I'M IN A FIGHTING MOOD

[Sandy Navas]

I hope I don't normally come on here spouting fire and brimstone, but the numerous threads this morning regarding the Iron Quilter contest have me spewing . . . and I am truly ashamed of calling some of the posters on here 'friends'. I have never seen a more ungrateful bunch of whiners and can't believe you have found so many inane things about which to B-itch and moan.

The choice was yours whether or not you entered the Iron Quilter contest. No one twisted your arm and no one made you sweat and cry to get your entry in on time. And now the photos aren't up for viewing soon enough for you? There are way too many entries to scroll through? You hate it because the organizers tried to make the voting more accessible to everyone? You hate it because the organizers are now trying to make it accessible to you because you don't want to sign up for another provider? Yadda yadda yadda.

PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES AND DEAL WITH IT.

What's that old saying about kicking a gift horse in the mouth? If I were the wheels behind this wonderful forum I would definitely sit back and laugh while pulling the plug today and NEVER look back.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND PEACE THE WORLD AROUND! We can start here at home.

[mandymae]

Agreed!! Not to mention, lack of patience... It's only the first day. Voting will be up for a week. Plenty of time for anything to happen. I feel like we're getting a little too competitive and forgetting that it was simply a brilliant marketing strategy for the shop. Look how many entries there were?! Think how much money they made off this.

Up until this point, the people on this forum have done nothing but encourage others to go for it and enter, because it's all been in the name of fun. Now its as if everyone is out for blood.

Not what I expected at all.

[Cat n bull]

My big girl panties are ON!

BIG girls don't just sit down and shut up like mindless sheep when a highly advertised contest changes AFTER the date it was set to start!

This is not a charity event. We were not GIVEN materials to enter this contest. We purchased them in good faith that the stated RULES would equally apply to ALL and the structure of the contest was something we decided to participate in.

How can you claim ANYONE chose to enter this contest when the contest is NOT what it was advertised to be?

The attitude that we should all just silently accept WHATEVER kind of decisions and rule changes and platform changes the organizers decide to impose AFTER the start date has me spewing!

Ungrateful? What is there to be grateful for? This is a CONTEST that cost time and money to enter, it is not some sort of GIFT we should all be so happy to have received!

[jingleme]

Agreed!! Not to mention, lack of patience... It's only the first day. Voting will be up for a week. Plenty of time for anything to happen. I feel like we're getting a little too competitive and forgetting that it was simply a brilliant marketing strategy for the shop. Look how many entries there were?! Think how much money they made off this.

Up until this point, the people on this forum have done nothing but encourage others to go for it and enter, because it's all been in the name of fun. Now its as if everyone is out for blood.

Not what I expected at all.

I just wanna say....not everyone is out for blood. Not everyone is whining & ungrateful. 457 of us entered this contest. Some of us really did enjoy the process with all of it's issues & frustrations. Some of us have been patient. And some of us even spent a bit of our own money to enter this contest. And some of us are GREAT BIG M* fans! Please don't let a few apples spoil the whole barrel. ( I got that saying from my dear Momma, & it seems to fit here) We are all a little excited to see the results, & of course we would all like to win too. NOT that complainers are spoiled apples....they put a lot into this contest too, in good faith.

I also want to say, I think that everyone (even those who didn't submit their work) did an AMAZING job!!!

[mandymae]

I just wanna say....not everyone is out for blood. Not everyone is whining & ungrateful. 457 of us entered this contest. Some of us really did enjoy the process with all of it's issues & frustrations. Some of us have been patient. And some of us even spent a bit of our own money to enter this contest. And some of us are GREAT BIG M* fans! Please don't let a few apples spoil the whole barrel. ( I got that saying from my dear Momma, & it seems to fit here) We are all a little excited to see the results, & of course we would all like to win too.

I also want to say, I think that everyone (even those who didn't submit their work) did an AMAZING job!!!

You're right. Excuse me for my choice of the word 'Everyone'.
& I have whole-heartedly enjoyed this experience. Just wish some wouldn't get so upset about certain things.

