The Modern Quilting Guild planning committee wants to know what “modern quilting” means to its members, and has requested we post our response on our personal blogs.
I have a difficult time articulating what “modern quilting” means to me.
Jacquie said to me recently, “I can’t always explain it. I just know it when I see it.” I knew what she meant.
To me, “modern quilting” means fresh… current. It’s executed with unexpected design, and an intuitive process, all wrapped together with the inspired artists out there creating it.
My first “modern quilting moment” happened when I stumbled upon fabric that spoke to my creative side. I’d found my artist’s medium. Fabric’s my modern quilting muse. Modern quilting wouldn’t exist for me with out the designer fabrics being produced today. Surface design makes me giddy.
I’ve come to rely on some unexpected design element when it comes to the composition of a modern quilt. Maybe some tweak of a color, shape, or proportion. Often it’s something that makes the piece signature to the creator.
Undeniably, I see modern quilting as an adaptive, intuitive process. Most of my quilting is a menagerie of technique. Whether improvisational or more static, it evolves itself differently each time in its process of construction. This process works well for me. It allows me to execute my ideas, be adaptable to change when an issue in design’s construction arises, and forces me to take on learning new skills.
I love how personable the process is and look forward to the guild’s evolution. How about you?
Perhaps the main ingredient of modern quilting is not following a pattern, but making it up as you go along, or drawing it out yourself.
I believe for me this might be true. However, I look at Denyse Schmidt’s designs or Cherry Hills as Modern too. Maybe it’s that they have an improvisational look to the design or they are high volume with solids.
I also believe you can take a traditional design and make it look modern.
Much to think about!
i think modern quilts also means a personal mind. i believed many of people still love using patterns to make their quilts. of course it saves buying the accurate fabric among, but it lost the individuality. an unexpected design twist, i am so agreed with you, katie. i have been visiting more than many quilting blogs, even they have used similar block ideas, but an unexpected design always fresh out my mind. i would said, modern quilts also is a personal twist and individual mark. 🙂
I am so inspired by what I am seeing within the Modern Quilting community. It says to me that I can be me and still quilt …. that is freeing!
oh you’re hitting me right over the head with my favorite color combos up there!
I’ve had this question in the back of my mind since I read it on ning and, like you, have trouble finding the words. Trying though. Hope you are well!
i think it can be many things. using a traditional pattern with fresh fabrics used in less-typical ways, or using traditional fabrics in new unique designs. those are just two things that come to mind right away.
I agree. I think this is why I say “unexpected.” Like when I do a Value Quilt, I think of that as traditional design with half square triangles, but the use of fabrics makes it fresh.
I love the different, yet all-encompassing aspect of our definitions! Funny thing is, modern quilting is a great deal like traditional quilting, and still completely different at the same time. It’s still using fabric and mostly three layers to make something soft. But the fabrics, patterns, techniques, and use of color are so radically changed! It’s still quilting-modern style!
Adaptive and intuitive… Good words.
Modern quilting… quite a long story. Each of us seems to agree to the adaptive, intuitive side of it. Colours and fabrics may add this modern touch as well as other unexpected materials, objects, “décorations” that each person would sew on the quilt. Free sewing although keeping it traditional in the making.
Hi I found your blog from searching tags on WordPress. I have to say that quilt looks fantastic and I like your description of modern quilting.