Over the last 12 years or so, I have watched the “modern” quilting thing burble up from the morass of the internet and become A Thing. Lately, though, I’ve been exasperated by how it’s become more rigid and controlling it is. Can’t we all just make quilts already, and support each other without having to pick each other apart (soundtrack for that here)?
Maddie over at BadAss Quilter’s Society wrote about this yesterday in her post “Dont’ Be a Jerk About Quilting”, and I thought I’d share it here because what she said resonates with me. I consider myself a BadAss, particularly because I really don’t care what you make, as long as you’re making it. I don’t have a stake in telling you what to do with your art, your craft, your love of fabric, other than that I want to support you in it as much as I can. If uber precision is your bag, or improv gets your heart racing and gives you a giddy smile? Rock on, my friends, rock on.
What does NOT work for me is the sniping and snarking that seems endless about people’s art and craft. Making stuff can be a sacred act in my mind, and I if I can, my goal is to help others be happy in their act of making stuff, whether that means quilting the tops for them, giving sources for learning knew things, whatever. The making is what matters. So, here’s Maddie’s own words, because they speak volumes:
To be a BadAss Quilter is to be confident enough to embrace your own style without the need to mock the style of others. To at least aspire to fearlessness in your craft as well as authentic, compassionate and ethical treatment of each other. To be generally opposed to dumb-ass behavior that separates, denigrates or makes light of another’s work, style or lifestyle. In short, we are opposed to being a jerk about most things and about quilting most of all.
Be happy in your work, friends. Let me know what you think, if you care to share, in the comments. Better yet, go show Maddie some love!
amen!
Maddie was spot on! Amanda, I am sure quilting went out of fashion years ago because of all the rigidness and control from the attitude that there is only one way to make a quilt. If there are not voices like Maddie that tell new quilters to go for it and make what you love then it will drop by the side again. How sad would that be? I know I was leery of quilting in the beginning because I was afraid of what everyone would say. The drama that seems to keep popping up in the internet about what is modern and what is not drives me crazy and I just go quilt and don’t get involved. I really love quilting, not sure if I am a BadAss Quilter yet but that gives me something to aspire too!
Personally, after being really supportive of the modern quilting thing, I think many people of the modern quilting movement have turned into the new quilting police. Too many rules, too many guidelines, and unnecessary snark. Which, come to think of it, is true for other types of quilting, too. Make what you love, love what you make. And if you don’t love it, then make something different the next time.
Another Amen from me. I don’t want to have to worry if I am doing it “wrong”. I’m just doing it my way, period.
I have been thinking about this lately too, I make art quilts and someone commented that it isn’t like art because of the binding and that it is fabric. It made me doubt myself and what I was making and I tried to change and tried using canvas… it sucked 🙂 and now I am back using fabric and feeling great. There is the answer for me, when I feel happy and great then I know it is right for me. So what if some people don’t think it is art. other people do and they have bought it off me 🙂 Thanks for your comments, helps me feel that I am not going crazy :).
Hi Jane, thanks for your comment! Quilting is a funny thing, and is so tied up with a long history of “perfect and right” being a reflection of good womanly values and whatnot. Breaking out of that box can be so much like breaking out of expected gender roles that it really frightens some people. Challenges likes that can sometimes not sit well with a person who doesn’t want to rouse their mind, you know? I think it’s great you make what you love. You know how on facebook there are those who consistently post motivational quotes? There is one that I have seen that has really stuck with me, “doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will” which is so, so true. Good for you for moving past the doubt and making *your* vision and *your* work the way that speaks to you. You’re totally not crazy, and I would even argue you’re more sane than most 😉