How to define myself?
 

I am a beginning piecer? I am a beginning quilter? I've pieced 4 quilts completely now, but have only quilted 1. I've bound several placemats, table runners, and 2 quilts with a few more waiting in the wings. I thought I was a quilter, but was recently told that no, I am a piecer since I don't actually quilt EVERY quilt I make myself (?). I've only sent one out to the LA but am planning on trying quilting on my DM once summer school ends. Your thoughts??

Sounds like you have been talking to the quilt police. I'd say you are a quilter and just keep on sewing :-)

You are whatever you want to be..... don't let anyone else define you...

I don't think we need labels to define ourselves. Just enjoy what you do.

A quilter puts together fabric to wrap others with hugs.....whichever part of it you do. IMHO ��

I believe that anyone who has any thing to do with quilts can easily call themselves a quilter.. I do LA quilting and a hand quilter told me that I am a sewer..not a quilter..oops, there goes the quilt police.

You my dear, are a "quilter". Just smile and enjoy each phase of quilting.

My sentiments precisely!

I'm with the others -- I'm really not sure it matters that much. I either call myself a "quilt maker" because I make the quilt from start to finish or a "fiber artist" (for some shows that's called a "textile artist") because I love to experiment with different cotton materials, layouts & treatments (dyeing, fiber couching, thread painting, trapunto, etc, etc).

There are people in my guild who call themselves "piecers". It's hardly a slight. They are really incredible at what they do and some have even partnered up with quilters to win awards for their work! And then we have a couple of gals who buy all their tops & only do the quilting. But they have LA machines, so they don't use the word "quilters", they use the term "long-armers".

I guess if we want to get really nit-picky, since a quilt has to have 3 layers, a quilter would be a person who binds together 3 layers ... but honestly, unless you're trying to figure out how to advertise your business I'm sure it makes no difference what you want to call yourself. I do almost no piecing. I like applique & whole cloth quilts. However, when I have done quilts with piecing & someone asks "who was the piecer?" I respond that I was. I definitely don't believe that you have to use a technique on every quilt you make in order to claim it. If you want to call yourself a "quilter", you don't need anyone's permission to do so (and if you do, you have mine -- for whatever that's worth! :p)

Honey, if you want to call yourself an Upside Down Table, we'll all just go along with you; no quilt police here I think! :D

I use "quiltmaker," but I may try Upside Down Table next time! :)

[QUOTE=suern3;7577930]I don't think we need labels to define ourselves. Just enjoy what you do.[/QUOTE

I agree with you 100%!!!!

I want to say that I don't understand this question. However, I guess it would be more appropriate to ask "Why is it necessary to define myself by other peoples standards."
I call myself a crafter or quilter. I quilt, I crochet, I cross stitch, I garden, I sew for my grandkids and others grands. I am better at some things than others. (Love to piece-not as talented with the quilting.) I don't listen to the quilt police, although I am my own worst critic.
So, define your talent and enjoyment in the art you create however you please, and not by other peoples standards.
Susan

Snobby people irritate the kajeebies out of me. Ugh!

Don't you, just once, want to put your nose in the air and say...."Oh...is that ALL you do?" and walk away?
Couldn't do it, either the guilt or my mother would kill me, but that's what goes on inside my brain with people like that.

I agree with the others. Find a name you like (regardless of how quilting related it is) and run with it. Heck....run with scissors if you must! :)

There is always one in the crowd who knows more and more about less and less until they know all there is to know about nothing at all...disregard EVERYTHING they say! You do what you want to do and be what you want to be!

Don't define yourself, that's limiting.

The quilt police are wasting their breath if they are talking to me. Don't let others define you. Jan, you are a hoot--upside down table. lol Love your posts.
Sue

Who are these people?? Don't let anybody judge you. I still consider myself a quilter but because of a disability that affects my motor coordination, I don't quilt everything I piece.

It's really too bad that some people HAVE to attach labels to everything we do and then use those labels to make themselves feel superior to others. Just do as Jan suggests and call yourself whatever you wish, so long as you get the job done and you are happy with it.

Jan, love your answer

Don't let anyone define who you are, that's your job.

exactly!!!!

If I put my nose in the air, my mother would grab my ponytail and tan my backside with it. Really! I didn't dare police anyone.

Why label yourself? Would a different label make any difference? Just do what you enjoy and don't worry about defining yourself. That only puts you in a box.

I'm 76 and at this point in my life I would just say "whatever" and turn heels, walk away, and go out to lunch with my real friends.

You are all so nice - I probably would have told her "oh, well....at least I'm not a snob like you are"! That being said, I totally agree that everyone may have their own definitions but they don't matter. Unless there is an official designation somewhere that we don't know about it is just their opinion anyway and there will always be as many opinions as their people. In my book, anyone who works on and/or creates quilts may call themselves a quilter. Don't let this bother you at all and consider yourself by whatever title you feel fits. "Upside Down Table" works for me anytime!

If you produce quilts, you are a quilter in my book.

I might be the exception! I've pieced a few tops. I've purchased more fabric than anyone here. I know most of the steps and techniques from watching videos....so I'll call myself a fabric curator.

I'm going for the Upside Down Table, myself!

If you quilted a quilt then you are a quilter. Even if you never ever quilt another one, you are a quilter. Your passion happens to be piecing and you quilt by check book. Nothing wrong with that. Don't feel that you have to justify yourself.

You are who you are not what other people label. You make flimsies so you are a quilter.

This is funny!

Those were my thoughts exactly! Why does anyone even care? I'd say that the person who is so preoccupied with defining others needs to "get a life"--go make some more quilts.

I'd call you a quilter, BTW.

Enjoy what you do and do not let others and their comments get to you! I love playing with fabric, whether piecing or trying to learn to quilt on my DSM... And, I love shopping for fabric AND buying patterns. As a process to getting a quilt done...guess I am a quilter even though no expert at any of the process!

Does buying fabric with good intentions count? :rolleyes:

When anyone asks me what I am, I just say,"Awesome."

I truly Love your response!!!

I've never worried what other people think of my quilting ability. I just quilt what I want and haven't worried what they think! I do it for the enjoyment for myself.

I agree! I enjoy every stitch, every piece of fabric and all the goodies that go along with quilting. I am a quilter! That's my super power...what's yours? haha

You all have made me feel better. I had the same question. Consider yourselves hugged today!!!

I made my first quilt in 1964 and never made another one until 2001. During those 37 years that I did not quilt I still considered myself a quilter. Don't let others steal your joy.