm new to this website, and I can see I will love it!

AMEN!

Hanging my head down in shame for my wowiness...

I would argue that simplicity and wowiness are not mutually exclusive.

Thanks so much for posting this. I am a new quilter and struggle every day with my lack of perfection in my quilts. I have one on the design wall that I've had a problem with. As a result I haven't pieced in over a month because I just can't seem to get that one right. I'm going home tonight and finish it. I also have a quilting frame and machine that I struggle with. It hasn't been touched in several months. I like the idea that the quilting is to hold the sandwich together. I think I can do that. I don't have to get fancy. ;-)

Linda

Well said. Just think of the wonderful years ahead of you that you will enjoy quilting and learn more and more to express yourself along with your artitstic flare.

This board has taught me to loosen up, enjoy the process and try some of the things that appeal to me... even if, at first, they don't exactly turn out as I thought they might or as someone else's does. The idea is to learn and have fun along the way. Take care and enjoy what you are doing.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

There are only two rules that I follow when quilting (uh, or that my family follows): first rule, when I show them a quilt they can only reply with WOW, and second rule, they say it with exuberance!

Very well said. I know that people have made me feel bad about my quilting and I really took it to heart. I even sew scraps together to make quilts for people that NEED them, and had one woman (a fellow quilter) tell me that the blocks were UGLY. How rude. I informed her that it would still make someone warm and/or feel better. I think beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and the gesture of giving is the important part. I personally have yet to see an UGLY quilt, as I think there is personality, character, and love that goes into EVERY quilt, no matter what fabric is used.

I think you are in a very large club, my dear. Many of us come to terms with doing what we love to do and accepting it for what it is and never mind what others think and say. Our work is perfect and the best and award-worthy and we are proud. Here's to us and those who know us and love us for who we are and what we do. Happy sewing everyone!