Toastmasters talk about quilting
 

I’m giving a toastmasters 7 minute talk on quilting on Thursday. This talk will be to non quilters. I’m having trouble deciding topics. Of course I’m going to bring quilts in. The title of the talk will be ‘Not your grandmothers quilt’

I thought I’d talk about traditional quilting (grandmothers quilt)

the modern day version of a quilting bee. Quilting board Booms, quilts from that.

some unusual quilts I’ve done.

Any suggestions of what should be included? Anyone done anything like this? What worked what didn’t?
MJ

talk about "painting" with fabrics-- I do traditional designs but it is playing and painting . Why did you get into it -- colors and why you love them. Make it personal. What would you say to someone who asked you what you do.
Mim

I was in Toastmasters for several years so I may be able to offer some advice. One of the best hints I can give you is to keep it simple. Covering too much ground makes for a cluttered speech with too many words and little context. Give your audience something easy to remember.

Choose only 2-3 pieces of information you want your audience to remember and fill in the pieces. Open with a strong, memorable point. There is such a difference in traditional quilting and modern quilting!

If you talk about traditional quilting you can possible start by telling a story about your memories of your grandmother quilting. Then show one of her quilts. It will drive home the warm grandma feeling you presented in your opening.

I do remember a speech given by a fellow member about log cabin quilts. She had several quilts and a couple books to show. I'm a quilter but don't make log cabin quilts. Her speech was SO full it left me NO time to see what or comprehend what she was talking about. When you practice (you do practice, right?!) make note of how long it takes to really look at a quilt. One or two props are all one seven minute speech can handle. People need time to see what you are showing and they need time to process your words.

Good luck. I'll watch for an update on your post.

Grammahunt

I tend to agree about keeping the talk about a simple subject matter. Perhaps, since they do not quilt, make it about today's quilting and do not get into the old time quilting. You see, many people who don't quilt would be bored silly with that many facts. Make it about your need to give a colorful handmade gift that is intended to make the recipient feel loved and special. Very few gifts have this effect on people. Ours is not a frugal society, it is a creative gift of love. Everyone is so fast paced and homogenized. This is something you took the time to think about them, their favorite colors and style. Some thing comfortable, safe and accepting.

I think I would also show a couple of modern quilts for people that think quilting is so old fashioned. You just might change their minds.

Yes, keep it simple. When I tell non-quilters that I have a longarm machine they usually have a blank look on their faces. I think they understand after I start at the beginning and tell them to think about all those "lines" that go across a quilt - that's quilting and that is what I do with my longarm. Non-quilters/non-sewers don't have a clue about what we are talking about.

Putting the top together is "piecing".

Very helpful. I’m going to touch on the quilting bees of past and show grandma’s quilt. Then I’m going to talk about the boom we do on the quilting board and show how this is a community too. Three quilts grandma’s and two Boom ( Day of the Dead and Hawaiian) quilts. Will talk about the technical only as it relates to the boom.

The overall all topic for the meeting is ‘brave new world’ : how technology and internet is changing our lives.

Thanks ladies, helped me solidify my thoughts.
Any other suggestions?

My suggestions:

1) when you use quilting terms, define them.
2). Keep it simple and show only a couple but bring more for after show viewing.
3). Share the time and money involved to put a value on this craft. Your show&tell quilts should be quantified with hours spent and money....plus how you were inspired to create it.

have fun....7 minutes goes by fast when you're speaking about your passion. Let them hear the PASSION in your voice....smile often.

you go, girl...

I like the title and your topics sound good. It might be interesting to mention how expensive it is to make a quilt, and how some make a business of quilting for others. It's good to have examples.

Yes I was going to try to weave the cost and time of a quilt in so people know when they ask somebody for a quilt they understand whT they are asking. Also I’m going to throw the saying in asking a quilter to repair clothes is like asking Michelangelo to paint your house’

MJP, I think your idea fits in fantastically with the overall theme. Our booms are pretty amazing - one of the best things on the internet I've come across!

On another note, did you ever post pictures of your finished quilts? I would love to see them!

I gave a similar talk to my DH's Rotary group--definitely no quilters. I had about the same time allotted. Frankly, I think you should figure that you talk 5 min and give time for questions--either in the course of the talk or at the end. I explained that quilting involves 3 layers, stitched together. And that we rarely uses cardboard templates or scissor, instead rulers and rotary cutters (bring both); that they can be hand or machine quilted (again examples) and the difference in the time factor with each(plus I had a picture of a long arm to pass around); definitely cover cost of materials and time needed to piece and quilt one. Your quote on painting a garage is perfect. Good luck!

