Ethical question about quilt shows

Polly, I'm on board for that f ield trip. BG

Sunny

Veering slightly from quilt shows, I notice in most of my classes, the
samples I make to advertise are what people want to make, exactly same
fabrics. A few will pick their own, but most like the one I did and one
one like that. My wife is like that. when I take a class it's because
she saw something she likes and wants the same thing, same fabrics, etc.
Maybe there are a lot of people like her who just like what they like
and don't care there are lots the same (like buying clothes at the store)

Every time I think about making a quilt for a show, I go to a show and
realize they all look so nice mine won't fit in or only stand out in a
bad way LOL, so don't enter anything. I do love to look though! and
dream, yea in my dreams I can do anything LOL!

Denny in Fort Wayne
http://community.webshots.com/user/kiteflyer54


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Cindy, there is a reason there are vast numbers of quilt kits for sale out
there- REAL quilters buy them and utilize them and make beautiful quilts
from those kits. You are no less a quilter for using a kit.

When I see a blue ribbon quilt at a "larger" show I want to see an original-
something someone has done that is very, very special and unique. It could
be an original interpretation of an old block that's been around forever or
a completely original design, an outstanding selection of fabrics, and, of
course, excellent workmanship. I also expect that people will note that it
was made from a quilt kit when appropriate- always give credit where credit
is due. And View's Choice is exactly that- some people voting from the
heart on the quilt that grabbed their eye- for whatever reason and nothing
else really matters to the voter.

I am a tiny bit bitter here- when the fabric store where I taught closed up,
I sold all my class samples. One 'lady' bought a log cabin quilt top that
was my original design, then she had it machine quilted and entered it- in
HER name- in a fairly large regional show and won a blue ribbon. She did
not acknowledge that I made the top, but she did acknowledge the machine
quilter. She did nothing but spend the money to BUY a top and BUY the
quilting. Now, how can she be called a quilter? That is where I really,
really draw the line!

Let the universe know that CINDY IS A *REAL* QUILTER!!! vbg

--

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.
leslie AT spunkyladycreations DOT com
www.spunkyladycreations.com


"teleflora" wrote in message
...
Wow! I didn't know that. Guess I'm back to being "not a real quilter"
again.

I am paralyzed by fabric choices. I am color-challenged when it comes to
more than 3 fabrics. If I had to wait till I made a decision, I'd never
sew a stitch. And the sewing is the favorite part for me. But I do make
sure people know that my little quilt sometimes come from kits. I also
use coordinated charm squares for many of my mini's. Would that be
considered cheating as well? What about the kits that are made up of
particular fabric lines. I see lots of quilts made from only Moda or RJR
collections.

I just don't get when I will be considered a real quilter. Maybe if I
hand dye the fabric I've woven on a loom, made up a brand new pattern,
hand pieced and hand quilted the thing, that will be good enough.

Cindy

"Lenore L" wrote in message
. ..

Most of us view kits as nice but a sort of "cheater quilt." I do think
it is unfair for the competition who has to pick their own fabrics. I
certainly think he/she should admit that it is a kit so the judges can
take that into accout.


"Sunny" wrote in message
oups.com...
I was admiring the gorgeous quilt that won the top prizes at this
year's local guild quilt show a few weeks back today. It was made by
one of the owners of the LQS here. I opined that picking the fabrics
must have been really a hoot when she said that she hadn't picked any,
it was a kit.

OK, I understand somebody entering a kitted quilt if they are just
getting started, but ...... this struck me as just a bit unethical.
The show is viewer's choice and the quilt is stunning. It's paper
pieced and the design just seems to glow. But she didn't really make
those fabric choices.

What do you folks think? Am I just being rude and snitty, as my DH
suggests?

Sunny

On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:51:55 -0500, Sunny wrote
(in article .com):

I was admiring the gorgeous quilt that won the top prizes at this
year's local guild quilt show a few weeks back today. It was made by
one of the owners of the LQS here. I opined that picking the fabrics
must have been really a hoot when she said that she hadn't picked any,
it was a kit.

OK, I understand somebody entering a kitted quilt if they are just
getting started, but ...... this struck me as just a bit unethical.
The show is viewer's choice and the quilt is stunning. It's paper
pieced and the design just seems to glow. But she didn't really make
those fabric choices.

What do you folks think? Am I just being rude and snitty, as my DH
suggests?

