quiltersmuse.com Blog

As people who know me personally can attest, I am a woman of conviction who tells it like it is without mincing a lot of words. To some retiring types that may seem unfeminine or even aggressive. I don’t agree. You know what? It takes a lot of knowledge and internal fortitude to know what you know and to be sure, in your own heart, that you are doing what you need to do.

I don’t much care who it is making a mistake. If I hear a presenter, or anyone, imparting false information, anywhere, any time, you will hear me speaking up. I make no apologies whatsoever. After all, I do MY homework.

Perhaps this personality trait I have developed of speaking my mind is a quality I can blame on my family of origin. In my early youth, it was the custom to visit extended family members on the weekend, and, at that time, the children were expected to sit like little dunces, with their hands neatly folded in their laps, saying nothing, as if they were statues.

Alternately, my oldest brother was either telling to shut up (“pipe down”), or else he avoided me altogether, except when he wanted me to iron his chinos for a date, or make him a tuna sandwich. He was nine years older. In my later life, I’ve become very wary of being used in non-mutual relationships.

I have a long track record now of busting quilt myths that I don’t “believe.” Quilting is a field full of myths.

The use of quilts as communication devices on the Underground Railroad is one of the biggest myths of all. I have written extensively, in dispute of the theories surrounding this topic. My soul is aggrieved whenever I see examples of new quilts made in good faith by quilters who really have fallen for the marketing schemes of people (non quilt historians) who wanted to make money off of a lie. This myth continues to be supported by the National Parks Service, one of the biggest entities to promote the faulty assumptions set forth in the book, Hidden in Plain View (written by non quilt historians) and published in 1999.

Yes, you will find me at the center of controversy, only because I do not shy away from a fight. I am not impressed by people who know-it-all, or are self-important in their own mind, for whatever reason they hold themselves in such high esteem. Don’t tell me how much money you have or how many college degrees you hold. Show me what you know, and be able to back up what you say!

Just last week, I called someone on the carpet for giving a “so-called” audio book review in which the work of some quilters was denigrated, with the sole intent of promoting this reviewer’s fabric line. That Facebook conversation included a simple remark from me: “I wouldn’t want to be the quilter whose work you didn’t like.” The conversation could have ended there, …but it didn’t. After a time of back and forth, my part ended with, “It’s too bad the ‘so-called’ video turned into an infomercial.” As I say, I call things as I see them, without a thought to running a personal popularity contest.

I can guarantee you one thing: I will always attempt to be fair-minded. I will always stand on the side of Truth and Justice. I will always try to share only correct information. I do that as a matter of course, and I will continue to do that. Honesty is the best policy.

I’m beginning to like the words of Sarah Palin and the concept of “Mama Grizzly.”

Cheers! Have a wonderful day!

Pat