Have any of you read the Jo Morton letters in the past two issues of Quilter's Home magazine?

What do you think?

I was shocked and I think she made a terrible PR move in being so outspoken.

Opinions?

I'm clueless. Please explain the context or provide a link.

Not sure if there is a link. Its a magazine.

Anyway, she blasted quilt guilds and really came off as being jaded and bitter.

Now, every time I look at my Jo Morton fabrics I think of her as not being a nice person.

I think it may bite her in the pocket book in the months to come.

Haven't seen anything. Is there, perhaps, an online link to something?

Sometimes its better to keep quiet and let a topic go away but she chose to "defend" herself and didn't quite get there. JMHO. I enjoy reading Quilter's Home.

i have not seen the letter but i know this mag is known for trying to stir things up. they love to be controversial. i am sure they printed her comments for just that purpose.

Can't find a link and don't think I can post a scan of the interview. Probably not allowed. I will post a excerpt though.

They printed her letters because she wrote to them and intended for them to be printed. I love that mag, and you are right, they are not afraid of stirring up things. I worked in a community college system for over 20 years and the admin was afraid of their own shadows, got pretty sick of the whole overly cautious policies.

Jo Morton, in my 'not so humble' opinion, should have slept on her thoughts a bit before blasting quilt guilds. Or at least should have tempered her comments with some positive points.

I'm just saying.........

Oh, boy. I agree. In business, it's best to hold your tongue.

There are two designers I don't support. One for her stupidity and the other because she said something offensive to me in a personal conversation. So, I know when you've branded yourself in association with a product that it's possible to offend some folks and lose their purchasing power for a while or maybe even forever.

I'm not sure what Jo said but I don't think that complaining about guilds would be damaging in a widespread fashion. I might be wrong. Am I?

She admitted that she is bitter.

Wow. That's got to be some story! I can understand being resentful if you're a guy who been refused membership for not being a woman but I can't think of anything else quite that nasty. I wonder what happened to universally turn her off.

LOL, well NOW I just have to find that magazine, lol! I really like it too, just let all my subscriptions go because of money issues.

I used to belong to Mark Lipinski's yahoo group when he was still the editor of that magazine. The woman who is the current editor wrote articles for the magazine at that time & she interviewed me twice re: quilt guilds. Unfortunately in the last article she quoted only half of what I said re: a situation with a new guild I belonged to at the time. My heart just sank when I read the article because by the time the magazine actually came out I had moved to another state so I wasn't there in person to exlain what was really said. I did find out later it caused a lot of hard feelings toward me. It really turned me off to that magazine because I felt I was mis-quoted only to stir up the pot so to speak. Maybe the same thing happened to Jo Morton.

Now that would really p--- me off!!! Sorry that happened to you. I hope you have been able to calm the waters a bit with the guild. What a shame.

I no longer subscribe to that mag. After Mark Lipinski left, I felt it went downhill. I didn't enjoy reading the articles anymore and some things were inappropriate or just plain uncalled for. The tone has changed from fun and enthusiastic to glib and sarcastic. JMHO

I have read Jo Morton's letters, and I can understand the "burn-out" she is experiencing. From my own experiences, it does seem as if the same people do most of the work. Then there are those who glibly write "get involved and make changes if you do not like something in the guild". But this advice is off the mark to those who have done the work and have tried to change attitudes.

I also do not like the pressure put on members to participate in the guild's chosen charity. When someone suggested creating quilts for other worthy causes, this idea was never brought up for a vote. One guild sews blankets for the neo-natal nursery of our hospital, and gets many blankets sewn by its members. One year the hospital nursery had a flood situation where the blankets were wet and damp. The guild president that year took it upon herself to throw away the blankets--all that work in the trash! It perhaps never occurred to her to ask the guild membership for ideas, one of which was that they could have laundered all these blankets, donating them to the local Center for abused women and children.

Years ago while living in Northern Virginia, I tentatively approached the membership table at a local guild's meeting. I said that I would be interested in joining. I was asked by one of the ladies there if I were a beginner because they did not want beginners! I said to this officious woman isn't that what guilds are about--encouraging new quilters to learn and to benefit from the guild's experience? It so happens that I was not a beginner, but I did not like that attitude. I did not join that guild, but was invited by a neighboring guild who went out of their way to make me feel welcome.

If you belong to a good guild, be thankful, and actively participate in that group. If you find a guild that has a "meaness of spirit" toward new quilters, to talented quilters, or to new ideas, I would suggest you give it a pass.

Quilter's Home Magazine is where the article about the Inmate quilting program is being published - in the February/March Issue. I have been running that program for the last 8 1/2 years. I love this magazine, so now I need to go find the last issue I got and re-read it. Haven't gotten the issue with me in it, but I know it's out as I got a card from a long-time friend in New Hampshire today because she saw me in it!

I love the magazine!

I read the mag cover to cover ....... and I read your story .... loved it... you lady are an amazing person with a heart of gold I dont know you personally but I know you just have to be a great lady.... love the mag .... I do believe there is good and bad in everything and guilds are no exception .... I do not belong to a guild .... this board seems to work very good for my guild .... I expierenced a clickish guild .... didnt like it .... like it so much better here .... I have a group of friends who quilt with me .... we must be a BEE lol....... ILL JUST CALL THIS MY GUILD!!!!
THANKS FOR BEING MY GUILD!!!!!

Hi, Robin. I was born in Tulsa County & lived in OKC until 2nd grade. Then we moved to Kansas, so I'm an Okie!

Kathy, so good to meet you here on the quilt board ..I think your work is remarkable .... I think quilting teaches patience and it calms me .... those guys may never quilt again after they leave you but they will always remember the lessoned learned quilting .... I admire you for trying to make a difference in peoples lives ..... I actually came to Oklahoma in 1979 from Texas .. via Calif and Washington State.. but Ive been here longer than I lived in Texas so I'm a Okie by default ... ha ha ha ... I love it here on the Great Plains will never leave .... they will scatter my ashes over the Wichita Mts ..... like I said nice to meet such a giving person .... message me anytime :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Wow - I love my quilt guild. We're less than a year old but we started up a chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild. We welcome everybody, new, old, traditional, modern, male, female, and anything and everything in between. We're incredibly supportive of one another and I just feel good about being in this guild. And it's funny because I never thought about joining a guild until this one started and now I'm the Program Chair. Or at least until elections next month. :)

ebony

I guess that's exactly what Jo Morton was talking about when she said that guilds just give you jobs you don't want and project you don't need? Just kidding!! I love all four of my guilds!!! Poo on you, Jo!!

There really is only one Mark Lipinski. Everything else is just a sad imitation.

Wonder how he's doing?

[quote=Corky]Wonder how he's doing?[quote=madamekelly]There really is only one Mark Lipinski. Everything else is just a sad imitation.

He is doing well he now is with Fabric Trends For Quilters really improved the Magazine ...