Who is a QUILTER?

[Eileen K.]

At the quilt shows, aren't there categories for quilts that are pieced by one person and quilted by another? The piecer isn't considered any less the quilter than the person who stitches the layers together - they both get the award, right? -Tina

I wish that were always so, Tina, but there are still shows that only recognize the person who enters the quilt as the quilter. If the actual quilting is done by someone else it is often times not even mentioned, and there is usually only one ribbon awarded....and it goes to the person who entered the quilt. I have friends who are in the business of quilting who sometimes learn that their work earned big ribbons and big money prizes, but they only heard about it from someone who happened to see it at the show and recognize the quilt. That doesn't seem fair to me. You would think that if a quilt won an award, the person who entered it would be courteous enough to share the good news with the quilter!

That is beginning to change, and personally, I think that anyone who contributes to the quilt should be recognized. For instance, on all of my quilt labels, I state who the pattern designer was (Sue Garman?) the source of the pattern (TQS?) and that I personally did the piecing, applique and quilting myself. I think that information should be available on every quilt in every show!

OK...I'm off my soapbox now! :wink:

Unfortunately, there are shows that are now going back in the other direction. Since I quilt for hire, my clients may not enter a quilt they paid me to do. There's one show here in NY that "lets" them enter but they cannot be judged. A couple of years ago, another quilter's customer lied in order to get her quilt in. Houston says only collaberative quilts may be entered-no money can change hands.
I think it is so sad that these shows seem to be going backward instead of forward.

[Eileen K.]

At the quilt shows, aren't there categories for quilts that are pieced by one person and quilted by another? The piecer isn't considered any less the quilter than the person who stitches the layers together - they both get the award, right? -Tina

.....

OK...I'm off my soapbox now! :wink:

Totally with you, Margo, though the little fair I was involved in was also changing at the time I moved away. I displayed at a show in a prior community where their entry form stated: Made by, quilted, by, owned by and a whole raft other information. Next community thought I had sprouted horns when I suggested they implement something similar.

Like everything else there are no "industry standards."

[Dawn S.]

I just found this thread, and find it VERY interesting, to say the least! I have quilted all of my own quilts, so am probably a quilter by anyone's definition. Fortunately, I do not have to experience an identity crises at the moment! Whew! That being said, I do envy those who have the funds to send their tops out to be quilted! I have a wonderful, original quilt top in my profile, that will probably never get quilted! Sigh! My time will be spent on this year's BOM, HSTs quilts, my strips from the "Strippers" exchange, some ATCs to trade in Houston, and who knows what's next. I love to move forward with new ideas. It is hard for me to go "back" and finish an idea I had years ago (like my profile quilt top).

When I move into a new area and learn of a quilter that I should meet, and she whips out all of her lovely quilts, and I ooh and ahh over her multitude of creations, then find out she has sent them all out to be quilted, I will have to be honest here, she will slip a little lower on that pedestal I originally had her on! It is just a feeling inside me, or like Tina said, how I am wired. I cannot help it, nor am I trying to judge her. In my mind she is a "piecer, creater of quilt tops, artist, red worker, embroiderer, appliquer", but not a "quilter" if she has never quilted a stitch in her life. Yes, she creates TONS of quit tops, but she does not quilt.

But, this a cool discussion. Kind of like the one where we were talking about; Are you a Quilter, Quilt Artist, Fiber Artist, Art Quilter, Piecer, or Quilt Maker. My answer? YES, I am!

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Eileen K.]

Dawn said, "But, this a cool discussion. Kind of like the one where we were talking about; Are you a Quilter, Quilt Artist, Fiber Artist, Art Quilter, Piecer, or Quilt Maker. My answer? YES, I am! "

Me too!!

[Lotti D.]

same here