After my Thoughts On Quilt Shows I realized something! Where has my reasoning gone? What have I been thinking? I have been there and already done that! In addition, after talking with my Quilting Angels, Jaydee, Jan, Gretchen and Gretchen’s Post about having someone quilt your quilts, I have made a decision that I think is the best for me!
I am basing my decision on looking back to 2013 when I did send quilts out to a quilter and was marked down on her quilting, but my scores were perfect. I do believe after that experience I had decided that I would do my own quilting and not pay just to please a Judge who probably never quilted a quilt in her life! I thank Laura for her comment on my post from yesterday. She forced me to remember how I felt when I realized that I had spent good money just for someone to not care enough to provide me her best work!
At the beginning of this month I had really begun to reduce any issues that would cause me to become stressed. One week ago someone was able to trigger a stressful event which cost me some restless sleep and concern. I had made an appointment with a quilter only for her to call me 3 weeks later and give me an unbelievable reason for not being able to do my quilts. I spent 2 days trying to find another quilter and let my mind go racing and get back on the stress train! This also cost me time in meeting my quilting goals. I was in a dither about spending so much money just to be competitive with others! WHAT WAS I THINKING?
But it was through this stress process that now, a week later, that I am waking up to the fact that the world and the quilting world has changed. If I wanted to be like others who are spending a ton of money to find the perfect quilter to quilt a pretty quilt and hope to gain that illusive Best of Show and Blue Ribbons, please count me out!
There is a process that has to take place before the show happens. This involves paperwork, cost to enter the show, and the cost to have the quilt quilted to meet a personal judgmental decision on one’s work by Judges or just quilt it myself and let the public enjoy my work! Then there is the time to take the quilt before the Show and return to pick it up. I have never entered a show where I would have to mail it. Do not trust the mail!
Looking back at a week-ago, I was happy, sleeping great, Diabetes was really doing good, and up jumped the devil and things started going South! I wonder if I will ever learn that stress is the thing that has caused most of my autoimmune problems? It certainly caused Diabetes to come knocking. They can play havoc with my days when I am stressed and it is no longer fun feeling so bad when I can prevent this from happening. I must realize that I can control stress in my life now – not someone else!
So to my quilting Angels (and I guess I need to thank the quilter who cancelled – she was extremely expensive) Jan, Jaydee, Gretchen, Laura, and my buddy of 39 years Wanda were trying to gently help me realize that I was happier last year when I was making quilts just to enjoy the process! Jaydee and Gretchen encourage me every day to enjoy the process and fire up that Handi Quilter and get my quilts completed. At the end of the day I can say that “I made this quilt” and it would be true!
What I have learned since I became involved in Guilds and Quilt Shows, politics play a much bigger role in a Quilt Guild than I EVER realized! I felt that women were there to share and help other quilters. But that is not the real world – heck I put up with that for 38 years. Maybe I need to be thankful that I do not fit in with a group of women who are ‘groupies’ and are envious of those who are better quilters! Who needs that in their lives?
I believe that with the years I have left in life I want to enjoy each day as it comes and make those quilts that I have always wanted to make without wanting to compete. Maybe I need to join Instagram to show my work – it is free!
I wish to thank all quilters to take the time to follow me on my journey and provide comments. I learn from each and everyone of you. I am beginning to think about all the quilts I have made and what to do with them after I am gone. I wonder if a Museum would want them, after all, Traditional quilters are soon to become a thing of the past if it has already not happened! LOL!
Have a wonderful week — ME? I will not enter anymore into Quilt Shows, but I will have a couple quilted with my new quilter Tammy! But no custom work – I would rather take the money and head to the Casino and have fun! After all, as Denzel Washington has said, “I never saw a U-Haul Trailer behind a Hearse” !
Nanette
Chopin - A Passionate Quilter From Texas 
That’s the spirit!! Just enjoy life. You won’t believe how many positive comments I get on my YouTube videos because I “keep it real”. I make mistakes and things are not perfect, but I am ME and people appreciate that. Even Jenny Doan has become a millionaire because her mantra is “Finished is better than perfect” and when she sees you might make a mistake, she says, “Don’t die over it.” The whole political thing is present in every aspect of any type of competition so I say you’re better off!
LikeLike
Yes, I have been through the quilt shows, raised Show Pigs in the 1980’s, and had horses in the 1980’s. Then it was bad enough, but to do this now is actually stupid. Heck I do believe this is why I started my Blog to show my work. Maybe Pinterest would be good also and be able to get the reaction to my work from other quilters. Maybe eventually they will no long have enough quilters who want to do what the Judges want!
Have a great day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well said and I’m glad you are back on the happy train for your health and life.
Hugs, Marcia in TX
LikeLike
Thank you Marcia. Standing at a long arm all day is very hard, and there is really no room for human error on FMQ, Those expensive machines that are computerized would be great, but not for a hobby! Are you getting the cold front yet? We will be soon! Good ole’ Texas weather we have summer, winter, fall and spring all during the winter time! LOL
LikeLike
I’m quite sure you made the best decision possible. Quilt what you love, love what you have made and be sure to use it too! And, if you can, give away one of your favorite quilts to someone in need, that is powerful!
LikeLike
I just need to continue to enjoy making my quilts without the stress that one can put on themselves being a Type A! LOL. I did a project for the Soldiers in 2006 at the Fischer House in San Antonio. It was so rewarding. Thx for commenting.
