Warning - this is a rant. Proceed at your own risk.
I had neither the time nor the desire to write this post. But I had to because I was so seething with anger and disgust. And if not here then where else?
Let's call her Auntie Marilyn. I am so tempted to use her full name, but I am not going to. Because I am better than that.
Let's start at the very beginning. The year was 2015 when Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Company shared this tutorial on youtube. You can buy the pattern Double Square Star on Missouri Star Quilt Company's online store.
When I saw the tutorial, I thought - I don't care for all that snowballing so I came up with another method to make the same pattern and shared it here, acknowledging Jenny.
A few years passed. In December 2019, over the Christmas break, I started contemplating the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks for 2020.
I considered my take on the Double Square Star tutorial. In the post "Best of 2019" dated January 1, 2020, I shared my audition block for RSC 2020. It was a variation of the Double Square Star - as I wrote it.
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| Reversed Colors and Background |
The block looked heavy and dense like a fruitcake. The block was then refined with snowballed corners :-D Guess, I had evolved over the years. Moreover I had received the diagonal seam tape (as a Christmas present from Mari), which made the snowballing less painful. I shared it in this post dated January 12, 2020.
From January through October in 2020 I made these blocks in colors of the rainbow as suggested by Angela.
Based on readers' request for a pattern/tutorial for the block, I shared rough instructions here and then the full blown tutorial here.
When I completed the quilts Serenity and Courage and shared on one of the FB quilting groups, I received so much love and comments. And then Auntie Marilyn appeared. A little knowledge and absolute power - what could go wrong?
Auntie Marilyn accused me of "taking credit for someone else's work", reprimanded me for using the Trellis pattern designed by Cluck Cluck Sew all because my post said "I designed and pieced this quilt".
I tried to explain to her that our patterns only "looked" similar. Specifically I pointed out
1. Trellis uses jelly roll strips. Picket Star does not. In fact, Picket Star carefully chooses two fabrics that are different in value by a few shades. The construction processes of the two patterns is completely different.
2. In Trellis, the Picket Star is created as a secondary pattern. In Leela, Serenity and Courage, the Picket Star is the focus pattern and it creates a totally different secondary pattern - a fat starry shape (quilted beautifully by Rebecca), see below.
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| Image from Rebecca Grace Quilting, used with permission |
3. The secondary blocks created in Trellis have a solid center. Picket Star has a light and airy center.
Auntie Marilyn was so understanding. NOT.
If she could see the differences, or if she could read/understand my explanations, I would not be writing this rant now. Would I ?
She responded "a log cabin is a log cabin even if you change the setting. I will not argue this point".
This was too stupid to dignify with a response.
Somebody please tell Auntie Marilyn - There is a wide variation in log cabins and their design possibilities are endless. See the two log cabin quilts below.
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| Sonika (Log Cabin Baby Quilt) 2019 |
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| Sun City (Log Cabin Challenge Quilt), 2016 |
Speaking of variations, take a look at this Modern Flower Quilt pattern from Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts. Do you see the similarity with the Picket Star Block? It even has the same secondary block shape. It is similar but not same. Therefore I am not attacking her or insinuating that she stole my pattern (or Jenny's pattern or Trellis pattern) and then sold it!!!
Not only Auntie Marilyn wrongfully accused me of something I did not do, she grew all preachy on the entire group posting "I will not tolerate..."
Auntie Marilyn deleted all the comments/conversations where I tried to point out the differences in the two patterns and then Auntie Marilyn deleted me. I don't know if the original posts showing Serenity and Courage were deleted too, because I am no longer part of the group.
Most importantly, I must ask - what credit did I take? What profit did I make?
Even if the pattern was same (which it is not), all I had done was share my finished quilt pictures. There were no links to my blog. No mention of the free tutorial on my blog. I was not self-promoting. I was not trying to sell anything.
So, Auntie Marilyn, Shame on you. You are a bully and you are ignorant and you disgust me. You can take your FB group and put it where...
Me: Yeah?
Paul: How was your day?
Me: Awful. Some bleeping know-it-all rained all over my parade.
Paul: I am so sorry.
Me: In fact it has been so awful that it can only get better.
Paul: That is my girl!!! Would some dinner cheer you up?
Me: Not any dinner. I want smoked salmon.
Paul: So you want to go to Sweetwater?
Me: Yes.
Me (eyes rolling): Yes.
Paul (naughtily): I love when you say YES to me.
Me: Give me 10 minutes to wrap this up.
Trust Paul to rescue me - Every. Single. Time.
In spite of the negative reasons that prompted this blogpost, I have to end it on a positive and uplifting one...even if I must borrow the goodness from elsewhere.
1. Read Rebecca's post about quilting Courage. What she wrote felt like the first raindrops on parched earth, especially today. Do read my comment too. I hold nothing back.
2. Read Tanuja's poem - Have you ever hugged a tree?
3. Read this very touching story (you may need a tissue) from Bernie about the impact of Mercyful Quilts.
In the end, I am glad that the Rebeccas, Tanujas and Bernies (Cathy, Maya, Sylvia, Mell, Mari and Emily too) in my life way outnumber the bleeping know-it-alls.
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| Work in Progress |
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| Island Batik March Project in progress |
I won't be sharing this post with any linky parties. But you are welcome to do so.
And now I have a quilt to finish and a real blogpost to write. If this blog has ever brightened your day or made you smile, please send me a hug. I will return it with interest :-)
