Sunday, November 13, 2005

Maverick Webring

You're going to be seeing some changes in the Quilt Maverick Webring in the coming days. We've had some growing pains (again) and are trying to focus the ring on our core goal, which is to be a home for those who are neither art quilters nor traditional quilters. We're better defined by what we are not than what we are - makes it difficult to explain.

We're not art quilters. I'm not saying there is anything wrong or bad about them. It's just not what we do. Art Quilters have a great webring of their own as well as websites and mail lists that serve them. They've got at least one major show all to themselves and certainly spots in others. They have a place.

We're not traditional quilters who follow the rules set down by the Quilt Police. You know those rules: seams must match, everything must be perfectly aligned, no chopping off the points of the triangles, quilts must lay flat. Perfection, perfection, perfection. Unfortunately, the traditionalists don't have a webring (that I'm aware of) but they do have an awful lot of publications and a stranglehold on quilt show judging. They have lots of places.

So we're not artists, we're not perfectionists. We are quilters. Quilters who quilt for the love of quilts, for the comfort that they give, and the love that they contain. We quilt because it makes us happy and not to meet overly-high standards that others set. We cut off the points of our triangles and match our seams however we want to. We have no quilt shows and very few books.

I'm not saying that every Quilt Maverick fits into my description. They don't - we're a diverse group. Not every quilt we make fits this little cubbyhole either.

I think the most important function that we provide is a home for like-minded quilters who don't fit in to either of those big groups previously mentioned. Nor some of the ones that I haven't mentioned like the crazy quilters. We provide support to one another and interact - we're a community.

Kinda like the island of misfit toys in the Rudolf Christmas special (the name of which completely escapes me). This is our place.

We recently decided to make changes in our membership so that it would better reflect who we are. We had some people on our ring whose blogs focused on art, art quilts, and crazy embellishing - there's nothing wrong with that, but they each already have a webring that better suits them.

This is the best I can do at explaining this. My head hurts now. I'm going to go and pay attention to my kittens now before they break something roughhousing.

5 comments:

Finn said...

High Five Tonya, you put it very well indeed. It's nice to have a place to share my own version of quilting...how I see things, and how I feel about what I see.

For me,the freedom to express the "what if..." view I have. Like not having enough blocks, but making the quilt anyway..*G*

At kindergarten roundup, my middle son colored his "keep the kids busy" apple, black. His soon-to-be teacher thought we should get him some "help" as something was very "wrong" with him. There were about 10 children at his table. I asked the soon-to-be-teacher if it wasn't just possible that ALL the red, yellow and green crayons were in "use?" She didn't know what to say...but I can assure you, we DID NOT have him "tested"...LOL.

Granny said...

Tonya:

I am happy to be a part of Mavericks and want to thank you and Bonnie for what you do! I am anxious to see what the future holds for the Mavericks.

Judy L.

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh my gosh Tonya - this might have to become my motto!!!! I love this line:
Quilters who quilt for the love of quilts, for the comfort that they give, and the love that they contain.

Holly said...

Tonya,

In a world where people are always comparing themselves against one another, it is so refreshing to give ourselves permission to not be "perfect". Perfection is sometimes highly over rated. I'm going to be less hard on myself.

Holly

Shelina said...

Tonya,

I would love to join the Quilt Mavericks! I completely fit the description.

Shelina
Shelinascreations.blogspot.com