26 April, 2011

Letting off steam

Via Noodlehead I came across Stitched in Color's great post about things we'd never say out loud but secretly think. Go have a look and revel in the honesty of the post and the comments and add your own. It's totally cathartic. See if you can spot your bloggie friends' comments ;)

I said this:


I actually quite like Sherbert Pips although it's just one line of many - but extremely well marketed. Which brings me to one peeve - big bloggers who obviously get sent fabrics to promote things but who don't own up, or who promote things without being open about it. I'm going to stop reading them I think.

Stones with crochet around them. Really don't get it. Really don't. Who needs more crap gathering dust?

Blogs that have an insanely perky and chatty tone and who post every day. Although shame on me for reading them I suppose!

Giveaways that require you to tweet, blog or Facebook about it for an entry. If it was for something really major then yeah ok maybe, but for a potholder or something like that? Get over yourself, it's not worth it and an act of blatant self-promotion.

Oh, and commenters who ask you to visit their blog. It's so crass.

And finally, bloggers who think it's ok to knock off Anthropologie or some other big company, and are proud of it like they're so clever, but get all huffy if someone copies something from an indie designer. I believe the term for that is hypocritical.

Thanks for the chance to let off steam! And I agree about the Single Girl quilt, although one thing blogging and reading blogs has taught me is that not everything appeals to everyone, and I'm not actually the arbiter of style on the interwebs. 


And I should have added that I don't really like hexies, they look terribly old-fashioned and bitsy to me, although occasionally I see a project I quite like. I also don't care for crocheted granny blankets, generally they look awfully naff, although again, there's always someone who comes up with one I like, generally for the colours.

How about a non-crafty one that came up on Facebook yesterday - the stupid and really REALLY offensive debate about whether you have to be religious to be moral. I'm an atheist and you know what? I'm moral and I do the right thing because it's the right thing, not because I believe in heaven or hell. There. I said it. And wow, I discussed religion on my blog! Go me! I might bring in politics next ;)

ETA: oh man I can't stop going back and reading comments and I have about a billion more things I need to add to this post! Bad grammar...abbreviated RSS feeds...awful stuff in swaps...why does everyone love Jay McCarrol's fabrics? I feel depressed and anxious when I look at them en-mass...mug rugs are just coasters with a fancy name...no no, must stop!

But all this whiney negativity aside, I really do think that one of the most valuable lessons I've learned is that who cares if I don't like Jay McCarroll fabrics, he sure as hell doesn't and neither should you if you do. I used to think everyone should share my tastes and dislikes and be vaguely offended and embarrassed for people who didn't, or who put up quilts that I find dreadful and appalling. Then it occurred to me that they actually LIKE them, they're proud of them and who the hell am I to say otherwise? I'm sure that people swing by my blog and it's just really not their cup of tea and they leave without a backward glance. I mean, they're obviously freaks but finally understanding that not everyone shares the same taste and sensibilities is actually enormously liberating and I've learned to just walk away from the stuff I don't like and not obsess about the fact it exists in the world.

23 comments:

  1. ...and sex too? Those are the three big no-nos for my granny: religion, politics and sex. But yeah, agreed re morals even tho' I'm a Jesus freak;-)

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  2. gosh I hope my blog is not insanely perky! I do post nearly every day, but that's so all the rest of the down-right boring side of my life that is motherhood, doesn't drown me in it's sameness! I agree about Sherbet Pips, I so wanted it but now meh! it's everywhere :)
    I also hate blogs that just seem to promote stuff and never act like they have a real life! I like to see tops that don't fit and seams that don't line up. Heck my sewing space is full of them :)

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  3. I have to admit, I loved that blog post and it was indeed refreshing ... I too am so tempted to post something on my blog! I'm with you on the moral issue... I'm an atheist and I believe the same. I've raised my children the same way I was and they're no worse or better off than their friends who do attend church.

