Using my own quilts to learn where I need work

[Betty J.]

I am striving really hard to improve my quilts, as I know most TQS members are. I have recently done an honest look at all my quilts trying to make myself think like I was a judge at a quilt show. I am amazed at what I have seen that i did not see before and it is really a learning experience. Perhaps the best example of this is my quilt "Margaret" which was the 2009 Hoffman challenge quilt. Since I got it back from traveling, I have seen a number of things (though I still love the quilt).



Here is my personal critique for purposes of learning:

1) Overall it is a pleasing quilt with a bit of life and the main character looks as if she challenges you to not like her. She still looks a lot to me like an old picture of my dear late mother in law when she was in her early 20s. Her face could be better painted, but I have recently begun digitally painting faces and hands and printing them on fabric. I think this may be a big advance for me that will help improve that element on future quilts with people.

2) There are some design flaws that stand out to me now I didn't see before. I wonder if this is because I have been working sooo hard on improving my design work using my Wacom tablet and CorelPainter. Anyway, I see that the background should have been less evenly divided between the wall and the floor, thinking more in thirds than in halves. Perhaps I could have made the floor a little deeper back. My attempt at depth doesn't quite work.

3) There is not enough contrast between the background and the foreground items.

4) The actual quilting is honestly not very good, but I kind of knew that already. I believe I have improved my quilting some since I made her. The quilting in my mermaid quilt seems to me to be comparatively a lot better. It still needs work. I think I'm going to mark more for my Geisha quilt and maybe even the knight.

5) The embroidered items, which I worked out in my Bernina software (the flowers on her dress, the white vases, which I designed from scratch, and the dog, which I edited from a copyright free design) still seem to me to be first rate. I am pleased with those. In fact one of the comments from the judges noted that they liked the embroidery. So I must have the technique for that down and primarily need to try to move that forward in my embroidery design.

Isn't it interesting what you can learn by taking a fresh look? I know from doing this a lot of things I need to improve and work on. All my other quilts are telling me a lot too. Do you ever do this? Is it helpful?

[Keith D.]

Oh my golly, Betty Jo! What a wonderful quilt! Thank you so much for sharing your evaluation!!

It is helpful when I try to do this - but I don't do it nearly as well as you. I don't articulate as well... I see what's wrong more readily than what can be done to improve it. Putting it into words can be challenging. And I usually end throwing the project into the corner for a few days and then trying again. =)

What was really helpful was reading your comments. I learned a lot just listening to you. I'm going to try harder to do this better for myself. Thanks again!

-keith

[Keith D.]

Betty, I really love your quilt! I also give you credit for critiquing your own work. This is hard to do. It's sometimes easier after you've been away from the quilt awhile. For art quilts especially (but even for all types of quilting), the composition and values are of extreme importance as they are in other art works. I would just love to see one of my own quilts that I was completely pleased with. I always mess up somewhere - any usually something that cannot be fixed without changing a lot. As in my watercolor painting, I always find something wrong. A great subject. Thanks for posting.

[Betty J.]

Oh my golly, Betty Jo! What a wonderful quilt! Thank you so much for sharing your evaluation!!

It is helpful when I try to do this - but I don't do it nearly as well as you. I don't articulate as well... I see what's wrong more readily than what can be done to improve it. Putting it into words can be challenging. And I usually end throwing the project into the corner for a few days and then trying again. =)

What was really helpful was reading your comments. I learned a lot just listening to you. I'm going to try harder to do this better for myself. Thanks again!

-keith

Keith, thanks so much for your great comments. When doing this, think "the quilter" instead of "I". I think it is almost more important to find what you like about the quilt, so you can use that again, when you are your own quilt show judge and then find where "the quilter" could have done better. Then try to figure out what you need to do to get there. By the way, I love your work---you are very innovative.

[Betty J.]

Betty, I really love your quilt! I also give you credit for critiquing your own work. This is hard to do. It's sometimes easier after you've been away from the quilt awhile. For art quilts especially (but even for all types of quilting), the composition and values are of extreme importance as they are in other art works. I would just love to see one of my own quilts that I was completely pleased with. I always mess up somewhere - any usually something that cannot be fixed without changing a lot. As in my watercolor painting, I always find something wrong. A great subject. Thanks for posting.

Jan, Thanks for your great comment. I agree it's easier if you have been away from it for a while. I think it's that possibility of making mistakes that makes art of any kind such a wonderfully fun challenge. The point of this kind of evaluation is entirely to improve in the NEXT quilt, not make myself feel bad about the one you are evaluating, so it's really important to put up front what you LIKE about your work. Your quilts are wonderful. I'd love to see your watercolor paintings.

[Keith D.]

Oh how funny, Betty Jo! I laughed almost out loud. =) Nobody has told me in a long time that I might need to think more about what I like in my own projects. I'm still giggling. =) During our quilting time, my family and friends always tell me "Admire less! Work more!"

But you're right - first, nurture yourself and keep doing well what you're doing well. And I probably do need to be gentler with myself when I evaluate. Thinking about where and how 'the quilter' could have done better is a great idea. Thanks!

And thanks for the kind comment. =)