Sunny


I don't if its exactly unethical, but I would certainly add some sort of
acknowledgement that it was a kit, or BOM, or whatever when I enter a quilt
into our viewer's choice show.

Maureen

(not sure if this making sense or not. Still to early in the a.m.)

OHHHHHhh that would burn my butt!!!! Tiny bit bitter???? I'd be a lot
more that that!!!!!! hummm maybe I'm getting carried away with my
exclaimation marks....nooo maybe not!

--
Kathyl (KJ)
remove "nospam" before mchsi
http://community.webshots.com/user/kathylquiltz
"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message
...
Cindy, there is a reason there are vast numbers of quilt kits for sale out
there- REAL quilters buy them and utilize them and make beautiful quilts
from those kits. You are no less a quilter for using a kit.

When I see a blue ribbon quilt at a "larger" show I want to see an
original- something someone has done that is very, very special and
unique. It could be an original interpretation of an old block that's
been around forever or a completely original design, an outstanding
selection of fabrics, and, of course, excellent workmanship. I also
expect that people will note that it was made from a quilt kit when
appropriate- always give credit where credit is due. And View's Choice is
exactly that- some people voting from the heart on the quilt that grabbed
their eye- for whatever reason and nothing else really matters to the
voter.

I am a tiny bit bitter here- when the fabric store where I taught closed
up, I sold all my class samples. One 'lady' bought a log cabin quilt top
that was my original design, then she had it machine quilted and entered
it- in HER name- in a fairly large regional show and won a blue ribbon.
She did not acknowledge that I made the top, but she did acknowledge the
machine quilter. She did nothing but spend the money to BUY a top and BUY
the quilting. Now, how can she be called a quilter? That is where I
really, really draw the line!

Let the universe know that CINDY IS A *REAL* QUILTER!!! vbg

--

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.
leslie AT spunkyladycreations DOT com
www.spunkyladycreations.com


"teleflora" wrote in message
...
Wow! I didn't know that. Guess I'm back to being "not a real quilter"
again.

I am paralyzed by fabric choices. I am color-challenged when it comes to
more than 3 fabrics. If I had to wait till I made a decision, I'd never
sew a stitch. And the sewing is the favorite part for me. But I do make
sure people know that my little quilt sometimes come from kits. I also
use coordinated charm squares for many of my mini's. Would that be
considered cheating as well? What about the kits that are made up of
particular fabric lines. I see lots of quilts made from only Moda or RJR
collections.

I just don't get when I will be considered a real quilter. Maybe if I
hand dye the fabric I've woven on a loom, made up a brand new pattern,
hand pieced and hand quilted the thing, that will be good enough.

Cindy

"Lenore L" wrote in message
. ..

Most of us view kits as nice but a sort of "cheater quilt." I do think
it is unfair for the competition who has to pick their own fabrics. I
certainly think he/she should admit that it is a kit so the judges can
take that into accout.


"Sunny" wrote in message
oups.com...
I was admiring the gorgeous quilt that won the top prizes at this
year's local guild quilt show a few weeks back today. It was made by
one of the owners of the LQS here. I opined that picking the fabrics
must have been really a hoot when she said that she hadn't picked any,
it was a kit.

OK, I understand somebody entering a kitted quilt if they are just
getting started, but ...... this struck me as just a bit unethical.
The show is viewer's choice and the quilt is stunning. It's paper
pieced and the design just seems to glow. But she didn't really make
those fabric choices.

What do you folks think? Am I just being rude and snitty, as my DH
suggests?

Sunny

This discussion, seems to me, has gone back to where some of the other
discussions always go.

How we view ourselves through our quilts. Who is a "real" quilter and
who is not.

JMHO, We are all real quilters, doesn't matter if you use a kit, an
old sewing machine, scissors or rotary cutter. What matters, to me,
is if you have fun, learn, share and grow as a quilter.

When it is all said and done (finished) who cares is a shop owner used
a kit in a show? Fair? We could try to define fair until the
proverbial cows come home.

Cindy, you are a real quilter, don't take it personal. It is just a
discussion of no real importance and the full moon is coming. Isn't
Thursday night that there is a full moon. My DH is showing all the
signs. LOL

We could discuss Hand vs. Machine quilting again. VBG

You are all quilters!!!!

Peace and Piece,

Marsha, real as it gets quilter

"teleflora" wrote in message
...

I just don't get when I will be considered a real quilter. Maybe if I
hand dye the fabric I've woven on a loom, made up a brand new pattern,
hand pieced and hand quilted the thing, that will be good enough.