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  4. LOL. I don't want my blog showing up on the wrong google searches so I might leave the sex out - although you never know, might pull in a whole new readership! ;)

    Atheists and Jesus freaks (what a great term!) get along great as long as they respect each other, it's when the disrespect comes into it that the troubles start.

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  5. Perky! No! You are not insanely perky!

    I do wish I had a reason to get some Sherbert Pips, but Hazel's too old for it now I think.

    And I like imperfections and wonkiness too - some bloggers have the gift of it without being too detailed or honest, some seem to be perfect despite themselves.

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  6. The funny thing is that I read the comments and think some really dire things about some of them - particularly the needy, not-so-thinly-veiled pleas for more people to visit their blogs. I hope my Freudian slip doesn't show quite as much as some of theirs! But generally I was all "that's so true! Me too!" for most of it. Even the stuff I don't agree with was pretty funny to see written out. I don't think that blogland could handle too much of that kind of honesty on a regular basis, the old "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all" still holds true I think, but it's nice to get a breath of fresh air through occasionally!

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  7. thanks for the link to Stitched in Color's post--I had a lot of fun reading the venting. I think I'll host a giveaway which requires you to be my facebook friend and send me a fat quarter. If the fat quarter is from Joann's, though, I'll have to de-friend you.
    ha! ha!
    ♥Duff

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  8. Ohhh, but what if the Joann's FQ was the new Denise Schmitt? Then you'd be in a quandary!

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  9. I like your added on comment, and agree! who cares, everyone has different tastes, I encounter this regulary at my craft group.... and dare I say it? I quite often try very hard to find something nice to say ( because really I don't like it ) just hope my distaste doesn't show on my face. Also even though I do it alot, I actually hate how I always rely on ending a comment like this :) . Gotta stop doing that.

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  10. Thanks for the smiles and smiles.
    I'm such a avoid conflict at all costs type of gal that I simply could not be that brave to dare write something someone might disagree with ~ eekk ~

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  11. I hate people who comment asking you to go to their blog too!

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  12. A very thought provoking blog post. Some of it I definitely agree with. But if we and (here you can read a definite "I") are honest isn't part of why we blog/read blogs to connect with people? Nobody wants to be Nigel no-friends. I still love Sherbet Pips (and nobody gave me any freebies to say that) but then I have on-line store and have decided to stock it - so am not without a motive as well. We all come with baggage!
    Like you I am not religious but consider myself to be a very moral person and do not think that being religious gives you an "in" on morality.
    And I hope I am not insanely chatty either, but then again I only blog when I feel I have something to say or share and I try not to share the boring sh*t and there is plenty of that! (Tongue in cheek - Or maybe that is what I do blog about and that is why me readership is down - hmm better host another giveaway.) Now here lots of people would put LOL (but I hate that!)
    Thanks for a great read. It will be interesting to see what other comments are generated.

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  13. I think it's important to find something to say nice things about, although some projects I just need to walk away from unless directly confronted. It's a bit like ugly babies.

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  14. The funny thing is though, often people don't disagree and love you for saying it (kind of like how I feel about Stitched in Colour), or they respect your courage if you've done it tactfully.

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  15. It reeks of desperation doesn't it and I never EVER visit on principle!

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  16. The overwhelming impression I got from that discussion about Sherbert Pips is that mostly everyone really liked it but by the time it was finally released it was so overhyped they were over it. I must admit that it does seem to have been making appearances on the big blogs, who were so careful to emphasise that it wasn't available yet and they were so lucky to get some, with depressing regularity. I think that's the bit that pissed me off, that it was made to seem so special and hard to get when actually all it was was a marketing exercise. I adored it when I saw it, but talked myself down and now realise that Hazel is too old and probably wouldn't be that thrilled by it any more. Not that I'm going to show her because she might prove me wrong and then I'd be tempted to buy some! I see the designer is releasing a new but quite similar line at Quilt Market, it looks fun.