LikeLike
I am one of your followers and don’t think that I have ever left a message for you. One year I entered a quilt in my guild’s quilt show because “they” didn’t think they would have a good showing of quilts. I had made my sister-in-law a quilt when she was ordained. I had ordered several fabrics from different shops to get the fabrics in the line to make the quilt for her. Some of the fabrics required a minimum of a yard purchased and some required 1/2 yard minimum purchase. So, I had extra fabric, so I made a “twin” quilt for our (my second husband was alive at the time) bed at the time. I entered our quilt. I had a horrible experience years early when I entered cross stitch in a contest. I was told I had chosed the wrong wood for the frame. I chose it to match a secretary in my in-laws house. Of course, there was no place on the form to notate that. Anyhow, back to the quilt. Not every planning to enter another competition, I had out quilt quilted with a panto. So, of course, the quilting remarks were poor. However, all my piecing remarks were superior. I was shocked. At age 52, I had stage 2B breast cancer and 6 weeks later, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia which put me on my bum. I did go back to work for a short time and I don’t know how I did that. Eventually, I had to apply for social security disability and received it on the first try. After my husband died over 5 1/2 years ago, I haven’t even touched my sewing machine. I did serve as librarian of the local guild. When I did that, I went to the board meetings and found out what a bunch of back biting women most of them are – those on the board. Then one of my friends wanted to be co-librarian and she only wanted to do what she wanted to do – not everything. I ended up dropping out. Then she was librarian and did not do everything. I haven’t been back. It’s sad that a few ruin the experience for all. I bought 1/2 of a long arm with a different – now ex-friend and she has it. I figure it I ever piece that I’ll probably have to quilt by hand or pay by check which is more likely and see if I can find someone to panto. Those who are pros don’t want to panto though. I am sorry for the pain this has caused you. I know that stress throws diabetes and fibromyalgia both into fits. Please stay close to your friends who care about you.
LikeLike
Do not know how long the internet will stay up, but I enjoyed your comment so much! I could take up a whole post in just talking about the things you and I have been through with friends and women! I feel so much better now that I know I will do as many of the quilts I can and maybe only send out 3 for some E to E.
I prefer to go on a trip in March, then I want new carpeting this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The carpeting will last much longer than the show!
LikeLike
I doubt you will ever regret your decision Nanette!
LikeLike
You bet you Kathy – more time to have fun doing hand work and completing my quilts totally and not having someone else do it! Hope you are doing well. Our internet ISP is supposedly upgrading our equipment! Let’s hope it only is bad like this for a week or so! Thx for the support!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know the whole story, Nanette, but it sounds like you’re in a better place now and that can only be a good thing. Sending you a big hug telepathically!
LikeLike
Well, in 2015 Clay’s son died, my son died in Jan 2017! Along that time there were other stressful things! We are doing fine now and this was to be my year of getting all finished and going forward with very little stress! I had forgotten how much stress there is in entering a quilt in a Quilt Show! Not going there! Take care and thank you for commenting and the support!
LikeLike
Gosh it is so easy for us to get ourselves all worked up.
My son has been sewing with his daughter to help her make things to sell to raise money for her to go on trips with her high school.
Along the way he designed a quilt he has done the cutting and sewing with a few other people helping him here and there. So not all squares cut the same size not all seams are the same. He is okay with how his quilt is coming along and is making decisions about how to deal with how to get the rows to fit to each other. He has from the beginning said he would pay to have it quilted and enter it in the local fair . He is not stressed he is interested in figuring out the puzzle to make it fit to get done. This quilt is definitely a project he is doing for himself not to please anyone else but I do hope other people will enjoy looking at it when done
LikeLike
I am sure that they will. It takes time to really learn the ins and outs of quilting. I just knew because I made all of my clothes from 10 to 30 years of age that I would be an instant quilter. That did not happen. I am self taught, self educated by reading books, etc! Best way to learn by our mistakes. Have a wonderful day and tell you son to just go forward and people will enjoy seeing his hard work!
LikeLike
I don’t care anything about ribbons from a quilt show so do not make my quilts with that in mind. Do what makes you happy. The creative process makes me happy and not competition.
LikeLike
You know if the last 4 years would have been different I would still be showing driving myself nuts! So a lot of good comes out of bad things! Thx Karen
LikeLike
Well said and go quilt enjoy.
LikeLike
Thank you Ms Jaydee – GET WELL!
LikeLike
Hi Nanette! I am super glad you came to your senses. As I was reading your last post, I find that judging is uniform in any arena. Quilting judging has guidelines certainly, and if you are going to put your heart and soul in to selecting the perfect pattern and difficulty, carefully buying the perfect fabric, piecing beyond perfect, and then you put the quilting end into someone else’s hands? That is completely out of your control. They may be the best quilter in the whole world, but even that person will have a bad day. A knot on the back that they didn’t notice. And then you get dinged for it?! It just seems wrong, and very stressful. But that just explains why I have never submit anything for judging – besides the fact that I don’t think I’m good enough. So yay to stress-free quilting and enjoying the process and loving what you’re doing. Because life is just too short for anything else, at least for me. {{Hugs}} And thank goodness for good friends to gently remind us! ~smile~ Roseanne
LikeLike
I appreciate so many that are supporting me and understanding the last 2 indepth posts! I am so happy that I have made the decision – Amazing how indecision can stall progress on anything! – Even sleep and mood!!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you came to this conclusion–life is too short to be stressed out over something that should be enjoyed! I follow a couple of “ribbon chasers” and wonder why they do it–it seems so painful to me–lol!
LikeLike
They make some great quilts, but to compete against Paper Piecing, non-traditional applique, and modern quilts – no longer worth any of it. New Carpeting and a trip to a Casino sounds like more fun to me!!! Thank you for your supporting words! It is so appreciated to know that I am not an island to myself! Hugs
LikeLike