I was surfing the Net the other day looking for the bunny in the Fab Shop Hop and came upon a charming web site for The Quilt Haus of New Braunfels, Texas. In the process of exploring the web site I found this letter written by the owner of the shop, Deanne Quill. I immediately e-mailed her to ask for permission to print it in our newsletter because of its universal appeal to all quilters. She graciously allowed me to share it with you.
Dear Friends,
My “summer resolution” was to make time for more personal quilting. With time at a premium, I’m having to find a balance between quilting “done well” and just plain “done.” So I’ve been rather tuned in to comments on “perfect” quilting.
We love show-and-tell at The Quilt Haus, yet I’ve noticed that imperfections are frequently pointed out, and how often we hear “It’s not perfect, but...” As I work on my Dear Jane quilt (it’s for Tori’s wedding-she’s almost seven) I keep coming across the DJ motto, “Finished is better than perfect.” A guild speaker even shared her thoughts on “perfect” quilting. Here are mine...
Quilting is an art form, not a science, and it can satisfy many different needs; creative expression, a basis for friendships, busy work for idle hands, a mathematical workout, stress therapy, etc. My quilts reflect who I am when I make them in very subtle ways such as the spacing of hand stitches, or, in more obvious ways, color selection. Uneven stitches, crooked seams, chopped off points - I like to think of these “imperfections” as character traits! Our quilts can have personalities, just like our children! They can arouse feelings and memories of people and places, tell stories about them, and even forge enhanced connections. When I study the quilt my Grandma made for me, I can feel who she was and what her life was like, and the perspective now is very different than that I had when I was able to physically spend time with her. It’s almost like finding a stash of letters written 30 years ago! If you have any “special” quilts, made by your hands or someone else’s, you know what I mean.
So don’t let the quest for perfection in quilting overshadow the personality of your quilts. For whether they are “heirloom quality” or not, someday someone may feel a connection to the real you, through a quilt you made!
Deanne
I would like to add a comment of my own. Enjoy the process and enjoy the result. Remember, no one will be as harsh a critic as you are. Not even a judge at a quilt show.
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