Two suggestions--TMI and KISS. 7 minutes isn't long when you could talk for literally hours about quilting. Find one aspect of quilting and stop there. If your intention is to educate about quilting, you might focus on the cost and time involved. You might show a vintage quilt and a modern one just to demonstrate the difference but even that can run into more time than you are being allotted. Perhaps show the differences in the tools we now use. Explain batting. There are so many individual things that have changed that it will be difficult to shorten a speech to 7 minutes. (Too much information and keep it simple "Sally")

Start with quilt history. Quilts used to be hand made and made from cotton flower sacks and family clothing.
Now we make them by machine and quilt by machine. The fabrics are primarily 100% cotton. Whereas, they were made from frugal sources, now high quality cotton costs $14.00 per yard...listening to them gasp. Then tell them how many yards go into a bed sized quilt. Mention the prices of quilts today. Follow the reporter's mantra...present the who, what, why, where of quilting. Have fun, I know you will.

What does the word "Booms" mean in this context? Thanks for your answer.

Ok, I’m finally going to ask. What does BOOM stand for? I’ve tried to figure it out but am not having any luck.
Barb in Cold Kansas

One of the most interesting assignments I had in a college writing class was to explain an item to an alien (sounds odd!). I took a firecracker and explained what it meant, not what it was. Example - the actual smell of gunpowder to me brought back smells of a full day bar-b-que, my grandmothers rose perfume, fresh apple pies. The bright lights in the sky made me think of everything this country meant to me, the sacrifices, the dreams, etc. It was a wonderful experience and well received. You might take that approach with a quilt - to some it is a collection of odd bits of fabric, but to others it is the warmth of a family hug, the mind expanding puzzle of pieces fitting accurately , the artistic blending of colors, tones and values. This type of thing would grab the attention of both quilters and non quilters. Who knows, you might even excite someone to try making one!

Not sure if this is possible---but I would bring in the all the charity quilting. Quilts Of Valor is amazing. There have been drives for current events like the Pulse nightclub shooting. If you want a fabulous letter from a military guy PM me.

Boom is short for Boomerang swap. It is a long standing block swap on the QB, many ladies have been involved in most if not all the boom swaps, others come and go as they have time or opportunity.

I don't know where your group is from, but I am always amazed the people who are able to make money quilting - - whether it be longarm quilting or piecing... I don't think grandmothers made money doing quilting (but maybe I am wrong)

I was thinking the same thing.... its always amazing to me when I realize how much a quilt is loved by some of the nonquilters when its a gift

I agree... I was told long ago (by a toastmaster!) that people think in 3's.. And to open with a strong statement framing your 3's.. fill the middle chunk of your speech walking thru 1, 2 & 3.. then close recapping all 3 points.

Tell them, tell them again and then recap what you told them.

I agree with KISS, TMI and being wary of talking in 'quilt talk' to non-quilters. The great thing is you'll be talking about a subject that you know intuitively = FUN!

Good Luck!

So glad you (and bcsews) asked, I'm wondering, too!

Ahh, thank you Kassaundra! Never heard of a Boomerang swap - must something about it coming back to you.

I am the type of person who likes to see examples. Perhaps bring in cardboard templets, scissors and a tiny needle to show what grandma used. Even a example of a newspaper quilt pattern offered in the sunday paper. Then how they carefully hand pieced each block to make a quilt.

Then pictures or real tools of the trade now. I say pictures, because and safety factors or missing tools. Perhaps pictures of cutting mats, rotary cutters, specialty rulers, a die cutting machine, sewing machine with built in stitching designs for quilting, a programmable long arm quilting machine on a motorized table (these even have a built in camera underneath to keep tabs on the stitching) and types of specialty quilting threads. Even for the bottom bobbins to help with stitch perfection. Then the fabrics have really gotten wonderful in thread count and design. I think it is because there is so much information on the web about the cultures and regional preferable designs. Those were never available back in grandma's day. The web sights that have different patterns from grandma's is a biggie too. Even the fabric manufacturers have free patterns to download. Also quilt shows as a source of the new inventions for our choice of hobby. These all contribute to the internet information available to the today's quilter.
One last thing available to us... U Tube.

