Updated Nov. 11, 2025
It never fails. Your guild announces that show and tell is about to start. People with something to share anxiously line up. They're nervous but excited to show us their latest creation.
Show and Tell Usually Goes Something Like This
"This is the quilt I made for my sister-in-law's new grandbaby," says the sharer. The crowd falls silent and begins to nod in approval. Sometimes, there are even words of encouragement and applause. Then something happens that makes a little bit of me die inside. "I didn't really do a good job with the quilting (or any other part of the project... take your pick), but I hope she'll really like it."
Are you kidding me?! You took the time to carefully select fabric and a design. Then you went through the process of assembling it all, maybe even learning something new along the way that makes you a better quilter. And I'm guessing you're giving it to someone who doesn't quilt, who will only see the beauty and love that went into this special and unique gift.
Why do we do this to ourselves and our art?
If I ever become in charge of hosting show and tell, there will be one rule: when you present a project and explain how it was created, you must also highlight one thing you think you did well.
This is What I Want to Hear Instead
This is the quilt I made for my best friend who just got married. I love her and her new husband so much and wanted to give them a gift that would last and show them how much I appreciate our relationship. This was my first time trying hand appliqué, and I really did a good job. I had no idea I had the talent and patience for this kind of work!
Perhaps it's too much to expect such a bold proclamation. Maybe the best first step is simply not to offer a critique at all. We should probably listen to our mothers and realize that if we don't have anything nice to say, we should just keep quiet, and that applies to us as well.
We excel at fabric and design, and I’d love for us to recognize our own worth. At the very least, we shouldn’t do anything to lessen our achievements.
The thing I love most about the quilt shown above is that it includes scraps from all the quilts I made during my first 10 years of quilting. I found a way to use cherished fabric without creating clutter.
