Every Quilt Doesn't Have to be a Masterpiece
08-11-2011, 03:51 AM
#61
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Shakopee MN
Posts: 498
Originally Posted by pumpkinpatchquilter
This is the lesson I am slowly learning. I have been quilting for 6 years, and as a new quilter I surrounded myself with some of THE most knowledgeable, and intimidating quilters in the area. I was 24 years old, green and new to the quilting world when I began. As I progressed I felt like I had to do BIGGER, BETTER, and GREATER to be taken even a little bit seriously by these women who were much older than me and knew what seemed to be SO very much more than me about quilting. If I wasn't getting snubbed for my age I was getting snubbed for my skill level. I am an artist at heart, all I wanted for years when I was young was to go to art school. That unfortunately never happened for me as I started a family early, and many of you know just how hard it is to go back to school with small children. But it was a blessing, truly, because my family is my world, and making a quilt for my daughter was what brought me to find my life's passion in quilting. All of this combined with a really awful experience with a quilt shop owner who hired me to teach a class but then treated me so rudely as if I didn't know a darn thing I was talking about has left me with this need to prove myself artistically and I feel like for the past several years I've been on this personal MISSION to prove to anybody and EVERYBODY that I am capapble, I am skilled, and gosh darnit, I'm artistic!!!
You know what? I refuse to live with that insecurity any longer, I know who I am and what I can do. Here I am. I am 30 years old, I'm a Mother first and foremost, second a wife, and third I'm a dedicated quilter. I have finally learned that FOR ME, every quilt doesn't need to be a masterpiece. Every quilt that I create does not have to knock everybody's socks off, and it doesn't have to encase all the techniques I have learned in the past 6 years to PROVE that I am a capable quilter. That is not to say I don't do the best I can with every quilt, but a corner that doesn't match perfectly doesn't always need to be ripped and resewn. Every project doesn't need to be the hardest and most complicated project I've ever done. I adore challenging projects but a simple nine patch quilt can be just as satisfying to complete as the most complicated paper pieced mariners compass.
Thanks for the vent. Just thought I'd share that little revelation, because I know I'm not the only one who feels like they need to prove themselves to the local quilting veterans. ;)
You know what? I refuse to live with that insecurity any longer, I know who I am and what I can do. Here I am. I am 30 years old, I'm a Mother first and foremost, second a wife, and third I'm a dedicated quilter. I have finally learned that FOR ME, every quilt doesn't need to be a masterpiece. Every quilt that I create does not have to knock everybody's socks off, and it doesn't have to encase all the techniques I have learned in the past 6 years to PROVE that I am a capable quilter. That is not to say I don't do the best I can with every quilt, but a corner that doesn't match perfectly doesn't always need to be ripped and resewn. Every project doesn't need to be the hardest and most complicated project I've ever done. I adore challenging projects but a simple nine patch quilt can be just as satisfying to complete as the most complicated paper pieced mariners compass.
Thanks for the vent. Just thought I'd share that little revelation, because I know I'm not the only one who feels like they need to prove themselves to the local quilting veterans. ;)
08-11-2011, 03:51 AM
#62
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boonville, NC
Posts: 720
AMEN
Originally Posted by pumpkinpatchquilter
This is the lesson I am slowly learning. I have been quilting for 6 years, and as a new quilter I surrounded myself with some of THE most knowledgeable, and intimidating quilters in the area. I was 24 years old, green and new to the quilting world when I began. As I progressed I felt like I had to do BIGGER, BETTER, and GREATER to be taken even a little bit seriously by these women who were much older than me and knew what seemed to be SO very much more than me about quilting. If I wasn't getting snubbed for my age I was getting snubbed for my skill level. I am an artist at heart, all I wanted for years when I was young was to go to art school. That unfortunately never happened for me as I started a family early, and many of you know just how hard it is to go back to school with small children. But it was a blessing, truly, because my family is my world, and making a quilt for my daughter was what brought me to find my life's passion in quilting. All of this combined with a really awful experience with a quilt shop owner who hired me to teach a class but then treated me so rudely as if I didn't know a darn thing I was talking about has left me with this need to prove myself artistically and I feel like for the past several years I've been on this personal MISSION to prove to anybody and EVERYBODY that I am capapble, I am skilled, and gosh darnit, I'm artistic!!!
You know what? I refuse to live with that insecurity any longer, I know who I am and what I can do. Here I am. I am 30 years old, I'm a Mother first and foremost, second a wife, and third I'm a dedicated quilter. I have finally learned that FOR ME, every quilt doesn't need to be a masterpiece. Every quilt that I create does not have to knock everybody's socks off, and it doesn't have to encase all the techniques I have learned in the past 6 years to PROVE that I am a capable quilter. That is not to say I don't do the best I can with every quilt, but a corner that doesn't match perfectly doesn't always need to be ripped and resewn. Every project doesn't need to be the hardest and most complicated project I've ever done. I adore challenging projects but a simple nine patch quilt can be just as satisfying to complete as the most complicated paper pieced mariners compass.
