Thank you for the re-post love!

I love the difference we make. I can’t imagine a world without it!

I love your attitude Sam, and so glad you opened this up for discussion! It’s always so exciting when a new quilter shows their first quilt and get a wonderful response. We do love seeing those new quilters and encouraging them!

Hi MaryAnn! Isn’t it funny that what we hear is altered by what we know and think?! More than one person mentioned to me that they thought that her comments at the beginning were divisive… and one person was deeply offended – she felt like her commitment to the charity work she does was disrespected, and that her calling to do that charity work was dismissed as unimportant because it wasn’t “art”. For me (and let me underline that… FOR ME) I’m on board for anyone approaching quilting however they want to, and to have the opinions they want to have. The trouble with strong opinion making around art is that it can seriously freeze people up, especially when it comes from a speaker – and THAT is what I was writing about. I WANT PEOPLE TO NOT BE SO UPTIGHT ABOUT BEING RIGHT THAT THEY QUIT MAKING ART. I’ve heard from numerous people down south, up here, and online, that they’re scared to show their quilts in a modern guild for fear of being told their work isn’t “modern enough”. They’ve read the MQG definition and can’t figure out if they fit it or not.They overhear a snide comment or two (and I’ve heard those comments from guild leaders modern and otherwise over the last 20 years) and they are scared of being judged. WE ARE ALL SCARED OF BEING JUDGED – we join a group looking to fit in, not to be told we don’t. Hopefully, we will all eventually build up the confidence to make our own thing and be damned with what other people think, but when you’re still figuring it out, it stings to hear that you might be considered uncool by the “in” crowd.
Being told in kindergarten that leaves should always be green and skies should always be blue is a surefire way to turn off our natural desire to be makers… so do divisive and judgmental statements in the quilt world – and I just want to be the person that encourages people to color anyway they want to!
As you and I have talked about before… we aren’t in control of how people take remarks, and we certainly can’t make everyone happy!! But I think we can certainly work more towards more welcoming and accepting words. And supreme care with remarks of critique 🙂

“I’m surprised at this and I took it completely differently. I know the speaker and know what she was trying to say, so perhaps that flavored what I heard. Which was, “don’t waste your time making ugly charity quilts (or entering challenges or ____ other things you feel obligated to do) instead of making what you truly want to make and what makes you happy.” Some people do crank out ugly charity quilts, using crappy fabric (I’ve heard this directly from some of our charities. While a person who is cold will obviously appreciate anything to help keep them warm, some things charities receive are not especially appropriate to their particular needs.) Of course, I don’t think anyone in our guild does that and I’ve worked hard for two years now developing our charity program. I’m bummed that people let one phrase (possibly taken out of context/mis-remembered) to color an experience.”

I didn’t see this as having anything to do with judging others or not being inclusive, more as a way to set yourself free. If you don’t want to make charity quilts, don’t do it. If you would rather work on a personal project than work on yet another guild challenge, don’t accept that fabric.

I’m bummed that people took the speech in this way but am interested in hearing everyone’s thoughts. We had a ton of positive feedback after this meeting so I appreciate hearing the other side too. And, knowing the speaker, I know there would have been some really great dialogue with this all hashed up were it raised at the meeting.