I'm wondering if the name Lazy Gal really fits. I mean, I think of myself as a Lazy quilter, what with trying to never measure or be precise or anything else, but at the same time I hate using speed methods for piecing - I'd much rather do each little bit individually. Plus, plenty of folks have said my letters just aren't Lazy - they're work.
Plus, seems like maybe it would be better to not have a name so close to "Lazy Girl Designs."
So what do I name my website? My name is ridiculously hard to spell. Tonya Ricucci - who's going to remember that? TonyaQuilts - gack. Part of the problem is that I just hate having my name so prominent. I'm much more of a wall-flower than a "look-at-me" kinda person.
Maybe Free-Piecer? The Free-Piecer? I'd love to go with PokeyMom but that might just be too much of an in-joke... Pokeymomquilts.com hee hee hee
A Liberated Quilter? LiberatedQuilter.com??? But.... I'm having an ongoing discussion with my book publisher about whether or not they'll let me even use Liberated Letters vs something like Free-Pieced Letters. Gwen's all for it, but the publisher isn't convinced it's the right way to go.
Anyway, would love to hear some suggestions. What would be easy to remember? And truly descriptive?
This trying to be a grown-up person is hard.
Very good question... I think of you as Free pieced... it's something I associate you with... liberated i think Gwen... on your tabs where you talk about "free pieced basics", I thought that sounded really nice...
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of you in general I think,
"WEEEEEEEEE!" "WONKY" and "free Piecing"... it is what you do! and do well! :-) hugs!
does any of that help?
I'm emailing you at tartbr....
ReplyDeleteI thought about FreeFormQuilting or like BumbleBee, something about WonkyQuilts. Just suggestions. I do love your blog.
ReplyDeletecindy
This is not an easy subject, finding a good name...
ReplyDeleteI think of you as liberated rater than lazy. I understand that name is somehow connected to Gwen, but so is your inspiration.... tricky! I have seen the name LazyGal in connection with Gees Bend quilts, and they are all good examples of "liberated" quilts to me. Some people are discussing what modern quilter means, these days. Interesting subject, difficult to answer. Capturing all in one name is not easy. I think we all build on traditions, but choose to explore some particular paths. But going down that path we still bring with us modern impressions and knowledge, as well as particular historical inspirations.
Not sure if this makes a lot of sence... but best of luck finding a suitable name, Tonya.
I've been thinking about this same topic for myself this year (a goal for 2010) and I've learned that using your name for a business name is not so good. Your name becomes your brand identity and if you try to diversify or sell off a part of your business, your own name has to go with it. I can see why there is hesitation over 'LiberatedQuilter' b/c it feels to similiar to Gwen Marston's book & could be confusing. And you do so much more than just Liberated Letters. People know you as Lazy Gal so it may be tricky to start all over, but Idolike just plain old 'Free Piece'. It rolls of the tongue nicely. Or 'Free Pieced Quilts'if you need to keep that subject in there to help online search engines. OK, I think I have sufficiently de-lurked here ;-)
ReplyDeleteNever grow up... :) I say whatever you pick make it something that isn't gonna make you crazy in a couple years. I hate the name of my blog... it fit at the time because I was making handbags and jewelry (I adore bracelets most) but now it doesn't fit at all. Pick what you like we will find you :)
ReplyDeleteYou're making me laugh at how much you hate your own name ideas :-)! Maybe the publisher will come up with a good idea that you can use or adapt. Those are really good photos of you (and Pokey of course!).
ReplyDeletethe words that come to mind for me include: Wonky, askew, tipped, imprecise, purposely imprecise, intentionally uneven, creatively crooked... those spur any more ideas for your name? :-)
ReplyDeletenot even a hint of an idea for you but I sure love the photos. Pokey brings alot of joy to your face..and mine. What a sweet cat!
ReplyDeleteThe word Free could be problematic, because everyone is looking for free stuff on the internet. Your site will get buried amongst people looking for free quilt patterns, free (forms) letters, free beer, etc.
ReplyDeleteI actually like something with Pokey in it. It may be an in-joke, but pokey is a nice transition from lazy, but without negative connotations. It has a nice down home feel to it, and also fits you well enough (free spirit is probably better, but try do a web search on free spirit).
I just did a web search on "pokey quilt". The only problem with it is that the editor of Quilting Arts Magazine is nicknamed Pokey.
Good luck. There's nothing harder than coming up with a new identity :)
I love your musings! Why do we have to be grown up? I sure don't want to be. Maybe you could use "playing" in your name.
