How far is TOO far?

Which makes you even more phenomenal!

Reply to
Sandy Foster
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Leslie, virtually all quilters are textile artists. Even you. The minute you decided to use something other than a plain square grid for a quilting pattern you were choosing art over need. The minute you used one fabric instead of another because of color or print size you were using your artistic view point. Every time you pick up a piece of fabric and say to yourself, "This would look pretty if I used it this way." you are being a textile artist.

What is the difference between using custom printed cloth, ready made printed cloth, or solid white fabric for a quilt? Sure you could custom print the picture of a pieced quilt at that site, but how is that really any different from buying cheater cloth at the fabric store? Why does it bother you so much that someone might use it that way anyway? Not everyone has the talent to piece blocks or do applique, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't try to quilt at all. Some of the most beautiful quilts I've seen are whole cloth quilts. Should whole cloth quilters be limited to only using plain white cloth? I don't think they should.

Beyond that, custom printing fabric can be used in quilting in lots of ways. This site isn't the first place I've seen that custom prints fabric, it's just the first I've seen geared specifically towards quilters. The quilts pictured seem to be pieced out of cloth with photos printed on them, not whole cloth. This site points out that it is possible to print more than one picture per piece of cloth, and that you should allow blank space between the pictures for cutting them apart and the seam allowance. It could produce many photos on fabric for memory quilts (all on one piece of fabric), or allow you to produce an original design print from your own drawing. You could print special applique pieces (like faces and hands) if you wanted, or lots of ready to use quilt labels, or fabric quilt guild logos for the guild's members, or even individual quilt block pieces (in several color ways and various prints that you designed) to cut out and stitch together into a block. How cool would it be to piece a quilt top with different prints you designed yourself?

Like other inventions, custom printed fabric is whatever you want to make of it. It seems to me you are too busy condemning custom printed fabric (and it's users) to even think of the many ways you could put it to good use for yourself.

Debra in VA See my quilts at

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Reply to
Debra

I ended up in the hospital for awhile and they tossed me out because I was uncooperative and kept breathing. I got home and my pc monitor had gone toes up instead of me. Took a while to get a replacement, for the monitor, not for me (the monitor was a 12 year old freebee....they just don't make things to last anymore LOL) and now I can't find the entire thread to this post. Hopefully I haven't misunderstood what was being said; but from what I did get, and after looking at the website from the previous poster (the one Debra included in her answer), I'd also like to reply.

Well said, Debra. My passion is gardening and sewing, in that order. I have had friends say......."I should plant _____ like you do." My answer is "why?" I design what I sew, embroider and also do a little quilting when the metaphoric loaded gun is held to my head. I don't use patterns or pre printed anything. I have other friends, who live for the $1 or 2-fer pattern sales and use kits for everything, and say, "I should learn to make _____ like you do." I answer "why?" Do what you want, not what you think I would do or anyone else thinks is best for you. Do what gives you joy, there's too little to be found, don't squander it on small stuff, like an inconsequential negative opinion. I put this into the category of small stuff because these generally come from small people with small minds that couldn't sh*t a BB if you greased it. We aren't building a rocket ship that needs to get the crew back to Earth, this isn't life or death brain surgery. These things are artistic self expression, SELF being the operative word. I think if you like what you are doing, it gives you joy and a sense of accomplishment, even if it's sewing around the marked seam allowance of a toy teddy bear kit printed on a square of cotton blend with poly fill included.......you are doing what gives you pleasure. Go for it! If the only thing that gives you pleasure is to criticize those people that don't color inside YOUR lines you need to keep it to yourself.

I have a lovely elderly (she claims to be 310 &1/2) lady friend that gives me "embroidered hankies". She stitches a square with yarn in the corner of a cotton handkerchief and then colors a picture with pencils in the square. I thank her sincerely and praise her for her unique style of embroidery and ingenuity. I think unless you are entering a contest with hard and fast rules and regulations about what is acceptable then lighten up and grasp the joyous concept of unique ingenuity and creativities that we all have but have often kept hidden for fear of "not doing it right"; we just have different levels and styles that fit our unique and ingenious selves. There is no right or wrong in this case, it's in the eye of the beholder. Ask yourself.....if I do this will anyone actually drop dead within a 50 mile radius because I tried this? If the answer is "no" then go give it a try! If you don't like what you see of other's art and/or craft, shut your eyes, don't look. Where do you draw the line? Well, I guess it depends on why you are drawing it. If it's drawn to keep some new expression, idea or concept all skwooshed up and enclosed until it's finally DEAD and then withers away then go draw it waaaaaaaaaay over there....*pointing to a far horizon*

This newsgroup, of all that I monitor and sometimes (albeit seldom) post to has one of the most diverse groups of personalities I've encountered. The great majority are also some of the most accepting, loving, tolerant, supportive and humorous people I have found. I honestly think if somebody proudly posted a picture of a velvet painting of dogs playing poker that had been "quilted" with a stapler because it was the only thing they could work with or the only skills possessed, more people would find good things to say or not comment at all rather than make critical remarks as the thread morphed into making rain boots for DGS hamster, to chocolate, to engine repair, to chocolate, to DD engagement, to chocolate and then fade off into the beautifully pieced and quilted night sky of stars and moons. I know I don't take part often in discussions in this newsgroup, mostly a lurker because quilting isn't my favorite thing to do but I do love reading the chat and absorbing good feelings that are here as well as learning a thing or two, or many...........and the universal quest for stash and chocolate, not necessarily in that order, I hold close to my heart.

