pumpkinpatchquilter

Well, I suppose I am giving you a good chuckle then RST because yes, from your posts I would percieve you as someone who is direct or forward to some extent...and possibly someone who boasts a little bit of ego. ;) Not because you don't care what people think but more from the tone of what you write. But it's always possible I am misinterpreting your words. Much is lost in conversation over the internet.

From the sound of it I don't think Cherri from Cherry House Quilts is threatened in anyway by your question. She sounded happy to explain her methods to you even though you don't prefer them. Personally, I think it would have been more appropriate and respectful to approach one of these designers directly rather than post about them on a board like this, and not rude at all. It would have been easy to write a little email simply stating, "I love this pattern, but I'm curious why it calls for cutting individual pieces when it would lend itself so well to strip piecing? Thank you!" Coming here is like an indirect jab at them, under the guise that you are looking for discussion. Kind of comes off like you're trying to make a fool of someone. Maybe that's not how you intended it, but I think that's how it comes off to many of us reading.

Although I'm sure you don't care what we think. ;) Good for her coming here to address you directly and publicly put to rest any questions about her choice of methods.

I haven't been quilting for 40 years as you have, but to be quite honest I don't know how much stock that really holds at the end of the day. I know women who've sewn their entire lives but never progressed their skillset any. Which is fine, because we all are quilting for different purposes. Some of us are really motivated to learn new techniques and fast cutting methods while others are perfectly content and even enjoy more sewing in the ways that their Grandmothers did. Like spinning yarn for example...wouldn't it be much faster to buy it prespun? LOL* But it's the process many of us enjoy, and if you don't, that's ok. There are lots of big name quilt designers out there that are geared towards people like you specifically, who are concerned with efficiency and speed.

I do agree with you that the internet has really allowed quilters and designers to be much more accessible than they once were, and I think that's wonderful. Since I began blogging I have been able to connect with Mary Ann Fons and Liz Porter, Eleanor Burns, Bonnie Hunter, Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts, Karen McTavish, Gail Garber, and many others on a person to person basis. Alex Veronelli, owner of Aurifil thread even recently added me on Facebook! Lol* With what other hobby can you connect with big names in this way? It's amazing. But you don't have to have a blog to get people to become fanatics of your methods either. I know many many ladies who learned a specific technique from their friend or their family member and refuse to attempt any other way. But you know what? That's ok too. Sometimes it's how you approach these types of people that puts them on the defensive. You say the woman at one of your quilt guilds was "rabid" about pressing her seams open. Maybe she was a bit offended at the way she was approached? To be quite blunt if you'd come at me with the attitude you have carried here, a sort of, "well why the heck would you do that when this is so much better" attitude, I wouldn't have listened to you either.

I think a valuable quality of a good teacher is to be able to accept that not everyone is going to want to expand their skills, not everyone is going to be open to new techniques. You just have to kind of meet people where they are, sometimes you can push them out of their comfort zone, but some people you just cannot. There are lots of ladies on this board alone who have no interest in learning paper peicing, though they might be incredible at it if they tried. That doesn't make them any less of a quilter.

I am not saying that I oppose discussion either, I am ALL for learning. I'd like to think I already know quite a lot about quilting, but I came here to learn more because there isn't one of us here who knows everything there is to know about quilting. There is always more to be learned... and I can't get enough of it!!! But, I am however incredibly turned off by a bit of a "my way is the right way" sort of attitude. Being the veteran that you say you are of the boards I'm sure you have experienced what I'm talking about, because that attitude has a tendency to spread like wildfire in these semi-anonymous settings. I'm sure you'll disagree that you sound that way...but to me, you do a little bit, and that's not me trying to be nasty, just trying to be honest.

I think what's interesting is that quilting attracts a variety of different people. I have noticed that there is this one specific set who are very linear in thinking, technical and who really get their enjoyment out of efficient construction of their quilts. Then there is another huge set who get immense satisfaction out of the creativity of quilting and are less concerned with how long it takes to make something, but the emotion involved in making it. Yet another set who simply enjoy doing something that connects them with their heritage. There is room for all of us. ;)

chq

Yes, I'm Cherri House, designer of Silk Tempest. I hope you'll send a photo of your silk quilt when you finish!