ReplyDeleteHow about 'Freely Pieced'? That would take out the "free stuff" association but is descriptive. Pokey is just adorable and you are too!
ReplyDeleteAll right, so who would've thought WONKY would stick? And now every quilter knows what it is. So, as others have said, do what you want and we'll find you. Soon enough, you'll be a household name.
ReplyDeleteMy contribution is,
"Cat in the Lap Quilts"
It includes Pokey who is certainly interested in all the quiltiness, and has a slight connotation of Dr. Seuss to it. Dr Seuss was imaginative, inventive, and fun. wonky, even.
:O)
How about "www.theinprecisequilter.com" ?
ReplyDeleteWhat about Notsolazygalquilting.com? ;-)
ReplyDeletei loved your post and enjoyed all the answers SO much! You have so many nice, helpful quilting friends! You are blessed.
ReplyDeleteYou've raised quite a lot of interesting questions. It is something to think about it because you want it to be you. I agree that liberated is very much associated with Gwen. I do like the Lazy Gal, but you are right about it being close to Lazy Girl Designs. (I accidentally clicked on that once when looking for you...now I have you bookmarked.) I like the free pieced but didn't think about how much that would come up in a google search. I agree with Dan in that Pokey is similar to Lazy and you have the added benefit of being Pokey's Mom. Whatever you decide will be great I'm sure. I agree with you that being a grown up can be tiresome.
ReplyDeleteI like The FreePiecer myself. :-)
ReplyDeleteTo me you are "lazygal" and I really prefer to call the letters "wonky". I hate to see you fix what isn't broken. You are a huge fan of the liberated gwen...but you stand out as the wonky quilter in my mind.
ReplyDeleteI love that word "wonky". Grab it before someone else does. I only think of you when I hear it.
Julie
I don't have any suggestions for a snappy website name, but I wanted to say that we (the Internet quilting community) have known you as Lazy Gal Quilting for just about as long as there's been an Internet. Why change now?
ReplyDeleteKathy in FL
You've established a name as "Lazy Gal" but you're right, you are definitely not lazy, and even I who knows the difference, sometimes mixes you up with Lazy Girl Designs. You've used the term Free-Pieced already, so that's got some cache that I like, but Dan brings up a good point about all the baggage "Free" brings with it. I agree with your publisher that Liberated is too close to Gwen Marsten, even though she's your mentor. I'm liking something with Wonky best since we seem to all know that it is essentially liberated, free, and lazy (in it's non-fiddly sense), and that describes your work. Though, Cat in the lap is pretty cute.
ReplyDeleteI googled "wonky letters"...guess who had the the top billing....YOU!! Then came some that used your wonky letters!!
ReplyDelete...and I loved the pics of you and Pokey!!
Julie
I can see why they might not want to use "liberated letters" from an editorial standpoint even though Gwen is okay with it. And I'd stay away from 'free' in any form.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually glad to hear that you're moving beyond LazyGal because you are SO much more!!
Maybe make a two column list - things you like (Halloween, television, hand stitching, taking photos, colors, cats, being unique, etc.) and things you don't like. Hopefully some random word association will kick in while you're writing and an idea will just pop out.
I think you need a word like AMAZING in whatever name you concoct (I'm thinking of the positive words on one of your quilts ... and you certainly inspire so many of us with what you do)
HUGS (and I'll send you an e-mail on the side sometime this weekend)
p.s. GREAT photos!
WonkyWords.com????
ReplyDeleteWhatever you call it, it will be fabulous. And Tonya, you and Pokey look just fine, no worries!
Willy Nilly Wonky Quilts!! Polly :-)
ReplyDeleteboy tonya, that's a tough one...it's hard to think about you with any other name, but i do identify you with "wonky". so, what about Make it Wonky...or Wonky Freedom?
ReplyDeletePersonally I like Lazy Gal....its short, catchy, and easy to remember.
ReplyDeleteI also like the Lazy Gal name, because of the Gee's Bend allusions..but I was tempted to tell you in email that you are the least lazy person I've seen!
ReplyDeleteBut I also must admit, Cat in the Lap has a great ring to it.
And your full name is not clunky, either. It looks easy to pronounce, and it's memorable.
Everyone has had very thoughful answers for you. Much to think about, huh? I like Cat in the Lap too, or anything Wonky. An alliteration is always easy to remember...Wonky Words or something along that line. However, that is too limiting when describing you!
ReplyDeleteBut when you Google (funny how that has become a verb!) Lazy Gal quilting/quilts, you come up first! So, keeping that may be a good idea. How long have you been blogging with that title? How many people know who you are by that title? Just something to think about.
