Friday, October 11, 2013

Ambitions

So I follow a few people on bloglovin, and a few people via email. One of those lovely blogs is Angela Pingel's blog, Cut to Pieces.

Yesterday she wrote a post that I couldn't stop thinking about. Please go read it. Then girls (my girls, although I am quite curious to know about the rest of you as well) what are your ambitions, dreams, goals, desires, etc. for our humble, tiny blog? Or for our quilting adventures? Or your own quilting adventures? Do you want to design fabric? What about patterns? Teach? Do you want to be famous?  What are your long-term goals concerning quilting?


My exact comment on her blog is as follows, "Thank you for posting this. Sincerely, your post just clarified things for me personally. I hope you are able to make those secret, deep dreams you have a reality. And it's made me realize that I truly do not want to accomplish the things that you've done (which is good and praiseworthy, but not for me). My husband keeps pressuring me to make things to sell, become more and more (money-wise). And I really don't want to. I don't want that pressure, I don't want that accountability, I don't want the limitation. I want to be free. Thank you! And congrats on the book!"


To which she sweetly replied, "I'm so glad that you were able to find some clarity with this post.  I completely understand...it's a big decision to turn a hobby into a business.  And not one that should be taken lightly.  Enjoy creating with freedom! -Angela"

Don't get me wrong. I am grateful that so many talented and wonderful people have made careers out of quilting!! I have greatly benefited from their hard work. I just realized that right now, a quilting career is not for me. I just want a hobby. Now maybe I read it all wrong these years, and being in the "business" means you have more freedom to do as you like. Certainly you seem to get more fabric, and who doesn't like that? There's just an apparent pressure (deadlines...umm...more deadlines) that I don't want in my life and to me deadlines pressure equals bondage of the worst sort, which I found out when I was making that Lakehouse quilt.


And I realized I already have what I want, exactly everything I want. And that is the freedom to stay at home and raise my children how it pleases me. Which I feel incredibly privileged to do in this day and age. Everything else is icing on the cake (or thread on the quilt). And I am so grateful that her post has clarified that for me. Seriously, so happy! Now when my husband says anything about selling quilts, I'll continue to tell him, "No, it's not the time." It's time to hobby it up!

It's nice to be recognized for the hard work we put into our quilts. For the perfect points, the beautiful color schemes, the long hours. My personal payoff is when my kids, nieces or nephews grab their quilts first, before anything else, when it's movie time. When I hear that they won't go to bed without their quilt. When I get requests for fabric or colors. When my family loves the quilts I create for them. 


I know not everyone is like me, or in the same position I am. So what about you? What are your dreams and desires, your ambitions in life or the quilting life? Is quilting a hobby? Do you secretly want it to be more? And for my sisters, what are your goals for us together?

16 comments:

  1. I want to leave a thoughtful reply, but I don't have time to think it through right now. Give me a few days.

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  2. I love this blog post! I did read Angela's post. She is very talented and I commented on her blog that with talent comes a responsibility. I believe the Lord blesses us with certain talents and we have to share those to the benefit of others. Angela has used her talent quite well sharing with others and developing it so beautifully.
    I have thought a lot about this little blog of ours, wishing for more followers so I can have 50 peoples opinion about things I post. Ultimately I would like it to be popular enough to earn enough fabric to keep us quilting for the rest of our lives. I do not believe I personally have that kind of talent. I am trying to improve my abilities. I love the challenges and can see I am improving, but I will never be an Angela or Sarah Jane or Bonnie and Camille. Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to design fabric. I have thought about it A LOT! I have the perfect line of fabric in my head, I just am not an artist. (It would be fun to have auntie Carol make fabric, maybe of her beach babies).
    I do not want to teach on a large scale. I would love to teach my RS sisters to quilt and sew, but I taught strangers how to do do Jamberry nails and I hated it. I do not want to be famous! I want to quit my job and get paid to sit in my craft room as many days a week as I please and quilt, craft, quilt, scrapbook, and quilt. I want to make perfect points, free motion quilt beautifully and make teeny tiny little quilt blocks with ease! Really I am thrilled that we have what we have right now! These past few months I have really been greatful that we three have this love of fabric and quilting. What a blessing to have this wonderful hobby to bring us closer together. I love you both dearly and if this is as big as our little blog ever gets I am thrilled!
    (I wouldn't mind traveling the world with my sisters though)

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    1. Ditto to most everything you said.

