Who is a QUILTER?

[Marna]

Can one honestly call oneself a "quilter" if he or she makes tops and then sends them out to be quilted?

[Margo]

Personally, I think of those folks as "toppers"!!! :lol:

They make "flimsys" that quilters turn into quilts!

[ajclapp]

I'm mostly a topper but also a quilter too as I quilt a few quilts every year, just not all of them, and mostly the smaller ones. And I have quilted larger quilts in the past. I just don't have the time or the equipment to do it easily. So I say if you quilt an occasional quilt or have the ability to do so you can call yourself a quilter.

[kathyst2]

If you make quilts, then you can call yourself a quilter, I think. Maybe the term should be quiltmaker?

Before longarms, there weren't many people who would quilt your top for you compared to now. So you mostly had to quilt them yourself. Personally, I think that the ones who *only* make tops are missing out on half the fun.

But, maybe they only like making the top and not doing the quilting.

Remember not so many years ago, when they never credited the quilter in books or magazines? I think Alex may have been one of the first authors who gave credit to the quilter.

Kathy

[Margo]

Kathy, I really like the term "QUILTMAKER"!

Especially when I think about the book "The Quiltmaker's Gift".
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...;x=12&y=20

[Lorchen]

Of course I'm a quilter. Right now I hand over large bed quilts to be longarm quilted, but quilt all smaller pieces myself. I'm sure I'm not the only one who simple doesn't have the time to quilt very large pieces. But I need to get work finished now and then in order to continue to enjoy my hobby. I have to work fulltime in order to eat, keep a roof over my head and finance my hobby. When I retire in 2014 I'll have more time and may decide to do all quilting myself....... Until then, if there is anybody out there who thinks that I should not call myself a quilter, I'll meet you tomorrow morning at dawn and we can fight it out with rotary cutters at 20 paces. Be warned - I'll win!!

[ladyquilter]

Eeek.... I would not want to fight anyone with a rotary cutter in hand! Ouch.... But, you had me chuckling thinking about you in one corner and another person in the other corner armed and ready to go at it.

[Lorchen]

You are safe, JoJo, I'm keeping the safety catch on!

....... Getting out the old orange box from under the table, and climbing on it, even though it's after 1am here and everybody is asleep.....

I dislike being categorized. It's the same when it comes to art quilts versus traditional quilts. I will always refuse to be stuffed into one specific drawer. Life is so much more fun when you do a little of this and a little of that, depending in what you feel like, what the project requires, and what you enjoy. Long live diversity!!

Shoving the orange crate back under the desk and toddling off ot bed......

[Margo]

You, GO, Lorchen!! Good attitude!!

[idaho]

Amen ! Sisters ! Nuf said !!

[Patchworkjill]

cant comment to busy falling on the floor...............

[Patchworkjill]

YOU GO LORCHEN.... I WILL BE RIGHT NEXT TO YOU WITH BANDAGES .... for the other one.

A PERSON DOES WHAT THEY CAN, WHEN THEY CAN, TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABLITIES. I will never be able or willing to hand quilt. I machine quilt when I can small baby quilt, but when it comes to doing large ones I do not have the physical strength. Because I am not able does not make me less of a quilter. I enjoy the process not just cranking out quilts based on other peoples patterns and designs. Yes, I enjoy the final product but it is the learning and studing along the way that really makes me feel like I am a quilter and I have accomplished something wonderful.

Lady Rags
aka Nonnie

[Marna]

I'm not trying to be judgmental here or hurt anyone's pride in their work. I am merely asking a very literal question. I have been quilting since the early 70s BRC (before rotary cutters). I have a friend who has never ever quilted her own projects, big or small. So, literally, if she has NEVER done any quilting, can she be called a quilter?

[Margo]

Marna, if she needs a label, or you feel the need to label her, just use "quiltmaker" and let it go at that. I'm not aware of any hard and fast rule about it.

[Margo]

Marna--I have a sister-in-law who hand quilts whole cloth quilts, has never pieced. Do I think she is missing a large part of the adventure? Absolutely. I have another sister-in-law who pieces who is into quantity, not quality. Do I shudder if I compare our standards? Yes. Whenever I get cornered about quilting subjects with them or others my attitude is, we do what we are comfortable with and forget about trying to label anyone specifically. Think of all the labels we could be creating if we wanted to single out the various techniques that all fall under the larger quilter umbrella. We would have piecers. appliquers, machine this, hand that, total, partial, combo. We might spend more time sorting out each person's comfort level than actually doing any work. If it matters to you use Margo's suggestion.