My personal quilting philosophy...

Today I would like to share with you my own PERSONAL quilting philosophy. I guess that I should start out with a disclaimer and say that this is my own, and not necessarily the view of the entire Lakeland Modern Quilt Guild - and you don't have to agree in order to join us or be my friend ;-) I simply want to share it in case there are others out there who have a similar philosophy and might think that they are alone in them.

I have no desire to enter my quilts into quilt shows. There, I said it. I do not feel that I need someone to scrutinize my every stitch and decide whether or not it measures up to "their" standards. My quilts measure up to MINE - and that's what's most important to me. I have FUN when I quilt - its enjoyable to me and an outlet for creativity. When I'm quilting I can be anyone I want to be and go anywhere that I want to go... I don't quilt to please others - and if I went into a project with that in mind, I believe it would take the fun out of it for me. When I'm quilting... I'm free.

I love things that are DIFFERENT. I do not want to be like everyone else. I don't want to "fit in" with the crowd... that's boring! My quilting is the same way. I like to quilt things that are different. I know that when I tell people that I am working on a skull-themed quilt right now, I can see it on some of their faces that they have already sized me up and judged me as "something"... who knows what.... I have let go of that bothering me! I don't really care - I sew for me. if my stitches aren't perfect or my points don't meet (which I am bad at)... so what? Did I have fun while I was making it? Did I put my own energy and creativity into it? YEP - and so I'm happy! :)

I think that this outlook of mine is why I am drawn to Modern Quilting - it allows you to break free from the pattern... toss out the instructions if you don't like them... and BE YOU.... Be the beautiful and imperfect mess that you are and CELEBRATE THAT!

So, this is a peek into my philosophy on life as well as quilting. I raise my rotary cutter in a toast to all of you beautiful messes out there -- sew on! --- Leandra