    I don't think Kiwi blogs are chatty to be honest - well I can think of one but it's not particularly a sewing/crafty blog. I feel bad I made people paranoid about it! I actually went and unsubscribed from the blog I was thinking about and it was so empowering! Why on earth I was reading a blog that bugged me more and more on multiple levels I have no idea. :P

    LOL

    I should go back and see if any more comments have been added!

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  17. I read your comment on Rachel's post and in my response I agreed with you about the whole Anthropology / Pottery Barn knock off thing. I think it's so hypocritical and poor judgement to admit to knocking of another designer's idea.
    By the way, one of my other gripes was people responding to comments in their own comments - I read loads of blogs and certainly don't revist a post three or four times to see if the blogger has replied ;0) Each to their own and all that, but don't bother replying as I wont read it!!

    I need the courage to get rid of some of the blogs that annoy me (especially the ones that go on abour religion) but I daren't in case I miss something!

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  18. Oh, you do make me laugh!

    I would go read the post you linked to, but I feel I'll wake the household up with laughter. Plus I'm meant to be going to bed early, as I have to sew a ring pillow for a wedding in (eeekk) 2 days.

    I do think there isn't quite enough honest b**ching at all those 'Stitch & B**tch' sessions around. (only used those little star things as I don't ever know what words might bring the wrong Internet spiders).

    I am learning that it's okay to click away from a blog straight away if I don't like the fabric or projects or spelling errors (or overuse of LOL). Just as if I'm at an art gallery - it really is ok to not like or be inspired by some things. So much crap to weed through.

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  19. Um, that'd be 'petalplum' not 'plus' (stupid iPhone auto correct spelling). Though after looking in too many change room full length mirrors while trying on dresses today, maybe the plus does fit.....!

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  20. Thanks for coming over and saying so! I've been feeling that way for awhile now but came across a blog that was actually called something along the lines of 'Anthropologie knock-off.blogspot' and was absolutely appalled, so it was all fresh in my mind when I wrote that comment. I came across your comment and loved the idea of a post called "Oliver + S knockoff", I would so pay to see the comments to that one!

    The whole commenting thing is difficult, particularly with Blogspot. I use Disqus because it gives a bit more flexibility in terms of a discussion, and is a bit better with supplying the email of the commenter so I can email them directly, which I try very hard to do, especially if they've left a real comment. I think if you're signed up with Disqus it sends replies to you, but it's not used widely enough for that to be particularly useful. I loved that Rachel at Stitched in Color responded by email to all the comments though, that is massive dedication and big ups for her on it!

    I find that the good projects in the big blogs that I used to follow tend to show up on Whip Up or One Pretty Thing, Pinterest or other aggregate sites.

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  21. Ring pillow - well don't go over to the link if it's the Single Girl pattern ;)

    It's hard not to get pulled into the herd with the big blogs. Some of them are big because they're good, some...I have no idea. But different strokes and all that! And my tastes change too, I used to adore Soule Mama and then one day I was all "WTF are you on about exactly?" and realised that either she'd changed or I had and I couldn't stand it anymore. So I was off that bandwagon but too afraid of backlash to say so. And really why say so at all? Like now? Damn...

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  22. Oh iPhone spell check sucks big time. I sent an email to a friend and meant to write "send me" but ran the m into send and then hit a space before the e and I won't even tell you what it changed it to because it really WOULD bring in the wrong google searches.

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  23. I agree on so many levels. (I saw your comment on crocheted rocks & that sent me here - I think.)
    I also agreed about Pottery Barn - But they sell Single Girl & that is a pattern that is for sale commercialy as well, so... (All I know is DS is one hell of a market guru! & I have a feeling that 3 other people with fabric lines, patterns, & books owe a lot to her either by proximity or foot in the door or both.)

    I hate discus - especially since I see that you reply in the comments... (I so rarely come back. I have too many time constraints to return & my memory is pure crap so I won't remember where to return to!)

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