Five Myths About Quilting Your Own Quilts
I’m not sure what it is about the quilting process, but it brings out people’s OPINIONS more than just about any other quilting technique. There’s a lot of fear, judgement, and elitism wrapped up in the trite phrases tossed around the guild meeting, but they mostly boil down to, “Other people might be able to quilt their own quilts, but that doesn’t mean that you can.” But I believe that you CAN quilt your own quilts, and today I’m going to bust the myths standing in your way.
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We all have a critical voice that lives in our brain. Around here, we call that voice your Inner Mean Grump (IMG). It’s a name that makes me laugh, which takes the “sting”’out of some of the things it tries to say. You see, the IMG is actually a very deep part of your brain that just wants to keep you alive, but it can’t tell the difference between a hungry tiger and a new quilting skill. It is critical because it wants to keep you safe.
Then there’s the quilt police. The quilt police love to nitpick everything. Uneven stitches, machine quilting versus hand quilting, all over designs versus custom quilting… there’s no pleasing them. If anyone makes a statement that starts or ends with, “Well, a real quilt(er)…” you should probably politely ignore them.
Our IMG and the Quilt Police have done an excellent job promoting a number of myths around what it takes to quilt your own quilts. Today, I’m going to debunk 5 of the most common ones.
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Myth 1: I’m not an artist, so I’m going to ruin my quilts
I am a firm believer that the only way to ruin a quilt is to leave it unquilted. The whole point of a quilt is to be snuggled and loved, so if the layers of your quilt are stitched together well enough to use it, you’ve already won.
But I understand– you want your motifs to look good, too. Learning how to quilt is a lot like learning handwriting. There are a finite number of shapes that are repeated and recombined to make all the different designs we know and love. Practice doodling them on paper first, then move to practice sandwiches as your confidence grows. Action creates confidence. Practice as often as you can, and you’ll see progress and feel more confident before you know it!
Myth 2: I don’t have time to quilt my own quilts
The great news is that all those practice sessions don’t need to be long! In fact, practicing frequently (every day if you can) for just 15-20 minutes is one of the best ways to learn! You’re building muscle memory (and the actual muscle to move your quilt under the needle), spatial awareness, and fine motor control. Little, focused practice sessions that lead to little, focused quilting sessions ideal. Consistency creates competency.
Myth 3: My machine can’t do it
Along with the closely related: I’m going to break my machine. Sometimes we shift “blame” to our machine because we’re scared. I’ve seen folks custom quilt bed size quilts on a Singer Featherweight, and I’ve seen folks who spent years frozen in fear of their longarm overcome it and go one to quilt dozens and dozens of quilts. Every machine set up has its pros and cons, but don’t let the “cons” of yours keep you from finishing your quilts. Instead, find someone else (in Quilting Rockstar University perhaps?) who quilts on the same machine or a similar machine and ask for their tips getting set up and on your way!
Myth 4: Real quilters make show quilts
Real quilters do make show quilts. And real quilters also make picnic blanket quilts, pillow fort quilts, comfort me while I have the flu quilts, tablerunners, dog blankets, and quilt coats. Remember the Velveteen Rabbit? He became real, threadbare as he was, because he was loved. The job of the quilt isn’t what makes it real or meaningful– the love is. The joy units you have while making it is what matters, and any comparison between your style and someone else’s is just silly. Done is better than perfect, so release the comparison and embrace the joy that comes from getting quilts finished!
(And if your brain is playing the comparison game because part of you wants to quilt show quilts like BethAnn Nemesh, Ricky Tims, or anyone else– that’s awesome! Don’t let it overwhelm you. Rather, name that desire, square your shoulders, and start practicing your motifs! You CAN create show quilts if that’s your heart’s desire).
Myth 5: Everyone else already has this figured out
If everyone secretly had quilting their projects all figured out, then everyone would be doing it and my videos about spray basting wouldn’t be going viral. Most quilters I’ve met are extremely curious about quilting their own projects– very few actually do. There is not a skill or question that is too basic as you are learning, and the folks who DO quilt their own quilts are incredibly generous with their knowledge and encouragement. Community conquers fear. In fact, we’re kind of obsessed with the Quilting Rockstar community growing.
Final Thoughts
I know it can feel scary or overwhelming to learn a new skill, especially when there are so many powerful (and discouraging) myths about quilting your own quilts being fed to us. These myths keep us “safe” from failing, but they also prevent us from experiencing the joy that comes from challenge, growth, and, ultimately, finished quilts! If you’re ready to dismiss the myths and try again at quilting your own quilts, then be sure to snag my Quilt Your First Project with Confidence Workbook, and I’ll guide you every step of the way!