Thanks for the vent. Just thought I'd share that little revelation, because I know I'm not the only one who feels like they need to prove themselves to the local quilting veterans. ;)
You know what? I refuse to live with that insecurity any longer, I know who I am and what I can do. Here I am. I am 30 years old, I'm a Mother first and foremost, second a wife, and third I'm a dedicated quilter. I have finally learned that FOR ME, every quilt doesn't need to be a masterpiece. Every quilt that I create does not have to knock everybody's socks off, and it doesn't have to encase all the techniques I have learned in the past 6 years to PROVE that I am a capable quilter. That is not to say I don't do the best I can with every quilt, but a corner that doesn't match perfectly doesn't always need to be ripped and resewn. Every project doesn't need to be the hardest and most complicated project I've ever done. I adore challenging projects but a simple nine patch quilt can be just as satisfying to complete as the most complicated paper pieced mariners compass.
Thanks for the vent. Just thought I'd share that little revelation, because I know I'm not the only one who feels like they need to prove themselves to the local quilting veterans. ;)
08-11-2011, 04:40 AM
#64
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Niles, OH
Posts: 236
Dear PumpkinPatch, I agree with you! As long as I am pleased with the quilt that I make (I looked back on some of my quilts and still like them) then I am happy because I know that I put a lot of thought and work into it even if the quilting part isn't every 1/8 inch and the pattern was "simple". I know that it will hold together when it is washed and dried and I hope that whoever uses it will use it enough so that they will have to wash and dry it.
08-11-2011, 04:56 AM
#66
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Native Texan living in beautiful Arkansas
Posts: 464
Right on girl! If those photos are any indication of your skill - then you are so ahead of me that I am not sure I'll ever get there! Awesome attitude and quilting! I'm pretty new, but am loving it.
08-11-2011, 04:57 AM
#67
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Portage, Michigan
Posts: 7,443
The quilts we make are samples of our progress a quilters as well as out artistic efforts. I tried to make some complicated quilts but found no pleasure in them because I was not ready to tackle that level of work. Oh, I blush when I look at some of my first efforts but when I lay them beside what I can do with ease now, I see my progress at this craft. I too have to pull myself back from time to time and renew the reason I am quilting and it is the joy of creation. I doubt I will ever enter a judged event. I am not putting in my efforts for someone to check points or the exactness of my work. Some do and we all admire their skills and try to move just a little closer to that goal but I quilt because I love the process. Learning something new has always been part of my life and quilting gives me this opportunity. Each quilt allows me to try a new technique, try a new color combination or improve on making those points perfect. Some are better others, and other not so much but as board members have said already, even "oopes" and errors allow us to learn and those quilts still provide warmth and beauty.
As is often said on this board, "When it is not fun or pleasurable then why are we doing it?" Thanks for your thoughts and may we all remember why we quilt; for the joy of it and maybe to bless others.
As is often said on this board, "When it is not fun or pleasurable then why are we doing it?" Thanks for your thoughts and may we all remember why we quilt; for the joy of it and maybe to bless others.
08-11-2011, 04:58 AM
#68
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: missouri
Posts: 3,893
as a self taught quilter of many years I finally found a quilt guild, I was so intimidated by these women and their skills, but they were also very incouraging and stressed "you are making a quilt for you, no one else. ejoy the process and learn all you can but HAVE FUN". that has stuck and just enjoy what I do and don't try to make a masterpiece every time but do get some ooooohhhhh's at the show and tell section of our meetings.
08-11-2011, 05:02 AM
#69
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: PA
Posts: 88
It's great that you finally realized that you don't need to please other people. Many people are trying to please others. You need to realize that most people don't look that closely at your pieces of art. Only you know the "mistakes" and unless you point them out others won't notice.
We should not be intimitated by pictures possted on this website. They should be viewed as inspiration and things we can practice to grow ourselves. We can learn from others not be intimitated.
I learned this by experience, but as far as quilts are concerned, at one of our quilt guild meetins we had a speaker who passed around quilts. When I looked at them I realized that she was actually no better then me as far as her quilting was concerned. (she was being published in a major magazine). She had an attitued that I loved. She said "Just quilt" don't worry if it isn't perfect! If you wait for perfection, you many never do anything. Let others enjoy your works of art.
We should not be intimitated by pictures possted on this website. They should be viewed as inspiration and things we can practice to grow ourselves. We can learn from others not be intimitated.
I learned this by experience, but as far as quilts are concerned, at one of our quilt guild meetins we had a speaker who passed around quilts. When I looked at them I realized that she was actually no better then me as far as her quilting was concerned. (she was being published in a major magazine). She had an attitued that I loved. She said "Just quilt" don't worry if it isn't perfect! If you wait for perfection, you many never do anything. Let others enjoy your works of art.
08-11-2011, 05:04 AM
#70
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,312
I have been quilting for ... a Really long time. I have learned that as much as I like the challenge of something more difficult than the past , I enjoy the comfort of the easy "no thinking just sew" kinds of projects. I need both to be happy in my quilting life.
I am not a quilter for the stress ... I have plenty of that in other areas of my life.
I am not a quilter for the stress ... I have plenty of that in other areas of my life.
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