You and Pokey both look marvelous! You look so happy and relaxed. Great photos! And yeah, being a grown-up isn't much fun some days!
I don't think you're lazy. I don't think liberated = lazy, either. It's a question of different styles, not energy levels. What about free-spirited? Or "untethered" quilting? Louise
ReplyDeleteI also like Cat in the Lap Quilts, although it doesn't clearly identify your style. I LOVE Pokey Mom Quilts, especially because of the "Pokemon" sound-alike. Probably not the demographic you're going for, though.
ReplyDeleteAs you probably know, your website name doesn't really have to identify a type a quilting. You come up in the top ten on Google for several quilting searches unrelated to "lazy gal quilting." If you have good content and use descriptive words in the URLs of your pages, you improve your standing in the searches.
ReplyDeleteI love CatintheLapQuilts.com. You could use Home of Wonky Words (or LazyGal), Quilting Set Free or some other slogan to explain your style of quilting. Lots to think about, I know. Good luck!
~Erin
I like free-pieced. For my blog, I called it kitbikquilts, which is totally ridiculous, but I like it, which I think is important. Kitbiks is what we call the cat's biscuits, and I just like the sound of it... Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI've read all the comments and there are some really thoughtful, good ideas. The thing that almost immediately popped into my head was "wonky woman." How's WonkyWomanQuilts.com for a website? Pokey is cute, too, and I don't think it matters whether anyone knows who Pokey is -- you can put an explanation on your website if you want to. I'd avoid using "cat" specifically, though, because people may think you make cat quilts. "Free piecer" is descriptive but not zingy. But whatever you choose, be happy with it and I bet it will work. I chose a business name for a non-quilting business I had, and always regretted my boring choice. So think hard, and then be sure it fits. Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteDon't have any suggestions for names, as I'm not very good at that sort of thing. I do agree with wondering how I got this old, though! That 19-year-old girl I used to be is still very much in evidence around here; the problem arises when I catch a glimpse of myself in a store window as I'm walking past. Who IS that gray-headed woman? I may be a granny now, but I will NEVER be old in my own mind.
ReplyDeleteI do like the word "Wonky" cause at some point I'm looking forward to you doing a book called "Wonky Town" based on your houses... "won't you take me to Wonky Town?"
ReplyDeleteTonya, I totally understand about the name thing. I like the way "Lazy Gal Tonya" rolls off my tongue, and that's what I think of when I think of you. It's easy to remember, and easy to find. I agree with Julie, avoid "Free" at all costs.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, you already have that lovely word "Incredible" in your header.
And I also love the word "wonky." I think "Wonky Letters" pretty much describes them.
I would beware of using a cat's name. She's beautiful surely, but pokey is also a synomym for lazy, which you are traying to avoid.
Sorry I am no help here.
Lynne
You've gotten lots of good suggestions. . .one more? Wonky Quilted Letters/Alphabet or Wonky Letter Quilter. I like Cat in the Lap Quilting, too. And, I want to go to Wonky Town! Now, I won't be able to get that song out of my head all day.
ReplyDeleteEverytime I look in the mirror, I have the same thought as you, how did I get to be this old? (And how did my younget child get to be a teenager-he's almost 15!)
Pokey looks great! Lois
Checked the thesaurus. Liberated: Bail one out, deliver, detach, emancipate, free, get out from under, let loose, loosen, redeem, release, rescue, save, set free, unbind, unchain, uhshackle. So how about Pokey Unchained, Free Pokey, Pokey Redeemed?
ReplyDeleteGilli
Well I think of you as one who is not bound by convention.
ReplyDeleteso looking up words I came across
Unbound,and Unfettered
As in Piecing Unbound.
Piecing Unfettered.
See doesn't lock you into just letters. Utilizing your name...hmmm
Tonya unbound may get you a lot of exposure to some folk that are not into quilting. What ever you decide it will be right for you! HUGS
My,oh,my! We are all allowed to change ourselves from time to time. Never thought I would return to solids and behold! How about something like just cut and sew, pokey quilter, cut then sew, ever so wonky, etc. Probably none of this a appealing, but I hope may give you inspiration and insight.
ReplyDeleteps. Can hardly wait for your book!! BonnieB
How about WallFlower Quilts?
ReplyDeleteHmm, I have to say something like
ReplyDelete"Independent Quilter" or "Unfettered Quilter's Letters" comes to mind.
I like "unfettered," but came up with using independent in the event you would sort of like to have people stumble on you when searching for other things. ;)