Quilt Police

So how many of you are scared the quilt police are going to come and get you? Call you out for some quilting infraction? Point out your 'mistakes'? Or haul you off and throw you in some jail where you are fed three square meals a day that you don't have to cook? (now that does not sound so bad!)

Well people, let me tell you something......there are no quilt police, so alas, you and I are both cooking our three square meals today.

Of course there are the self appointed quilt poice. You know the type...."Gee look Mabel....her seams don't match. and looky here, she has a pucker where she tried quilting this herself. And gosh those colors, what was she thinking? tsk tsk"
Recently we had an incident where someone dissected a quilt Jeanne and I designed, literally picked it apart - right down to the name! I'm not sure who appointed her head of the quilting police, but there she was, letting us know what an abysmal job we had done with that particular design. At first we were offended, but quickly recovered and were able to laugh about it. I mean really, we are not going to be to everyones' taste....THAT is why there are so many styles of quilt shops, so may different fabrics and patterns out there!

Quilting is our hobby. It's what we, as women (and men) do for pleasure. And unless you are into perfection, or strictly making quilts to be entered in elaborately judged competitions, no one has any right to judge your work. So don't let them. You finished a quilt. Finished is sometimes better then perfect. A finished quilt will be used, a quilt top you never finished because you were frustrated that your seams weren't 'perfect' by someone else's standard of perfect...well...that's a sad waste of money isn't it?

Are you the type of person who says...."oh don't look too close" or "I really messed up here, look, right here...look at my mistake....."

Todays quilter has no business demeaning herself. Why do that? That's just inviting the quilting police into your life! Don't let them in!! You rock, you made a quilt! Yay you!! Celebrate that!! 

I often hear people say to me, "golly, I'm not nearly as good a quilter as you are"Are you freaking kidding me??? I'm a sloppy quilter and I would be the first person to admit it!! (and Jeanne right behind me!) I'm into speed and very often my seams don't align perfectly, I have threads everywhere, and sometimes.....my quilts don't lay flat. There. I said it. Out loud. And I'm still here. No one has hauled me off. (although those meals are sounding better and better!) So just because i own a quilt store and have written a book or two, you think I'm a fabulous quilter? HA! I just don't point out my mistakes....cause truly.....if you don't point them out....people won't notice.

Stretched a border to make it fit? Yes I have! And I'm still here!
Left a seam that didn't line up even though I could have MADE it line up by ripping and resewing? Yes I have! Still here!!!
Used a thread that didn't match....oh yes i sure did!
Got a pucker in the back of a quilt I quilted myself...you bet I have.
Didn't read the instructions, just looked at the pictures? Why yes, yes, I've done that!
Wavered in my 1/4 seam? I'm the queen of that!
Have my borders waved - your darn right they have!

And I'm still here. The quilt police haven't come for me yet.
Nor will they, cause I will kick their ass!
Now about those meals though........

Shelley