Yes, you send an f8 of your fabric for each of the other Boomers, everyone makes you a block w/ your fabric and some of theirs, and return the finished blocks to each person. We have a fearless leader and send her the fabris and the finished blocks she sorts them and sends them back to each of us in a group. The postage for this swap format is a little more (4 mailings) but we have so much fun it is worth it. (each mailing is a little over $7, and it is over a 3 ish month time so not to bad)

One illustration I've used for a quilt is an Oreo cookie. Everyone knows that an Oreo has 3 distinct parts, as does a quilt, and the different center thicknesses of said cookie are a whole lot like batting. It's a useful easily understandable illustration without going into too much detail at first. I was giving a series of 3 interactive chats with the same group. I started with that and branched out. Also had cookies as the handout. Helped some of the audience understand the distinct layers in a quilt.

A cousin wanted to know about something about quilting so I showed her what fat quarters, jelly rolls, layer cakes, charms looked like. She was fascinated.

Best book EVER for speaking or getting your idea/topic presented, https://www.amazon.com/Say-Six-Exact...in+six+minutes.

Say It in Six Minutes. Very easy read a not just for saying it in six minutes. The format can be condensed to say it in less time or expand to do a full blown speech of an hour. Not just for speechifying; but for communicating. Easy and fun read.

Not sure this will help but, I am amazed that doctors and some nurses have no idea what a quilt is. I have said I spend a lot of time making quilts and I get a blank look.

you're going to do great! remember: tell em what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you just told them! i like the idea of modern quilts added too.

Be sure you narrow your topic as quilting is a very broad topic.

What is the main thing you want your audience to know? If it's how quilting has changed, make a list of then and now. If it's about the investment of time and the difficulty of assigning a monetary value, hone in on what makes it so. If it's about the passion and joy of creating an object of beauty and comfort for both loved ones and complete strangers, talk about that.

Humor. Make your audience laugh up front and you will hook them.

I will listen to anyone about anything if I sense their passion AND they have a sense of humor. Otherwise, if the topic is boring and the person is humdrum, it's a long 7 minutes.

Quilters often miss the point that quilts were an expression of art and political opinion when women were forbidden to comment about events in public, much less speak their own opinion or contradict a man. Whig's Defeat, 54-40 or Fight, Little Giant, Lincoln's Platform, Tippecanoe, Clay's Choice, Whig Rose, on and on.

Thank you redmadder I didn’t know that.
I’ve decided to limit my talk to the modern day quilting bee the boomerang. The meeting topic is brave new world and how social media has changed our lives. I’ll show boom squares and quilts made from them. I’ll define terms as I need to. I’ll share boomer stories.

Please be sure to post how you talk went.

Start with the statistics produced by Quilts inc. to show the economic value. Something like...you might thing quilting is a group of senior ladies meeting weekly in the basement of a church, but the cuttect economic value of the industry. is...l.etc. and then go from there.

Sounds great! You have it focused and definitely your topic fits the theme. Considering the "brave" in "brave, new world" you might show a rotary cutter and the bravery of using one (chuckle, chuckle, making a point that your grandmothers only had to worry about scissors, pins, and needles). You might discuss that it's brave to stand at the cash register of a quilt shop with your eyes open and see the carnage on your receipt. "I'm sorry, Mrs.Encinitas, but your 5 yards of fabric, package of batting, and spool of thread comes to "$829.45."

I think it's important to try to relate your topic to the experiences of your audience. Since everyone uses computers now, one point that I consider important is that in our modern world, whatever enthusiasm a person may have can be shared with others, literally all over the world. For example, quiltingboard.com now has nearly 120,000 thousand members! In our grandparents' time, the typical quilter might have a small circle of friends who shared the hobby, but in the middle of a project, they couldn't take a picture and ask thousands of others for input about whether this fabric would be a better choice or that one. We learn so much from each other, and benefit greatly from all the talented people who will take time to participate in sharing knowledge and enthusiasm.

The talk went quite well. They always give a ribbon at the end to the best speaker and I got it. This is given based on audience vote. The other two speakers were people who had been in toastmasters for many years and this was just my third speech. BTW I mentioned this thread specifically in the speech. I told them I had received many good suggestions from you. I used some of the things mentioned in the thread. Many thanks to all of you.

Congrats!!!!!!

Way to go! Congrats on your ribbon. BTW- what did they think of your Day of the Dead quilt? Boom on!