I think I overheard the most depressing sewing related conversation ever in Mandors the other day. 2 women were discussing fabrics that one of them needed to make a quilt for a baby boy. She was choosing fabric for a log cabin quilt, and was going for shades of yellow. The main problem that I kept overhearing was that for every fabric that her friend or the shop assistant chose, they didn’t fit ‘The Rules’. The fabrics HAD to be dark on one side, and light on the other, that was The Rules, and she wasn’t allowed to break them, her teacher had told her so. Her friend was getting frustrated, the shop assistant was getting frustrated, and I couldn’t find anything suitable either, ‘cos, you know, I couldn’t just stay out of it ;o) I think part of the problem was the shade of yellow she’d chosen to start with (which was a butter cream colour), but honestly, we could not get her to understand that the world would not end, and the Gods would not be chasing after her with a giant seam ripper if she went for, say, yellow and blue. She eventually got a couple of things, and her friend (and the shop assistant) breathed a sigh of relief, but I thought it was so sad that someone so new to quilting felt that she had to stick to this whole pile of Rules. There may definitely be something to be said for leaping in with both feet online where you haven’t read a single Rule…
So, tell me, what’s the best/worst Rule story that you’ve heard?
And because I couldn’t leave you photo-less, here’s the little pile I was buying, partly for my x and + blocks (and no, you’ll be grateful to know, not all together ;o) ) and partly for another wee project in the new year.
good for you for trying to set her straight! i think maybe it's just part of the learning process to think there are all these rules you have to follow to have a successful product.
my (self-imposed) first 'rule' was to cut ALL MY FABRIC into 3.5" squares. yards and yards of it. this was 7 years ago, and i just last week gave what was left of it away to a newbie quilter. it WAS very useful to have it all cut, but it was obviously pretty limiting 🙂
It was so nice of you to help that woman! How poopy that her teacher told her that she couldn't break The Rules. 🙁
Hehehe, poor Kelly! I'm barely able to fold and put my fabric away nicely; I can't believe she cut hers all up back then!
She is NOT in my classes – see that's what gives quilting a bad name – the Quilt Polis!!
That lady needs to loosen up a bit. She will never enjoy quilting if she is bogged down by big rules.
I'm envisioning Dolores Umbridge enforcing The Rules on that poor lady! Thankfully my quilt instructor only taught tips and tricks, no rules.
I always have a little anxiety cutting into my fabric at the beginning of a project… I can't imagine cutting it all into 3.5" squares!
I hope that she learns to relax a bit when she gets some more experience under her belt.
My mom is terrified of the quilt police. Actually, she is just a perfectionist. She worries about every point, every seam. She will unpick and unpick again until she thinks it's perfect even when none of us can tell there was a problem to begin with. Because of that she rarely tries new things. She is super talented but worries way too much!
There's rules to quilting???? Huh? I never play by the rules, as you can see by my makes. Pretty gutsy, right?
I didn't realize there were rules to quilting. Maybe I knew about them when I first started out but that was so long ago I doubt there were many. The only rule I seem to remember is, "Don't get blood on the fabric when you prick your finger."
I think that her teacher was what I call a quilt nazi. I believe they tattoo people who break the rules with a wonky star block. I break the "iron before you cut" rule but they havent caught me yet.
The first sewing rule I ever broke was "DO NOT use my good fabric scissors to cut paper with!!!!" it was screeched in a high pitched voice by my nana and I think I was about 7 (one of the very few times I was told of by my nana!) and I think I've been breaking rules ever since 😀
Admittedly I am now the one screeching at Madam not to use my good fabric scissors!
ugh, 'the rules' are so frustrating! When I made my first quilt, the women at the store told me I couldn't use solids! GASP! That was the first rule I broke. Glad you were able to help this woman out.
I think the best projects are those that break 'the rules' – sounds a little too rigid for me! Can't wait to see what you are making!
The learn to patchwork day I went on was just like that! I was definitely put in my place because I didn't have 'lights' and 'darks'.
Pomona x
Me…I dont need no stinking rules…heeehee..as a mixed media artist that dabbles in sewing…I love the freedom that sewing allows me,like art,no rules required.
One of your other comments said it..that lady needs to loosen up!Hugs,Cat
What rules??! Hello you, finally blog catching up and saw this…eeekk! What a nightmare, it's supposed to be fun! Rather bizarrely, your post makes me want to join one of those traditional quilting groups and start a revolution.. 🙂 x
What a great bag!
LOL. When I'm teaching, I find myself regularly saying "the conventional way of doing this is …, but we can do it much easier this way, so long as the Quilt Police aren't watching!"
Yeah. I remember The Rules. Well, I remember that they exist, but I have blocked the actual list out of my memory. 🙂 No, I think the rule I hated the most was that I had to use a light print, a medium print, and a dark print in every quilt. And they had to coordinate JUST SO.
The Rules are precisely why I stopped quilting 13 years ago! And finding out that others were breaking, bending or ignoring The Rules brought me back a couple of years ago.
And I am SO glad. 🙂
Wow.. I have never taken a class, so I was unaware that there were any rules. What are these rules you speak of?! haha That is kind of sad.. it would ruin the whole creative fun. 🙂 Love your bags in your more recent post, too, esp. your one for your LBD. 🙂
Hi there! Just hopping over from my blog to yours. Very much looking forward to meet you at the FQ retreat next year! The book that taught me the basic things of sewing was 'Bend the Rules Sewing' which is exactly what I still do. I also Bend the Rules Embroidering btw. 😉 It's good to know your basics but the most exciting things happen when you 'bend the rules' a bit!