What, you aren't going to grow the cotton yourself? For shame! ;-)

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
Queen of Fabric Tramps

http://fabrictramp.typepad.com/fabric_tramping/
remove the obvious to reply

That is me too.
Taria

KJ wrote:
I buy some kits when I'm particularly attracted to all its
features...pattern, fabric selection etc. Then I work it up when I'm in the
mood to sew "mindlessly". Sometimes I don't really want the challenge of
picking out my fabrics. The actual sewing can be relaxing. I'd never enter
them in a quilt show without carefully recognizing the fact it was a kit,
where it came from, etc. But I DO like to have some kits on hand.

Cindy, you are a "real quilter" if you say you are. BG I think the big
topic here is that when kit is used for a quilt that is entered into
a show, that fact should be noted, and clearly, for both the judges and
the public. There is a difference in difficulty between making a quilt
"from scratch", ie. using a pattern then selecting all the fabrics for
that pattern, cutting and constructing the quilt, etc. and making it
from a kit where the pattern and fabric selections are done for you.
It is similar to making a cake from scratch, using a recipe then the
flour, sugar, etc. versus making a cake from a mix. You are a baker, and
"make" both types of cakes, but one takes additional skills. BG You
could even equate the icing with the actual quilting of the quilt. Some
people make/do their own, some purchase it. BG

You are a perfect example of one reason why kits are so popular.VBG
And there is nothing wrong with them or you. I think one of the keys is
a bit lost from the OP's question...... evidently there were a lot of
fabrics in the quilt mentioned. The success of the finished quilt
depended, a lot, on the selection of the fabrics. The fact that it was
made from a kit was *not* noted in the info provided about the quilt.
Once the info was obtained that a kit was involved, the OP felt "let
down" about the skills of the quilt maker....... in that she didn't
select the fabrics, evidently quite a few of them, which made the quilt
pattern "sing".

I love choosing fabrics. I love helping others "shake things up" by
sneaking in some unusual fabric choices to spark a quilt. BG Not
everyone does. It is a skill that can be learned, but not everyone wants
to learn it, or has time to learn it. That does not make them less a
quilter, just a quilter who concentrates on other skills. G
Historically many quilts were made of just 2 fabrics, or 2 colors. Think
of all the red-and-white, and blue-and-white quilts that are so well
known. Or the red, green and bit of yellow on white applique quilts. Not
a lot of "thinking" that goes into selecting those colors/fabrics. But
they are still classics. (I am not downplaying those quilts or others
like them. G Just using them as examples.... )Of course in the past
there were often a lot fewer choices of fabrics too. VBG

This has gotten a lot longer than I intended, sorry. VBG There are
lots of skills in making a quilt. Most of us are better at some than
others. All of us who make quilts are "real quilters". It is just the
matter of disclosure and "truth in advertising" that is the problem I
think. G Giving credit where credit is due and all that. And not
taking credit for something someone else did. VBG

Have fun, make quilts, and enjoy it.
Pati, in Phx.
http://community.webshots.com/user/PatiCooks


teleflora wrote:
Wow! I didn't know that. Guess I'm back to being "not a real quilter"
again.

I am paralyzed by fabric choices. I am color-challenged when it comes to
more than 3 fabrics. If I had to wait till I made a decision, I'd never sew
a stitch. And the sewing is the favorite part for me. But I do make sure
people know that my little quilt sometimes come from kits. I also use
coordinated charm squares for many of my mini's. Would that be considered
cheating as well? What about the kits that are made up of particular fabric
lines. I see lots of quilts made from only Moda or RJR collections.

I just don't get when I will be considered a real quilter. Maybe if I hand
dye the fabric I've woven on a loom, made up a brand new pattern, hand
pieced and hand quilted the thing, that will be good enough.

Cindy

On Oct 23, 1:04 pm, Sunny wrote:
Wow, imagine my surprise to open the NG today and see all this
discussion about my question! I like all the answers. They make me
think about this in a new way. I'll take back my snitty remarks (made
only to my husband) and remember that worksmanship is what it is. I
believe, deeply, that along with acknowledging the quilter of a piece,
the piecer should acknowledge the kit, pattern, etc.

Sunny

I actually hold a lot of respect for people who make those stunning
quilts from a kit. I shy away from kits because I'd never manage
to finish the thing without screwing up at least once and then
running short of fabric.

Sherry