Oh, I love all the comments. Luckily, I have never met one personally, but I have heard stories from others. I guess the reason I have never met one is that my work is so perfect that they can't find any flaws. :roll: :roll: :roll: I am currently teaching myself to long arm quilt, so I keep looking over my shoulder; none yet. :?

Quilting police are the ones who seldom finish a quilt, but can tell you what is wrong with yours. My advice is to ignore them. Always remember; it's your quilt, do it the way you want to.

I think Quilt Police is really a tongue in cheek reference to someone who thinks she/he knows everything and is an authority on all techniques used in quilting. I usually find these people are the ones who cannot DO, so they criticize what others do. If you ever run into one of these "authorities", just smile and agree with them then go off and laugh yourself silly. Some days it pays to have a sense of humor and just ignore the person who pretends to be the "Quilt Police".

Oooohhh! Peach is one beautiful cat.

I love all of these answers. I think they are want to be quilters. Even though there are some experts out there that think they are the QP I find that what they are doing is telling us their opinion. You know that everyone has an opinion.
There are people who think that if you do not do it their way then you are wrong. There really is more than one way to do things.

"Peach" is gorgeous and would have a better idea of what is good and what is not that any of the "Know-It-All-Beaches" that are always ready to give their opinions. I think there could be a type "O" there somewhere.
Good-on-you-Peach, Good Girl.
She knows her job and she's a good judge of character as well. Think we should ban the "Quilt Police" they're "ALL"self appointed anyway.
Really enjoyed this post, gives us all a good laugh.
Gleniveve

My 6 yr old granddaughter recently had a short term as "Chief of the Quilt Police" I was making into a quilt drawings that she & her classmates had made on muslin with fabric markers. The quilt is to be used as a fundraiser for her school.
I never realized that she paid any attention to how/what I sewed but as I was working on it she was very critical, especially concerned that the quilting looked good on the back. Since I am the only quilter that she is around I was astonished of how much she knew.
Now that the quilt is finished and her teacher is thrilled with it my granddaughter has retired from the Quilt Police.

ROFL...this could apply to some of the posters on this board. LOl Just kidding. I agree wtih the statement, there are few on here. HUGS♥♥

I think the QP are generally unhappy people and the only way to make themselves feel better is to criticize someone else. They tend to be bossy know-it-alls in every walk of life regardless if they've been down those roads or not. Once upon a time I took them seriously but now either avoid them or smile at their comments and say "not a word."

The ladies and gents on this board are kind and helpful and oooh and awww over everyone's efforts because making a quilt is a grand undertaking. We know the time and energy and brain power that goes into a quilt. Effort and completion and design and color get us all excited! I wish I lived in a neighborhood of quilters who participate on this board!

BTW: The comments are funny! Thanks everyone for sharing your opinions and experiences on this subject!

The quilting police are a cross between the tooth fairy and the big bad wolf. They exist only in our imaginations. But we all know how vivid our imaginations can be. Don't ever let them get to you :lol:

We have done the best we can and it's a learning experience at times. Quilters should ignore those snooty remarks. Enjoy the art. It's your quilt!

I have a fat cat who could qualify as an officer in the quilt police department. He loves, really LOVES, only one of all my quilts. It's made with Mary Englebreit prints and is very old and beat up. He will throw his huge body on it wherever it appears, and will not get up for anyone. That is, of course, unless you offer him a bribe in the form of a little bowl of tunafish juice. Any other quilt gets only a faint nod from him. :D

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Ditto here. I also think there is definitely a difference in being the QP and offering advice when helped. It's a slight difference so we must all be careful when we post and not fall into the QP category. LOL.

The picture is blurry because the flash was bad and the best I could do. It's a little QP person and it says Quilt Police on the bottom. SO funny. I think it was in the Pin Peddler booth.

the ones who should be named "quilting police" will never admit to being one!

It is that 'thing' we like to poke fun with. It could be that angel (or devil) sitting on your shoulder telling you something, what that is you have to listen. It could also be your subconscious, whatever it is, have fun with it.

OMG what a great question...and what great answers!!! About a year ago at a guild retreat, I became the prisoner of the quilt police. As is the practice, we all hung our finished works of art on the walls of the large gym when lo and behold...the quilt police (aka bee-atch) marched right over to my work and loudly announced..."where are the points?" for one quilt and then later when another was put up..."why did you applique that on? I would've pieced it in"
Well...although I was fuming (with most of my fellow guild members) my responses to these two rude comments were - "I don't really like points" and "when you make yours you can piece it!" She has continued to be a thorn in my side but I find it funny how many people she has pissed off in the meantime. Although she is a very good quilter I would never go to her for advice! I continue to learn, get better and seek advice from several wonderful mentors who provide constructive criticism. and truly want to help. I am always seeking to be better, but prefer to try new things and new ways. I enjoy the adventure (or the road to the end) more than the destination. And lastly...well I could go on forever...New quilter...keep on quilting, learning and growing. IMHO quilting is an art form which should be forever changing and growing. If you're having fun that is all that matters! OK, I'll put my soap box away now....

