I had a young quilter contact me this week for a batting. And she needed it quickly so i sent it off straight away..
I just heard from her again this morning and she was so discouraged.
She had been into a local quilt shop where she was berated for her choices in thread, binding technique plan, and her decision to not pre-wash..
She was so discouraged, in fact, that she was contemplating whether she should continue to quilt or not...
I was appalled. As a craft, many of us desire to see quilting thrive. And it is seeing a resurgence in those trying to learn the art of quilting.
But, like all crafts, and forms of art, I do not believe there is "one right way" to quilt. And I do not think we will attract young quilters who may be able to learn some of the intricacies of quilting when we approach them with the "rules" from the past.
None of her choices were going to "ruin" her quilt, her machine, or most importantly, the gift of love she was offering to someone in this quilt.
To encourage the love of the art, perhaps as shop owners, we ought to embrace that our jobs are just that..to encourage "art" the way the creative person is envisioning. I am not saying we cannot offer helpful pointers about getting good cuts, or angles or strip piecing..But when we offer "our advice" without being asked, we are simply trying to assert our "right way" over someone else's idea..
I have no time for that. The world is already full of people who are discouraged at every turn. If you cannot lift someone up in their endeavor...well, maybe quiet is the answer..
Wishing you a happy quilting day,
barb
