Normally on a Tuesday like this I’d be in the shower already getting ready to go teach the Advanced Beginner Class at Poppy Quilt & Sew and going to book study at my parish tonight. Instead I’m at my kitchen counter staying home with what is allergy related sinus thing (no temp, not achy). We’ve had delightfully warm weather the last few days, complete with bugs flying around and stuff in the air. Erring on the side of caution I’m at my kitchen counter preparing for a couple of other things like the Retreat, The South Florida Modern Quilt Guild (join us! The guest fee is $10), and one other project that I want to get done this week.
Quilts Inc announced not one or two, but three Quilt Festivals over the summer. First up Virtual Quilt Festival June 16 to 18. A new Festival in Salt Lake City July 21 to 23. And then the return to Long Beach Aug 4 to 6. Along with Houston this makes four events by Quilts, Inc scheduled for 2022. This is indeed exciting in part for the return to Long Beach a well loved venue and in part for the new Salt Lake City venue. Personally I’d love to see this become a permanent event as SLC hasn’t had a permanent show for a few years.
I want to say something without giving too much attention to this weeks snap & backlash in the quilting world. Watching something become a hot topic is sometimes really fun, no snark intended. This week wasn’t quite so fun and it took a response by someone in another area to clarify my own thoughts and why this whole thing bothered me. Please allow me this slight and related detour in this moment: I have a strong desire to write clickbait headlines. Why? Because there’s nothing quite as exciting as reading these headlines knowing that we will follow the link, go read, get super annoyed or super supportive, or in my experience groan because the thing I want to read is buried so deep I’ll never find it. So go with me here. Brene Brown posted this on social media clarifying why she’s delaying the release of her podcasts. This clarified for me the thoughts niggling at me through this whole snap & backlash experience.
While working on the magazine there developed the No Quilt Bullies campaign. I have buttons in my studio that will eventually be given away. This campaign was a response to more than one thing going on in the Q-niverse in that moment, however it is a campaign that stands the test of time. This snap & backlash started with one person expressing a very strongly worded opinion (the snap) and the crafting community speaking up (the backlash.) Here’s where I go back to Brene Brown for a moment, this person expressed a very specific, very strongly worded, seemingly finger wagging opinion that a I’ve thought more about this is indeed bullying as it’s kind of a my way or the highway, there’s more here for now this suffices. I’ve wanted to speak my own mind about this strongly held opinion however it wasn’t right. Whatever my thoughts on this person specifically the opinion still matters whether I agree or not.
I pause to let you know that Jinny Beyer has announced her retirement. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJinnyBeyerStudio%2Fposts%2F5036595723074097&show_text=true&width=500
Back to the topic at hand in one sense the crafting community stood up speaking their mind and letting this person know of either their support, or vehement disagreement. I am certain there are shifting social media numbers as the opinions were voiced, following and unfollowing as the agreement or disagreement demanded. There were those responding who bullied back. This wasn’t a civil discourse from the opening of the conversation it wasn’t at all, it was clickbait, it was sensational, it was demanding of an alignment of polarizing opinions. I’m for this and if you’re not then well, unfollow. I’m against this and if you’re not then well then unfollow because I thought we had the same mind on this and now I’m disappointed. And then there’s the whole this person should be cancelled because ____________ (insert reason here.)
I’m not weary of conversation. I’m weary of bullying. I’m not weary of people having differing opinions. I’m weary of the whole, “you’re an idiot of you don’t this way because of A, B, and C and Purple, and therefore. I’m weary of the lack of grace. I’m weary of the lack of willingness to listen. There were a couple of places wherein, had I the bandwidth of time I’d ask questions hopefully to understand more fully the points made. I don’t have the bandwidth this week, or this year for that particular discussion. Part of this is selfish on my part because there are presentations and a contract and things. This is in part too because just like machine tension this conversation is a range rather than an either/or. It’s nuanced. And like a quilt has many layers.
Go make more quilts, express opinions, listen, get more fabric and enjoy this beautiful day.
Teri
If you would take a moment:
And the great Picture Show
And the place we engage in so many characters
And the place where we chat each other up
And the great big bulletin board and idea wall
–
I guess I missed the whole thing. You expressed it well.
Well yes and no it’s still happening. The vid is back up and person posting is still very deeply entrenched in said position.