Quilt Groupies or.....Minions?

Despicable Me has quickly become one of our favorite movies.

We even love the music!

The blog chatter this past week has been a buzz with the debate over the dumbing down of quilting.  The debate was handled with aplomb by both sides with only a few people getting their panties in a twist.  You had those defending the ART of quilting simply and modernly and those posing the arguments for quilters to learn the ART and improve their skills.  You had those, with their panties in a twist, calling up the quilt police accusation or asking why anyone should care how they choose to quilt?

I've certainly thought a lot about this subject and briefly touched on it on posts in the past.  I've questioned the heavy dependence on pre-cuts and kits that so many people seem to rely on in order to make quilts these days.  On the one hand, it's wonderful that so many more people are quilting since these shortcuts supposedly save quilting time so people with a shortage of time can still quilt and beginners can make quilts.  On the other hand, I feel the downsides on a personal level.  So much of the quilting industry's energy seems to be focused on shortcuts, precuts, and dumbing down quilitng...whether it really needs to be or not.  Hurry up and quilt something so more money can be made....

I can get over most of this.  The books that are geared toward dumb quilters or time challenged quilters have techniques and ideas that I can still use.  I learn something new all the time because, to be frank, dumb or lacking common sense--I still need a lot of help.  And, of course, there is the resounding agrument that I don't really need to care how other people are quilting and what they are choosing to make.  There will continue to master quilters among us that decide to be really ARTFUL and MASTERFUL in their quilting.  Quilting will survive!  We shouldn't want the hobby and art to remain stagnant or devoid of improvement.

Oh, and I rarely have to buy a pattern unless it's applique.  I love to look at pictures of quilts and to recreate them when needed.  I'm sure they aren't exactly like the originals but I don't care.  I'm eager to make a couple of these, namely Fast Forward and Hugs and Kisses.  Oh, and I'm not going to use a charm pack or jelly roll!  I'll probably even make a foundation pattern.  Gasp~

There are other things about the industry and the blogging world that strike a nerve more and resonate more with me because of my personality or temperament and because I rarely get to be a part of the group...never part of the popular crowd.  I feel like I'm in high school all over again only, this time, I'm making certain quilts instead of wearing certain clothes or fixing my hair a certain way.

I think we're becoming a bunch of groupies and maybe even minions.  I'd probably become one in a heartbeat if given the chance.  Becoming followers, auto receiving patterns, quilting the xxx way, using the exact same patterns, using the exact same fabrics...  A lot of people seem to be acting like groupies.

Although, all this is probably went on before.  We all just know and see it now because we're all so plugged in and quilting online.