I realized at the last guild program that I'm in a group with a bunch of SNOBS! Yeah, that's right! Snobs! Thread snobs. Fabric snobs. Ruler snobs. Notions snobs. Machine snobs! Pattern snobs! Seems we all have our favorites that we swear by and are willing to defend to the death. Well, okay, maybe not to the death but we really like what we like.
I feel bad. You see, I played along...but I was afraid because I have a secret. I agreed, "Yes! Superior thread! Woohoo!" At other times I have said, " Yes! Moda fabric! Kona! Mostly Freespirit! Yes yes yes! " And when we're discussing where to buy fabric I'm nodding my head in agreement that we should ONLY buy quilt shop fabric. Then I go home to my secret...discount fabrics, cheap thread, off brand notions, and free patterns. *gulp* Don't get me wrong, I have a ton (too much!) of the good stuff, but I'm definitely guilty of trying to save a nickel. I understand the premise that you should only use quality fabric if you're putting in all that time and effort to make a quilt. I also understand being thrifty. I like to splurge on fabulous print fabric but then use Hobby Lobby or Joann solids to stretch it. Lol! I like to piece with Coats&Clark but quilt with Superior.
My goal when making a quilt is to make something that someone I love will love. My quilts aren't for hanging in a museum but for covering someone I love to keep them warm. The show quilts are fabulous and I am in awe of my friends who are that talented and committed to the art. I just don't have that kind of dedication. The beauty of quilting is that there's room for every kind of quilter. Beginners, competitors, art quilters, modern, traditional, and me (a combination of the labels). The quilting community is, for the most part, a welcoming and encouraging group of people.
The thought of one of my quilts being judged in a show freaks me out. Show & Tell gives me the vapors. But something one of our members said last week gave me pause..."If you don't enter your quilts in shows there won't be quilt shows. " (Cheryl Moore) Yikes. That would be awful! All that beauty and inspiration no longer available? Noooooo! Something to think about fo sho.
I hope you're enjoying this perfect quilting and sewing weather! It's too hot to do anything that doesn't involve air conditioning and being indoors. I look forward to seeing what you're working on...either at a meeting or...dare I say...at a quilt show!
Choose kind...
Angie Clemons
oh my. I am not a snob of any kind, I use what I have, I buy what I like and there is plenty of OLD Joann fabric in my stash. I do like the new quilt shop fabrics and probably have too much of it (who am I kidding, I am overloaded) but I like a bargain just like everyone else. My threads are whatever I have that matches what I am sewing on. Never used King Tut or Superior, but if it came my way, I might. I am on a budget and trying to be thrifty. I am even PURGING my stash and bringing in bags to the TMQG for them to root through and take what they want. I do often download FREE patterns from the internet and occasionally buy a pattern but not often. I do what I like, sometimes the patterns spring from my head, simple as they are but pleasing. I guess I am old school. Or maybe a variation on Dr. Suess. I do what I like and I like what I do. Giggle. Yep, thats me. But I do put some quilts in a show each year, some to be judged, some not. I blew some peoples minds this year with a PANEL that I put in, just bordered and bound. And let it be judged. Didn't care. It was the colors that drew me in and I wanted others to enjoy it too. And so sweet Angie, lets put our quilts out there to be admired for our work, our design choice and maybe they will please someone else too.
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