TAAB Quilt Critique Group

I joined a critique group! Yay!

I had a wonderful meeting last night with three very talented fiber artists: Barbara Triton, Madi Appell, and Lenni Abel. We have formed a quilt critique group (TAAB, which is the first initial of each of our last names) and I am very excited about the whole endeavor! Their work is beautiful and each of these accomplished and decorated women has come to quilting from a different perspective.

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Benefits of Being in a Critique Group

These are just a few of the benefits of being in a critique group:

• You get fresh eyes on your work. When you’ve been staring at a piece for too long, it’s hard to see what’s actually happening. A critique group helps you step back and see it clearly again.
• You learn faster (and smarter). Listening to feedback on other people’s work teaches you just as much as hearing feedback on your own.
• It helps you stay motivated. Knowing you’ll be showing work to other humans is a powerful nudge to keep making.
• You build confidence in your artistic voice. Over time, you start to recognize what feedback fits your goals—and what doesn’t. That’s huge.
• You get unstuck. Sometimes all you need is one suggestion, one question, or one “have you tried…?” to move forward again.
• You practice talking about art. Explaining your choices (or even your confusion!) helps you understand your own process better.
• You feel less alone. Making art can be wonderfully solitary, but it’s also easy to spiral in your own head. A critique group reminds you that everyone struggles sometimes.
• You get accountability without pressure. It’s a gentle structure that supports your art practice instead of turning it into homework.
• You learn to give better feedback. Critiquing others helps you develop language around composition, color, intention, and what’s working.
• It becomes a creative community. A good critique group isn’t about tearing work apart—it’s about helping each other grow.

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What I Want to Get Out of It

Mostly, I want to move my work to the next level.

Everything I do (from scrapbooking to quilting to jewelry) is best viewed up close.

I want to push myself to get more graphic (while remaining true to my personal style, of course).

It seems to me that in order to be successful, one’s work must work both from a distance (or when submitted as a tiny jpeg or slide) and in person up close.

I can hardly wait to get started! Although, I’ll admit that it scares me. For two reasons:

1. Remember when Tiger Woods was revamping his swing? He was terrible for about a year until it clicked in. Not that I’m Tiger Woods…
2. One of my strengths is my detail work, my surface embellishment. Maybe there’s nothing special about my quilts if that’s gone? Of course, I don’t have to stop embellishing, but I still have fear.

Well, we see what happens! I’ll be sure to keep you updated!

ETA: If you want to explore the benefits of a critique group, check out My Art Practice.

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Side Note

I’m thrilled to report that my layout, “Why Do I Scrapbook?”

…won an honorable mention! Judge Ali Edwards said that my layout received an honorable mention because “This is just cool.” Yay!