I Quilt: Proud to be a Quilter

By

It’s Thursday, yay!  That means I get to quilt all day tomorrow and read your linkys <3  Firstly, thank you so much for all your comments last week!!  You’ve really made me think about what it is that I want, how we’re all going through a similar journey and how much I have to be grateful for.  Thank you!!  Following on from the theme of last week; (re)defining success, I want to talk about pride.  A few times recently I have almost said, “I’m a quilter” but have ended up saying something like, “I’m a textile artist/designer”.  Today I’m going to shout it out; I’m proud to be a quilter!  Don’t forget to link up your quilt process and feel free to share your thoughts about being a quilter. Quilters rock!

i quilt blog button

This week I’m featuring the hugely talented Midge of Ms Midge.  Midge and I have never met but are very close online friends.  I’m not sure how that all started, but it did and now we chat online most days and help each other out, sharing advice and lending an ear when needed.  Midge has been quilting for 2.5 years (and is super organised and has all of her quilts in two pages on her blog 2013 and 2014) and holy heck, she is good!  With four kids, a successful handmade business and a job outside the home, I don’t know where she finds the time to quilt!  I suspect she has a clone or robot or something, because the rate at which she pumps out her amazing projects is truly astounding!!

Image used with permission from Ms Midge

Ages ago Midge wrote a thinky post (she’s good at them, you should follow her blog) and among other things she wrote that I was the first person to call her a quilter.  I’m pretty sure that was around the time that I also called her crazy for taking on a quarter square triangle quilt as (I think) her second ever quilt ;)  The point is, I was so touched and so proud that my encouragement meant so much to her.  She is awesome, she doesn’t need me to tell her that, and yet I’m compelled to do so.  We NEED to encourage each other, it feels good to make others feel good and we can take pride in being not only awesome quilters, but a community that encourages, shares and connects at a meaningful level.

Image used with permission from Ms Midge

In keeping with the theme I asked Midge to share three quilts that she is most proud of.  She selected the above two and the following quilt.  Midge is most proud of her triangle quilt below because the quilting looks perfect from the back.  Only a quilter would get that, the pleasure at not only having a beautiful quilt from the front, but knowing that you’ve done a damn good job and the back is worthy of being put on show.  You should be proud Midge, all three quilts are beautiful and a testament to your drive, determination, skill and good taste!!

Image used with permission from Ms Midge

I don’t know if I can choose one quilt that I am most proud of.  I guess it was probably mean of me to ask Midge to select only three!  Every quilt is special, a learning experience, a meaningful gift, a profitable sale.  There is pride to be found in each quilt and we should be proud of what we do.

Rainbow I Spy Quilt

My son’s Rainbow I Spy quilt is probably one that I can pick out as being super proud of.  It’s not my favourite quilt of all time (although I’m pretty sure it was at the time), but I was/am proud of myself for working out the layout.  It is pieced and was made by fussy cutting every novelty print I had in my stash at that time, placing them in a rainbow gradient and then working out how to piece them.  I learnt a heap from that project and gained a lot of confidence.  Plus my son loves it and sleeps under it every night <3

Rainbow I Spy quilt on bed

So next time I find myself talking to someone outside the quiltosphere about my passion I’m going to tell them that I’m a quilter and not feel the need to hide behind a cool title, explain that it really is for awesome peeps or talk it down as just a hobby.  Maybe I’ll get it printed on a t-shirt…. ;)

i quilt blog button

Now it’s time to link up your quilty process <3  Big love to all the quilters out there xxx

An InLinkz Link-up



 

13 Comments on I Quilt: Proud to be a Quilter

  1. Ms Midge
    May 8, 2014 at 9:45 pm (1 week ago)

    Oh I love it Gem! Thank you so very much for featuring me here. You know you’re my Quilty Bff and I never could have gotten to where I am now in my quilty world without your encouragement and help. Love you long time. Oh, and you know I’m going to go find where I can get those T’s printed!?!?! xxxx

    Reply
  2. Laurelle C
    May 9, 2014 at 12:31 am (1 week ago)

    I know, what is that about when you tell people you make quilts! I feel like they are going to think I make little old Granny quilts! I am 46 and new to modern quilting and totally addicted! I have five kids all still at home so finding time is tricky but quilts are totally awesome! Thank you to you and all the awesome bloggers on the internet for making me feel normal :)
    Tell everyone you are an awesome quilter! :)

    Reply
  3. Christine Feldstein
    May 9, 2014 at 12:57 am (1 week ago)

    All those quilts are great and so is the machine quilting!

    Reply
  4. Terri Ann
    May 9, 2014 at 1:35 am (1 week ago)

    Please excuse me while I pin every single one of her quilts!!! Thanks for sharing with us!

    Reply
  5. Carol Mcdowell
    May 9, 2014 at 7:06 am (7 days ago)

    I have never met a quilter I didn’t like. They are a creative and fun loving bunch who would take the shirt off their back or fabric out of their stash to help a friend in need. So yes be proud to call yourself a quilter. I make mostly art quilts so I hope my process posts are ok here. I heard you on creative mojo and really like the process post link up idea :-)

    Reply
  6. Celine @ espritpatch
    May 9, 2014 at 8:33 am (7 days ago)

    Wow, lots of gorgeous quilts!

    Reply
  7. Leanne Parsons
    May 9, 2014 at 9:32 am (7 days ago)

    I’d love an “I am a quilter” shirt! We do tend to downplay what we do, don’t we? And yet what we do is awesome and beautiful and so much fun, so we should be proud. Thanks for this post.

    Reply
  8. Diana @ Red Delicious Life
    May 9, 2014 at 11:04 am (7 days ago)

    Such beautiful quilts! Having a quilting BFF is such a great thing! I’m a new quilter (only for the last year) and don’t really know any other quilters so I learn from all of the quilting blogs I follow. Thank you for sharing all that you do!

    Reply
  9. Jen
    May 9, 2014 at 2:26 pm (6 days ago)

    A wonderful and encouraging blog today Gemma, thanks so much. The quilting world is pretty darn cool to be part of and as a newbie blogger, I’m finding it really refreshing and encouraging. So much inspiration out there can be a little daunting but it certainly makes me want or quilt in most of my spare time. Hats off to you Gemma! Looking forward to catching up with you at the next local MQG meeting….

    Reply
  10. Ian Morrison
    May 9, 2014 at 5:44 pm (6 days ago)

    Just quilt “I’m a quilter and proud of it” and sew that on your t-shirt. Beautiful work from so many people but you’re still my favourite.

    Reply
  11. Serena @ Sewgiving
    May 9, 2014 at 7:35 pm (6 days ago)

    When I say “I quilt” to people they look at me strange. So I’ve stopped telling people … maybe I should start again?

    Reply
  12. Vera
    May 10, 2014 at 8:02 am (6 days ago)

    I hesitated to call myself a quilter but I feel I’m getting there :-) With a designer’s wall and some quilt in progress I guess I’m a one too ;-)

    Reply
  13. Lea
    May 11, 2014 at 12:57 am (5 days ago)

    When I used to tell people I’m a quilter it was often met with a confused look. But it seems today non-quilters know someone who is a quilter. I think quilting has become more appreciated than it used to be, by non-quilters. Maybe at the simplest level because someone made something beautiful (and usable) with their own 2 hands? Something of quality, not off an assembly line. Quilters are amazing folks. They help each other with projects, with other parts of life and rally together to help and support a good cause(s) through their quilts over and over again.

    Reply

Leave a Reply