SuzanneG

I'm not a sprinter when it comes to quilting, I'm a marathoner. In other words, it's the journey I enjoy, not rushing towards the finish line. But when it can be done easier or quicker, I'm all for that. :-D

RST

Pumpkinpatchquilter -- you're making very nice strides in being forward yourself. But in my world, that doesn't equate to rude, nasty, or proud.

I don't have time to respond to all your points, but I can tell you another hobby/industry in which there has historically been that kind of interaction with the "big names" -- that would be scrapbooking. And it got pretty silly over time. I personally think it would be nice if quilting didn't go down that road, but shrug, what will be, will be.

My rabid fellow quilter actually approached me at the ironing board, not vice versa -- I have eyes only for my own pressing. Just want to help you adjust your vision of how that exchange went down.

Have a nice day.
RST

cookiej36

When I first read this thread, I really thought it would die out rather quickly! I was very surprised to see that it is still being discussed.

I happen to own Cheri's book "City Quilts". I bought it for inspiration more than for the patterns or the instruction as many of the quilts in the book are simple pieced blocks that anyone with any quilting knowledge (beginner or experienced)could sew.

When I first read the original question posed in this thread, my thoughts were that's exactly what I was thinking. Many of the patterns available now have what I perceive as "hard instructions" when I can look at it and know that there is an easier way. With that being said, I also know that there are many quilters who don't have that ability and that's okay. We all have "our easy way" of doing things but that doesn't mean one way is better than the other.

I believe the question was posed for discussion only and I might be considered forward, but I didn't see any malintent on the part of the RST nor any of her responses. In fact, I believe the name of the QAL or the author wasn't even mentioned by her.

RST: I will say that when I attempted to press my seams open as directed by the anonymous blogger/pattern writer, my tops did seem to lay flatter. Do I do it that way all the time? No because it's tedious and time consuming and like you, I like the easier/faster way. I'm all about instant gratification and I have no problems admitting that about myself! I have to see the finished product asap!

RST

Leslie -- While I was taught to press seams closed always, I have, over the years, sometimes chosen to press open -- if it works better. I have no dog in that fight. I'm also very wishy-washy about always prewashing (tongue twister, anyone?)

But when I buy a pattern (which is very rare) or a book or mag, I really, really do expect the author to give very clear, concise, efficient directions and yardage requirements. A big part of why I don't buy patterns and books is that this expectation is not always met. It's also why I won't do mystery quilts and am leery about quilt-alongs (unless they give full info from the get go). However, there is obviously a market for them, and people who like working that way, so good for them. And I hope that in their travels through the world of quilting, they learn some very useful tips and tricks and techniques that will help them through the frustrating parts -- which, I would like to think-- this thread has actually done for at least one person.

RST

mommafank

Does it really matter how you do it as long as the method is the one you prefer? I do not think that strip piecing suits the needs of a hand piecer but I could be wrong. Perhaps someone will enlighten me. I enjoy cutting my fabric----but then I have never cut 1000 1 inch squares either.

ctmein

I too have noticed this. Are they insane? Who would cut 300+ 1 1/2" squares and sew them all back together for a 4 patch or a nine patch.

Neena

to each his own...whatever makes you happy. Quilting is a personal creative expression and experience. Enjoy!

RST

To have a preference, one has to have the awareness that there is an option. Hence my question in the first place.

I too am surprised that this thread continues -- though I would have thought it would go in different directions, say, that certain publishers encourage or discourage their authors from promoting methods that require the purchase of rulers and cutting boards. Do they? Sometimes I have wondered.

Or that it could be a regional thing, with people in the midwest holding fast to the venerable traditions of the craft, while upstarts in the West, and Australia, for pity's sake, take to doing wild things and slapping quilts together with no regard for the decorum of process. Oh, wait, I learned to strip piece while I lived in Michigan, and that's pretty midwestern. And unless the quilt board folks are fibbing on their location statuses, that doesn't hold true.

Maybe a generational thing? Hipsters follow the bloggers?

Whatever. That's apparently not the direction the conversation was destined to go.

To above poster -- you are correct. Strip piecing does not lend itself well to hand work. It could be done, maybe. But it would not be fun or pretty or very efficient. It's a technique that is born of the modern world of tight, regular, quick machine stitching. But that's not to say that you can't piece some very tradtional looking blocks out of vintage fabrics using the method.

RST