Val

P.S...............and when I post that picture of the stapled, velvet dog playing poker quilt I will, of course, include a coupon for free chocolates, just to grease the wheels of praise ;)

"Debra" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Reply to
Val

What a wonderful post! You're a keeper Val! Thanks for the early morning giggle, you got my day started off right. Now, where did I put that stapler??? KJ

Reply to
KJ

Val: Thanks for your post. I hope you post here more often. Don't forget to send a pound or two of chocolate to my Palace, to be tasted and vetted.

I am sure your Velvet painting of Dogs Playing Poker will lend itself very nicely to the Staple Gun method of quilting. Please post pictures! :)

PAT, Official Chocolate Taster Of RCTQ

Val wrote:

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Reply to
Pat in Virginia

Dear Val, How on earth did you know about my stapline quilting method?????? ;)

Thanks for a wonderful post. I love your perspective and your sense of humor. Also your apparent generosity with chocolate. Hope to run into you more often.

Sunny

Pat > Val:

Reply to
S

I am SO tempted to make this quilt now! ROFLOL Especially because back in the days when I did the displays for our store, I frequently "hung" wallpaper and fabric with a stapler. The wallpaper contractors just *loved* to stand at the bottom of the ladder giving me a bad time about my hanging technique. *grin*

Thanks for a wonderful, thoughtful post!

Reply to
Kathy Applebaum

Reply to
Pat in Virginia

Today I was attracted to some fabric with beautiful green background -- the pattern was those dogs playing poker!

Kay Ahr in Reno/Sparks, Nevada

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Pat in Virginia wrote: I am sure your Velvet painting of Dogs Playing Poker will lend itself very nicely to the Staple Gun method of quilting. Please post pictures! :)

PAT, Official Chocolate Taster Of RCTQ

Reply to
Kay Ahr

Oh, Pat, don't you think it would work out better if you used one of those Bedazzler rhinestone and silver stud appliers rather than the staples for the Elvis quilt? The rhinestones would add to that whole Vegas vibe or make that famous white outfit absolutely sparkle. Debra in VA See my quilts at

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Reply to
Debra

Thanks Val. Debra in VA See my quilts at

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Reply to
Debra

Our DD who still has a hurricane gutted home and no inside walls has fabric stapled from ceiling to floor instead. A dogs playing cards, Elvis or Bedazzler might be just the decorator touch she's been looking for. Could we call this a quilt? Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

Reply to
Pat in Virginia

Just my 2 cents here. But I belong to both the quilt guild here and the local chapter of the American Sewing Guild. This past year I haven't done much with or for either guild, but mainly because of things going on at work and home. So to some it would that I don't contribute at all. However, for

4 years I planned programs for the sewing guild. Even if I did have time to participate right now, I don't think I would want to. I'm just burned out. I think it is the same for many of the older members of our quilt guild. Also, many of the younger members have full time jobs and families. It's often hard not to judge people, especially if you are one of the 20% who seems to do all the work. But I try to remember that you don't always know what is going on at home. For some, it might be a struggle just to get to the show for a couple or hours or to a monthly meeting.

On the other hand, there are clearly people who will always complain about what is/has been done, but never volunteer to help. You'll just never satisfy those people.

On Thu, 6 Jul 2006 14:15:09 -0500, Pat in Virginia wrote (in article ):

Reply to
Maureen Wozniak

My response to the complainers is to fix the problem. If you can't find a solution or a fix complaining isn't helping much. There are a few that do a lot for my local guild. There are those that do things that are high profile and those that do the dirty work with no attention or notice. I guess that will often happen with a group.

We have a member that doesn't do any charity quilts but often comes to the whole group with her pet charity begg> On the other hand, there are clearly people who will always complain about

Reply to
Taria

When a friend who was an art teacher retired, my Mom bought him several yards of black velvet and labeled it "retirement income". That way he could make paintings of Elvis and sell them at the flea market. He laughed and laughed at that. :)

Me? I'm more of a "dogs playing poker" kind of artist. *grin*

Reply to
Kathy Applebaum

I do have one, along with several thousand crystals... bwa ha ha!

Reply to
Kathy Applebaum

Me too! But I doubt if my crystal collection in hin the thousands. You win! KJ

Reply to
KJ

Or you have more self-control. :)

I must have been a raven in a previous life because I am definitely fascinated with bright, sparkly things. Crystals, metallic fabrics, you name it. Next thing you know I'll be dropping nuts on the sidewalk to crack them. LOL

Reply to
Kathy Applebaum

Amen, Taria! One of the years that I was the scribing committee chair, a woman called to blast me about the categories -- obviously, she didn't like them because she had a quilt that didn't fit into any of them. Actually, she called my house and left me a message to call her back, which I did because I didn't know she was upset -- and it was a toll call. Grrr... Anyway, I finally told her that she could easily fix the problem by volunteering to be the committee chair next year. LOL! She hung up! Needless to say, she didn't volunteer for anything and never does.

Reply to
Sandy Foster

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