[HandsOffItsMine]

I didn't enter but I do believe that setting requirements and then accepting "Non-Qualifiers" is wrong. Also changing voting locales at the last minute was a mistake IMHO as it changes the whole process.

Just because folks are willing to speak up about these points doesn't mean that they don't like M* or are ungrateful. They were part of a group that bought 20,000 charm packs plus yardage from M*. That's a heck of a lot of dough/$!! Not counting the hours of dealing with charm packs that were all different sizes within a pack. I think these ladies have paid their price of entry and beyond dealing with that alone!

I hope that M* learns from this experience...

[Mchelem]

I don't think that its unfair to complain and whine when 1. this isn't a contest anymore-its now a popularity contest. It became that when there is across the board voting, as well as the ability to send out the votes to as many people as you have on your email and facebook friends list. 2. There are entries that didn't follow the rules. The ONE rule that was required to enter. Those entries are getting "likes" which count as votes-what happens if one of those entries truly gets more likes than an entry that did follow the rules? I don't think its unfair to ask that those entries be deleted and not included. 3. People put their own money into this contest. They were required to purchase the charm pack (even if it was as a discounted rate). None of the materials were furnished by anyone other than themselves, so yes, that gives them the right to complain. 4. The rules changed. Mid contest. The entrants were told the voting would take place via facebook. They told all their friends and family. Now the voting comes out that its google plus. No, now its google plus and facebook.

I think they have the right to complain. If they had created this quilt to enter into a quilt show and the rules changed like that, the entrants didn't follow directions, etc. I would expect there to be disqualifications and complaints as well.

[grandmasieg]

I went to the Facebook link and voted. For some reason I couldn't "like" on the google page. All I can say is that there are many, many beautiful quilts to look at. That was enough pleasure for me. There sure are a lot of talented quilters out there! I believe everyone should enjoy the experience of this challenge and voting is challenging because of the multitudes of lovely quilts. Every entrant should be proud of their work and take time to sit back, relax, and enjoy this experience.

Hugs!
Debbie

[buckeyequilter]

Good luck to all. I voted on my Google page and shared with my friends on FB

There are some beautiful quilts/projects that were made.

[Nanato7]

I hope I don't normally come on here spouting fire and brimstone, but the numerous threads this morning regarding the Iron Quilter contest have me spewing . . . and I am truly ashamed of calling some of the posters on here 'friends'. I have never seen a more ungrateful bunch of whiners and can't believe you have found so many inane things about which to B-itch and moan.

The choice was yours whether or not you entered the Iron Quilter contest. No one twisted your arm and no one made you sweat and cry to get your entry in on time. And now the photos aren't up for viewing soon enough for you? There are way too many entries to scroll through? You hate it because the organizers tried to make the voting more accessible to everyone? You hate it because the organizers are now trying to make it accessible to you because you don't want to sign up for another provider? Yadda yadda yadda.

PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES AND DEAL WITH IT.

What's that old saying about kicking a gift horse in the mouth? If I were the wheels behind this wonderful forum I would definitely sit back and laugh while pulling the plug today and NEVER look back.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND PEACE THE WORLD AROUND! We can start here at home.

I am thrilled, almost beyond words! I'm a relative newbie here and did not submit an IQ, nor even thought about it. I read all the struggles and angst during the past two months, actually wondering if it was worth it, considering the all-time-consuming advent of the holiday season. However, the camaraderie and commiseration served a purpose, judging by the number of entries and the expert interpretation of the necessary fabrics.

As I read today's posts, I couldn't help drop my jaw in total amazement!! Wasn't this supposed to be FUN??? I didn't feel that I was "eligible" for any comments on this issue, considering my being a novice in this forum. I'm not out to make enemies, nor blow smoke. Can't help but wonder if any of the "unhappies" would be happier if M* (the one that made this whole thing possible) didn't run the IQ contest!? Nothing to squabble about, right?! Yes, y'all purchased the charms and yardage, but I'll bet you'd have done that anyway - perhaps buying fabric that appealed to you a little more. No harm, no foul.

I get nervous when I read so much negativity on a "friendly" forum, and wonder if I did the right thing by joining (or posting)!