Hello!
I wrote recently about unearthing things during a spring cleaning of my sewing room. You won't believe the most surprising thing I found: my own hand quilting.
Like a lot of us, I hand quilted everything during my early quilting journey. I babysat my granddaughter (now an adult) and while she napped I hand quilted at the dining room table. I quilted every single day...for years until she went to school.
But then an old aunt of mine looked at my work and was critical of the size of my stitches; she also said they were uneven. Now normally I wouldn't take criticism like that to heart but I respected my old aunt and I stopped showing people my quilting.
Eventually (because of my hands), I stopped hand quilting all together.
But here's the thing...
I own hundreds of antique and vintage quilts. I've studied hundreds (or thousands) more. I know what hand quilting is supposed to look like.
But during the last few decades, I never even looked at some of the old baby quilts I had made. I just packed them away until this past month.
But when I brought them out to iron and fold differently, I noticed my stitches...and I was shocked. My stitches were fairly small and very even. I have no idea what my aunt was criticizing.
When I thought about it a while, it occurred to me that my aunt didn't even quilt. I don't remember her doing any handwork. Don't get me wrong, I'm not mad at my aunt. I am disappointed in myself for internalizing her opinion.
I remembered this article and this photograph:
I didn't stop hand quilting because of my aunt's comments. Carpel tunnel and other hand problems arose and I switched to machine quilting.
Still, I wonder how many of you have encountered the same kind of discouragement about your sewing and how it impacted you.
Have a safe and happy day.
I'm so sorry your aunt's comment bothered you like that! I always think people who are critical like that must not realize how they come out sounding. I think your stitches look wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you found your hand quilting and are able to see it from a different perspective now. It a shame that we tend to remember the criticism more than the compliments.
ReplyDeleteWow that is impactful! I am amazed at your story, and yes I relate a bit. My first quilting lessons were at a quilt shop in Oklahoma City in 2010. The teacher was a substitute for the regular teacher, who was ill. I have a feeling this substitute did not want to teach. I learned how to cut fabric very well, and we managed to make 4 basic blocks, but she was not what I would call a "fun" teacher. She was a real stickler on "points", and I almost shredded my blocks after removing the stitches time after time in order to get my points right. It was years before I felt the freedom in my sewing room to have points that did not match and not feel "undone" about it.
ReplyDeleteIn 1982, I took a class in hand quilting. I don't remember much about it, but we put a little block together with hand stitches, and although I don't remember a thing she said, the teacher was very kind and encouraging. I wish I still had that block. Years ago I gave it to Goodwill because I didn't think I'd ever do anything with it or make quilts. I'd love to see how I did with those stitches!