The Quilt Daddy:That is soooo boring. When you buy a kit you are making what someone else thinks it should look like and not what you think it would look like. As a former store owner I was always amazed at how lazy quilters are when it comes to making a quilt. If you are going to pour all your efforts into it you should pick the fabrics and make it you.
Some people are intimidated by the fabric selection process, especially new quilters, and buying kits that are put together with fabrics they find pleasing is one way to keep their interest until they get over that fear. While I enjoy choosing and purchasing fabrics, I sometimes find it to be a difficult task. There are no local resources in my area, so it can take me weeks, or even months, to choose fabrics for a project. I keep a few kits on hand for times when I need to make a project quickly. The kits I buy are made up of fabrics that are appealing to me, that I can easily see myself having chosen were they available in my local market. Quite frankly, I don't feel that makes me either lazy or boring and I find that characterization offensive.
I think we need to encourage people who are interested in quilting in whatever manner possible, and if having kits available serves to keep their interest and peak their curiosity to the point where they want to experiment further and learn more about the craft than I'd say they serve a good purpose.
Wow, Quilt Father. I'm not a kit buyer but if I was, I sure would have been put in my place. Ouch.
Elizabeth,
Good answer. Kits are there for a reason and people buy them for there own personal reasons. Perhaps if I were a shop owner I would be smart enough to understand.
Picking out fabric is one of my favorite parts of making a quilt. I guess that is why my stash is so large. I have bought a few blocks of the month, and that is basically a kit spread over time. Sometimes I want to be creative, and sometimes I just want to sew and not think much about it. But from every quilt I have done, I have learned something. What my mind sees and creates, I don't quite have the skills for yet, but I am getting close. I have a couple designs I have created, landscape type. Pieced, not fused. But my skill level is not quite there yet. But I think this year.
Patti
Chiliwist Valley
Thank you for all your suggestions. Richard, I always wish my HB would go with me to fabric stores. I think men are very good at fabric selections. My HB does not wish to go into fabric stores. He usually likes my choices, but once in awhile he will say something like that is not like something you usually make. Then; I know I made a mistake. Actually whatever we were looking at was not that bad. He he.
Sometimes I buy a kit, because I want everything ready....and sometimes I really like the finished quilt and would like to make it too.....and sometimes I want the fabric and could care less about the pattern.....
getting ready to work on 7, 8, and 9! Yesterday was great, we went to the KC Shop Hop and actually hit all 11 stores in one day. Also found my fabrics for my quilt of Valor and another quilt.
Leah
Finished all the steps and can't wait for the next 3! Want to see how these pieces are being used. Had something interesting happen....somehow came up one short on the piece with the square, the triangle and the big triangle! Had to have made it as one doesn't get short on ALL 3 of the pieces, and I had none left over in my bucket. After recounting several times, decided I had just better make another one. Maybe I'll end up with a spare along the way.
As for stash building, I've accumulated quite a stash. Bought lots of fat quarters when working on the Aunt Sylvia's, and hope to use the leftovers in another project. Posted pictures in the gallery. I usually pick up 3 yards if I want the fabric for background and 2 yards if it is otherwise. If I think it would make a good border, I get the length of what I am thinking of, so that I don't have to piece, especially on certain prints that would really show a seam. Otherwise, coordinating fat quarters....
Having problems getting messages to post. Comes up with "Sorry, there's been an error" and erases the message. Will have to try one more time.
Did finish all the steps and am excited to see what comes next. Posted a picture, albeit blurry, of my colors in their respective pieces. Should be some lovely quilts out of this project.
Finished sewing together the blocks for my Aunt Sylvia's Bridal Quilt. Posted some pictures yesterday. Also posted some pictures of a graduation quilt done for DGD.
As for stash building, I find that if I find a background I like, I get 3 yards, otherwise 2 yards if for the body of a quilt. If a border, I buy the length of whatever project I have in mind, so that I don't need to seam the border, especially in some designs where the seam would stand out. Fat quarters are fun to find coordinating ones. I've developed quite a stash.
I am slowly but surely getting caught up. You must all excuse my spelling. My spell checker is non funtioning at the moment.
I just comleated steps 5&6 and am ready to move on. hope to be all the way caught up by this eavening. I posted on my blog and in Media.
MNnancy:MNnancy wrote the following post at Sat, Apr 2 2011 10:01 PM: Quilt Daddy, I'm with you in that I think selecting your own fabrics is part of the fun, creative process, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that purchasing a kit is laziness. Sometimes I buy a kit because I think I will never come up with a better fabric combination. Others, like my best friend, absolutely struggle putting coordinating fabrics together, and by buying a kit, they know the fabrics/colors are going to work well together. What's wrong with wanting that?
Quilt Daddy,
I'm with you in that I think selecting your own fabrics is part of the fun, creative process, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that purchasing a kit is laziness. Sometimes I buy a kit because I think I will never come up with a better fabric combination. Others, like my best friend, absolutely struggle putting coordinating fabrics together, and by buying a kit, they know the fabrics/colors are going to work well together. What's wrong with wanting that?
Thank you MNnancy!!! So appropriately stated!!
Patch Up America.....Make A Quilt
Are we not getting a little off topic at this point ladies and Gents. I thought this was a post page for chat about MQ4
Wendy:Are we not getting a little off topic at this point ladies and Gents. I thought this was a post page for chat about MQ4
Yes it is, Wendy, and I'm happy to state that I finished steps 7, 8, 9, and posted a picture in the MQ group / media. Can't wait to see what's next!
On the banks of the Mississippi River in north central Minnesota (Brainerd lakes area)
just finished up with step 9, now to wait till friday. Good thing I have my other quilt to keep me busy till then
We get off topic in every single discussion. When you have people, we get distracted by side conversations. HOWever, I chose fabrics for my quilts myself. sometimes they are in a kit when I fall in love with a display quilt ( I mean the color is a major part of why I chose to make a quilt) and sometimes I chose off the shelf.