Regrouping a bit...and why....

We need to redefine what Quilt Mavericks is and what it isn't. We are NOT ARTY ARTY quilters. We make quilts. Quilts that look like quilts. Quilts that are used by people, on beds, for children, for pets, for whatever.....and some of us branch out a bit beyond that. But we do not classify ourselves as ART QUILTERS. What we wanted in a ring is a group of quilters that interact with each other closely, encouraging each other in our efforts to quilt. There are some ring members who's blogs don't reflect their quilting, and they belong to so many rings-- all of whom have the same members. Or so MANY members that you can't possibly visit them all and develop a community.... They are all into very arty atcs, still life, whatever, and the other rings they already belong to fit their identity more than "Quilt Mavericks" does.

All we want is for members to re-evaluate why they are in the Quilt Mavericks webring, when the other rings they already belong to fit their style and spectrum much more than Quilt Mavericks does. And what is the point of joining every webring out there in the first place? Which one really defines you as a quilter or artist?

Some people just seem to collect webring panels as if they were badges on a girl scout sash....And mostly, their blogs don't focus on their quilting. It focuses on art from other people...not their own. These people are better served in the other rings that they ALREADY belong to, and as Debra put it, we are a little ring with little members and we will never be what she is looking for in the direction her fiber art is going. I have not talked to Debra myself...I haven't been on the computer until this morning, but I did agree that some needed to evaluate their own blogs and see if WE fit THEM...and if we didn't, that they would be better just belonging to their arty ones, and not to ours. No real hard rejection meant and I'm sorry that Debra took it that way.

The the fact is, Debra's blog...and a couple others...are not quilt related. They are art related. Art is wonderful! Their work is beautiful. They fit their other rings they already belong to. Why do they need to be in Quilt Mavericks? We are not their focus in the first place? We are just another badge in their side bar. I hope this helps everyone understand

We just don't want to be "ANOTHER" art ring. We make quilts....we color outside of the lines a bit...but we still make quilts. Many of us would not or have not been accepted into the art quilt rings because our quilts are too traditional. Yet we are not griping about that rejection on your blogs? All shoes don't fit all people. All rings won't fit all people. There is one out there for you. You can start one of your own and include who you want.

And you can feel free to email me personally if you want to discuss this further, I'd rather not carry it out in the blog comments like airing dirty laundry and fanning the flames as I've seen on other pages.

Back to quilting...
Bonnie