My hubby's aunt!!!

you nailed this right on the head........

RIGHT ON! I think I know her, and several of her sisters! :twisted:

At one point in time, many long years ago, there actually were quilt police (but that was in Europe).
"The art of making these exquisite quilts was first popularized in France and soon became highly favored in England as well. Because they were in such demand eventually French weavers developed a way to make these beautiful textured quilts on a loom. The bedcoverings they wove came to be called Marseilles quilts."
...and because they were in such demand merchants in Marseilles who found whole cloth quilts impinging on their business, bribed the mayor of Marseilles and made wearing or using whole cloth quilting illegal. Hence, the quilt police stood outside windows at parties, peering in and would arrest anyone who was wearing any whole cloth quilting (bodices etc. were whole clot quilted and quite beautiful).
You may reference "trapunto" or "whole cloth quilts" on the computer

Those are the people we ignore.

I really think the only true Quilting Police are ourselves, critizing and doubting OUR own work, and complaining about what we should or should not have done with a particular quilt.lol
However that being said I do know a lot of "know it all" people who quilt and think their way is the only highway and they make a point of trying to find something wrong with everyone else's work whether ask or not.

the q.p. exist only in their own imaginations. hubby describes such folk as being "so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good". these are the ones who will tell a four year old that there is no santa, that the easter bunny is a pagan symbol of fertility, and that there are NO fairies. they usually look as though they were weaned on a pickle.

they will try to tell me that i can't quilt because i'm a relative beginner. they will say that "that" quilt is an abomination of fabric, never taking into consideration that the one who made it cannot afford to go to or does not have a LQS, so she/he relies on available materials. they will criticize handquilting, never taking into account the age of the quilter--too young to really be trying such an ambitious project--or too old, and the arthritis has overtaken their lives. they are the spawn of the grinch, and their collective hearts are several sizes too small. they have lost their sense of wonder, of awe, that someone could tackle something they've never approached before, and DONE it! and best of all--they fail to appreciate that the best quilts are the loved ones, and the done ones. pretty, perfect UFOs can't warm a heart or a home.

i say leave them to their own devices, and harden your heart to any bad things they say. as has been said here, most of them are "wannabe"s. it's about the joy of doing, designing, making, finishing and gifting--something most of the QP never experience!

I think they are self-appointed and don't worry, you'll know one of these varmints when ya see 'em!

They're the crafting/sewing version of "Church Ladies".

Whenever I meet some of these "Experts", I always ask them if they've seen the Museum exhibit of the Gee's Bend Quilts. Now "those quilts" will send the quilt police into catatonic shock.

I'm going to print this out and put it in my sewing room because I know the entire squad from my old guild!!! Very well said Ramona.

I think the quilt police are people who think there is only one way of quilting and it happens to be "THEIR" way and they don't mind expressing their opinions no matter how many feelings they hurt. I try to distance myself from them because I love to quilt, even if I don't do "perfect".

Now that was funny :)

I had finally finished my BOM quilt top and desided I wanted the back to be in Muslin, one of my friends said that wouldn't look good, that I should go buy a backing fabric because the muslin would make it look like an old quilt not a new quilt. I asked a couple of other fellow quilter and they said who's quilt is it, yours or hers? Guess this goes under the quilter's police for sure.

Quilt police are people who like to point out the mistakes of others but still make the same mistakes themselves. Ignore them.

QP certainly are no friends of mine and if I see one coming I run as fast as I can. Surely they are lacking in confidence or something.

Good answer! My sis always told me "It's your quilt, make it however you want it!"

Ok. All very well said. However, does anyone talk back to these "know it alls" Perhaps it is time.

Or non quilters. :twisted: who are jelous of talented others.

I have met the enemy and they are "Quilt Police".... eeeekkkkkkkkkkkkks!

My interpretation of the quilt police is that they are all in our minds. When we're too fussy about our work & have the feeling that somebody is going to criticize our work, that's where the quilt police our. In our minds...........LOL

Holice has it right:

Overly opinionated quilters who believe they are always right.

And I'll add:

They don't even have to be quilters. Just unnecessary critics.

the gee's bend quilts are a tour de force! i love quilts made from sheer determination and will, that warm and shelter those they are made for. talk about ingenuity--the quilts speak to the ability of people to "make do", and do it beautifully. i think i'm assigning myself a quilt made of "found fabric" in the house. no purchases allowed! i know there are some old flannel shirts lurking, and some old work pants... hmmm....

The Quilt Police are self-appointed judges of all things quilting... no particular education or experience necessary. I've found the best way to turn them off is to answer them with something like "Well... that's surely ONE way....." (with a smile and a nod). That drives them bonkers, because there's no answer that would extricate them from the situation they've created. It's always their way or the highway. <G> Oh, well....