Talent
 

I have decided that those that recognize and encourage talent in others have "The Talent of Encouragement"

Piers Anthony wrote a series of books called "The Xanth Series" in which the characters had various talents - some could become invisible, some could start fires, some were enhancers, etc.

What "quilting talents" do you recognize and/or have?

Some examples:

Sewing a straight seam
Attractive color combinations
Helpful suggestions (instead of harmful criticism)
. . . .

What do you see as a talent?

Teaching
Recognizing block components
Pattern writing

Precision piecing
ability to analyze/deconstruct blocks (is that the same as Jan's "recognizing block components"?) Basically I can look at a block or quilt and figure out how to make it.

I wish I had the talent to gently correct beginners while finding something to praise at the same time. I had a piano teacher once who was very gifted at that and it's a wonderful quality to have.

Asking a question in a way that clarifies an issue -

I thread the size 10 quilting needles for the older ladies in my quilt group, and make charity quilts lickety split.

Putting together fabrics/colors, stitching in the ditch using FMQ, making tiny hand applique stitches

So much that is seen as talent is / or can be an acquired skill.

Finding something good to say about every quilt I see, even if it's not my style .

While critical of my own work only to the degree that I correct something that I can't live with, I'm not a perfectionist, just an avid learner with a bent toward excellence. I am new to quilting, so appreciate the efforts of other greenhorns while admiring the talents and abilities of veteran quilters.

My Mom always told me I have "vision" and a good memory. If I go into a fabric shop I can look at a fabric and see what project it will work in. I can also remember a vision of a quilt that I saw at some time in the past and recreate it.

One of my maternal Gmas made many quilts every year. She always had a quilt show for me when we went to visit during spring break. I have fond memories of arriving at their house and going to the spare room to see all of the quilts she stored between the box springs and mattress. I can still see her whipping off the twin sheet stored between the quilts to expose the next one. She passed away in 1975. In 2006 I recreated one of the quilts that I remember seeing when I was probably 12 years old. Each block had a 9 patch in the center and what I called logs around it with pieced cornerstones in each round. The centers were 6 inch but the blocks were 12 inches each.

Oh, I like this one. :)

Out of literally hundreds and hundreds of fabric prints in my stash, I somehow have the ability to remember a specific one that would be just perfect for some project I am working on.

This is such an interesting topic!

Jan in VA