Originally Posted by Pat625

Love this answer too!! Anyone that would spend lots more to do all the work to make something that we are not even sure the recipient will like MUST be nuts!!

Originally Posted by tutt

I don't think too much about what I call myself, it's what other people call me that I worry about

Originally Posted by jitkaau

Is "Textile Artist" too pretentious?

Originally Posted by happyquiltmom

At different times in the past, I was a seamstress, a crocheter, an embroiderer, a cross-stitcher, a macrame-er, a wannabe tatter, even a Tri-Chem painter (ugh, what was I thinking?) But I gave all those titles up when I discovered what I really am.

I am a quilter. My favorite techniques are needle-turn applique and hand quilting, but since I've been working at a LQS (the last 5 years), time is limited, so I do more machine work.

Originally Posted by Bneighbor

In my past I designed and made custom wedding gown, I also did formalwear and costumes...guess I was a Designer/Seamstress. Some alterations and hems, I became a slave to idiots who thought I should work for free since I "just do this out of my house" (like it was easier there than in a storefront).
I did not touch my machine for almost a year after a "customer" threatened me and stalked me. (police action taken).
Now I am a piece maker(!) and quilter, a student of all things fabric.
Hello, I am Barb, lover of life!

Originally Posted by wordpaintervs

I go by wordpainter and am a writer, albeit not paid YET. I am 72 and a retired nurse. I am working (sometimes..giggle) on rewrites for 3 different short novels, and have a list of e-mail 'fans' that like to follow my MUCH shorter writings that a friend maintains and makes pretty for me These stories go out over the internet in e-mail format. Much of my writings is of an inspirational but not preachy form. I've been told I paint pictures with my words...thus my ID.

I also make and give away cloth dolls for boys and girls (Usually aged 2 to 8) who have a devestating medical problem, and so far 117 dolls have found a child to love. The girl dolls take 12 hours to make and cost us $21 to $23 dollars each to mail out due to their size and having to ship via a 'mail-room'. The girls are topsy-turvy and all dolls have a simple embroidered face. One side wears a smile and the inside doll wears a sleepy face.

I also knit and crochet, make clothes for great grands and occassional do embroidery. I am a wannabee drawer but that is more rare. Too many wishes and to few hours. I just suppose I am a variety of many things and an expert at none.
I will try to attach a pic of 4 of the 117 dolls that went out awhile back to VERY sick children. Most of the dolls go out through the American Cancer society in my county and an adjoining one and they disburse them to these local areas free, otherwise we could not afford the expense. Long ago 2 children were 'laid to rest' with their dolls, so I am thinking they were loved. The girls are 24 inches tall and the boys are 28 inches tall.

Think I have written a letter instead of a simple reply. Sorry.


Vickey Stamps

Originally Posted by Sewnoma

I call myself a "maker". Or a "maker of things", if you want to get specific. LOL

At work, I'm a programmer, which is a fairly rigid sort of profession, and in my private life, I'm all about being creative and completely free. I paint - on all sorts of things with all sorts of paints. I sew - from quilts to curtains to flowery embroidery to funky stuffed monsters and all sorts of things in between. I make sculpture of robots and fish and birds and all sorts of oddities out of fimo clay and things I find around the house. I do beading - I make very boring jewelry out of very pretty stones. I cook massive batches of mushroom barley soup and bake awesome pineapple upside down cakes. I make soap out of all sorts of things - beer, wine, Tang, babyfood...I'll throw anything in there just to see what'll happen. I do bookbinding and have used anything from soda cans to old records as covers. I draw on anything with anything (especially during meetings at work). I glue stuff to other stuff, punch holes in it, wrap twine around it, melt it, burn it, dye it... There is no medium I won't try out, and I have a list longer than my arm of things I still want to learn how to do.

I've been told I'm an artist but I feel shy about applying that word to myself. To me, "artist" implies a certain level of mastery and I don't feel I've mastered anything except perhaps making messes - I am GREAT at that!!

I'm just a maker, I make stuff out of other stuff.

Oh, except I can't make squat out of yarn. I am pretty bad at crochet and ridiculously horrible at knitting. Not exaggerating, it's a complete disaster when I get knitting needles in my hands. I'm far better off using them as sculpture tools, or to clear a clogged hole punch! LOL

Originally Posted by MaryLane

I read a lot of blogs and articles on line. I find the way people refer to themselves and their skills/hobby interesting and sometimes amusing. So, what are you? A quilter, a tailor, seamstress, hobby sewer, etc...

I refuse to be called a quilter or a sewist. I sew everything, not just quilts and frankly, quilts are the least fun to sew but they are the best received gifts. The term "sewist" isn't even recognized in dictionaries and just drives me nuts.

So, I am pretty much a seamstress. I can and do sew most anything from upholstery to wedding gowns.

How about you?