Why?
Years ago, when I started making lots of quilts in earnest and I started my 2” series of quilts, some liked them. They asked me how I did it.
I began to share with them how I made the quilt that I showed - and in a few short months, those Facebook posts got me booted off the group where I was mainly sharing things. I was told that I was promoting myself. At that time, we had no website or anything to promote. I was a marketing newbie.
A few weeks before I was booted (having the feeling I was becoming ‘persona nan grata’)…I started my own group - where, hopefully, unless Facebook decides to throw me off (which it has been known to do from time to time to various people!), I can’t get booted.
But why share, anyway? Why tell? It takes a lot of time to write up patterns or explanations on how a person does things. It’s just easier to show and go on your way.
Let me take you back to BEFORE my quilting days.
One time I had a lady - a mom of 5 boys -- come to our house for a few days. The mom (my age) wanted some public domain things I had on mp3. I told her it was fine - we could copy my cds. I showed her how to operate the copying program on our computer. She had been so sure that she could never make a copy - it was too hard. I assured her that it wasn’t - that the program we had made it quite easy and was a matter of putting the original in, copying that, then making sure there was a blank in, and suddenly…a copy!
I still remember her awe. It WAS easy. No need to feel so ‘ignorant!’ We could do this as well as any guy or teenager!!! Back then it wasn’t all that common for us women to be considered savvy with computer things. At least it wasn’t here in Poland and definitely not in the circles where I was.
Fast forward a few years.
Quilting…
I was given some ugly fabric - I started piecing... Patterns…what? How do you do that?
Some people freely shared information, but then, not so many. I was stymied a bit by that as I was a newbie. Not a newbie to sewing - hardly - but to quilting, yes. I was here in Poland. I knew no one who quilted - though I did know a few ladies who sewed - at least who could operate a machine.
We had almost no money at that particular stage of our lives. That is not meant to be a complaint - simply a statement of fact. I’m sure part (most?) of that was because of having 5 children! :)
I also wasn’t a You Tube watcher though YT was just starting out. I hadn’t grown up with a tv and wasn’t that dependent on video - though, since I’ve become a fan!
I remember being so happy when someone would offer free patterns - esp. good or interesting ones. They were harder to find than you’d think back then. Often people would offer one (!) pattern on their website and all the rest would be paid.
I remember those feelings of frustration at the idea that quilting had become a huge industry - one in which dozens, hundreds, thousands of people were making money off of me - or at least, trying to.
And that’s fine.
It was just that we really didn’t have much money. So, I learned to make those 9 patches and simple blocks.
Then I made literally dozens and dozens of tied charity quilts - usually made of plain cut squares - with mostly donated or second hand fabrics. I began to experiment with making some more simple designs of my own.
I asked my husband for the Electric Quilt (EQ) program back years ago for a Christmas present because I didn’t want to spend as much time drawing on graph paper as it would take and I’m awful at imagining things in my head without any visual aids.
I also felt pretty tied to other people’s designs when I didn’t feel like I had a way to easily design my own.
So, my husband got me EQ 6 which I had for years - long after 7 came out. I’ve not upgraded to 8 yet - because I got 7 about 2 weeks before 8 came out.
So… why do I share so much?
Because I want to. Why do I want to?
Because -
I remember what it was like when I wanted to learn and it felt like almost everyone around wanted $$ for the good information.
I remember how my friend felt and reacted when I taught her how to use the computer program to make copies - really happy—really excited that no longer was it “only for the guys” - and it wasn’t rocket science - It was a liberating feeling to learn something you thought was hard - but wasn’t really - it was really just a matter of following some simple steps - 1. 2. 3. - I wrote them out for her - so she could do it - every time!
I remember that the few websites who were actually sharing good info were wonderful and I appreciated it.
And lastly -
I remember that the Bible teaches us that we “reap what we sow” (Gal. 6:7) - it’s a biblical principle. Maybe this is my way to “pay back”, “pay it forward”, or my natural “wanting to share” tendencies coming out. Maybe I don’t see that holding my information close to my chest with a tight fist that can only be opened with cash helps anyone at all. If we want others to quilt and learn - those of who know how need to be able to freely help those who want to learn.
It’s because, simply put, I remember…
So there you know! I hope that helps.
I appreciate all of you who read here regularly!
Have a great day wherever you are! Stay safe!
Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!
Here’s one of the beauties we have! It’s called “Blessings”.