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    2. I made all these comments yesterday and blogger never posted them, so frustrating! Let's try again today.... I feel the same way; I'd love free fabric, to improve my talents, and to continue bringing us together. And traveling the world (or the US, I don't have much desire for the world) would be super fun!!

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  3. I started blogging because I loved the online the online quilting community, yet I had no voice in it. I was a mute bystander. Being a wallflower never suited me, so I decided to speak up. Also, I've been pretty lonely since I moved here to Utah, and quilting and blogging helped with that. When you two called me about the blog, I thought it was a perfect arrangement. I could have a voice without being the only one responsible for for creating content. Plus, as the best part of all, it would keep me connected to two of my favorite people!
    Those remain my goals for the blog- having a voice and connecting with my Jennifers. Would it be nice to have sponsors? Yes. Would a large following feel pretty good? Yes. Is it my goal to get those things? No. If they come, great! I'll be delighted. But I don't need it. I like Jenn's point about freedom. I'd never considered that before. Although, I do work better with deadlines, I don't like the idea of having to appease people.

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    1. I think this is how I feel, if we get to that point great, but it's not my goal. My goal is to connect with you two, to be held accountable for my fabric purchases, and to try new things :)

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  4. Whoops, pushed wrong button.
    What I would like for the blog moving forward is to brand it, and design as better layout. There are some computer skills I'd like to obtain, and this seems likes a good place to learn them. Plus, I would like to have a well-respected voice in the quilting community, and a more professional looking blog gives you more credibility. I'm hoping to work with Matt on that this winter, and hopefully have something to put up by our one year anniversary.
    The other thing I feel our blog is missing is giveaways. For me, the best part of having a famous blog would be doing the giveaways! You know how much I love presents! When Jenn posted, I thought a lot about what I still wanted, and this was the main thing! I realized that I didn't have to have sponsors to do giveaways, I could sponsor them! So maybe that will be a way to celebrate the re-design.
    What do you think, are you guys on board with a redesign? Will you collaborate so it represents all of us?

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    1. Totally online for a redesign!! And as for giveaways...I'm a hoarder at heart, so it'd be good for me, but someone would probably have to come over and pry it out of my fingers :)

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  5. Personally, my goal are not so well defined. I'm still a beginner! It seems presumptive to have goals beyond things lie, learn to piece curves. I have no desire to be famous, but I do want to be well respected. I want to develop my talents as far as I am able to. I want to make a lot to donate. I have no desire to teach, no skill to design, and no knowledge worthy of a book.
    When the kids are in school, I will need to work. I'd love for it to be in the industry somehow. It would be great to manage the online content of a LQS or even work at the cutting counter. Pick your plum is located in Layton, I wouldn't mind working for them. I never expect to make money off my own quilts, there's just not a lot of money to be had. I don't know if it would ever be worth it. Online quilt shops close at an alarming rate. So I don't know how you could make money doig that.

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    1. Why will you need to work? Just to keep busy or because M doesn't make enough? Or because you want to?

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  6. Sorry for all the typos, I'm on the iPad, and I don't have a way to scroll up and proof read in the comments.
    Ok, I think I am done for now! Tanks for the topic, Jenn. It seems like we are on the same page, mostly. It would be great to make money, but we are all pretty realistic about it.

    "Come what may and love it."

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  7. Amen to the give-aways! I have some fabric I will never use. Maybe nobody wants it, maybe someone does. Maybe we could do a de-stash give-away! I am all for making the blog better, the one year anniversary is a great time to launch that.

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    1. I've been thinking about hosting a handmade ornament swap. Invite people who we know in real life, like Christine. Make it be fabric or paper. Give done pretty specific parameters. What are your thoughts on that? Would you be into it?

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    2. I mean Give *some*. I'm all thumbs today. Ugh!

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    3. I thought when we did it as sisters all those years ago it went pretty well for the most part. I don't know how well I'd do with such specific materials to work with. I've never used *just* fabric or paper for a Christmas ornament, but I'm sure I could come up with something.

      Although I think I will be out for this year. I still have to do Halloween costumes. Then Brian invited Alain and Debra up for Thanksgiving, and then I have my kids birthdays, then AZ, then Christmas. I might be able to make something in November, but I wouldn't want anyone to count on me.

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  8. I don't know how to make an all fabric or paper ornament. I would rather make tags. I think tags are more useful. What do you think?

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