Quilts are done for the book, first draft of the manuscript has been turned in, and the revision process is just getting kicked off. I have a few more minutes in the day, though, to think about other things, and this topic has been on my mind a lot, since people are still talking about it and trying to define what it is: “modern quilting”.
It’s kind of a rambling post, one that I am continually processing and reprocessing, so I’m putting it into a list of ideas of how I feel about it right now. I’d love it if we could get a conversation going, here, about what modern quilting is, and is not, to you, and how modern quilting fits into your life. As for me, I’m kind of finding myself moving on from identifying as one thing or another, and these are the things I, personally, am thinking right now.
- I’m not really interested in the aesthetic side of things so much, questioning whether it is or is not modern, whether it’s minimal or not, what fabric it uses, whether it’s going to fit neatly in a category according to its looks. That’s boring and unhelpful. To me, modern quilting is less about that than it is about what those quilts do and are for; modern quilting is about utility.
- When we talk about modern quilting, we seem to talk about it in a bubble, as if it suddenly appeared one day and was its own separate entity, and the overall movement guided by the MQG actively seeks to set itself apart and maintain a kind of boundary between itself and other quilt types. I’m not all that interested in that, myself, except for feeling that it can possibly scare people off of learning to express themselves fully through their art, trying to keep their work “modern”. Make what you love. Make as much of it as you want. Don’t give a rat’s butt about anything except but making what makes you happy. And if you watch all the lectures from QuiltCon 2013, that’s what nearly every keynote speaker says. Follow your own Muse.
- What seems to me to be missing when we talk about modern quilting is how it fits into the world around it. Modern quilting is part of a larger movement of people interested in DIY and homesteading, “curating” their homes and lifestyles, having their hand and work literally evident in the homes they are creating around themselves. Modern quilting is, in part, a diary in cloth of many women and men who are teaching themselves quilting skills to make things to be part of their life stories. As they grow in their skills and learn new techniques, you can see it change and shape the quilts they find interesting and desirable, through the popularity of circles and fussy cuts, diamond and stars.
- We also talk about modern quilting being driven by the online community, and it is, but I worry that we miss the larger picture. In my area, the people who love modern quilting and enjoy it for its freedom and liveliness and beauty are all quilters who have been quilting for decades. They are all older than 50. So many people think modern quilting is the quilting for the “young and hip”, and don’t see or know the number of people who love it but aren’t active online. I remember at QuiltCon seeing so many, many women and men who don’t necessarily fit the “modern quilt blogger/mom/DIY/craft maven” profile. And it pains me that we don’t acknowledge them for a number of reasons: modern quilting, in the overall scheme of things, is a small segment of the quilting world; many of these quilters have much to teach and offer; it’s seriously poor judgment to limit ourselves to profiling modern quilters based on age.
- Modern quilting also fits into a continuum of quilt history. As a historian it kinds of annoys the heck out of me that many modern quilters seek to divorce themselves from quilt history. Like our grandparents and great grandparents, we are quilting our way through a recession that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression. Our quilts are often scrappy and made to see hard use, decorative as hell, but not meant to be carefully hidden from view.
- As a professional modern quilter, it concerns me that we ignore the quilters that came before us because they aren’t “modern”, who have much to teach us about working within the industry.
it should always be about making what you love…. and since what you want in your life changes over time, so does what you love and what you choose to stitch — its all about the love of fabric, needles & thread… thanks Mandy
Yes, yes yes! I especially agree that there’s a gap in perspective and a (willful or not) lack of observation about the “real” demographic that loves modern quilting. Thanks for the great post!
I love this post! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Thanks Mandy! You (and Rose) said it so well. I love things that are “modern looking”, and while I’ve only been quilting for the last 8 years, I still see that the kind of quilts I’m making have changed over that time. I think in the beginning I made more traditional stuff, because those were the classes that were offered around me. I love those traditional quilts, because they taught me so very much! And yes, I’m over 50, and I never seem to keep up with my blog, but I’m still my own quilter. Will I likely choose to make modern quilts for my own use? Yes, but as a professional quilter, I see so very many beautiful quilts of all different types. You’re both right. It’s about the love.
For me, being one of the older quilters (since 1974), I appreciate many different facets of quilting. I have always created what I loved. It only expands our creativity when we stay open to new techniques, designs, and tools, no matter where (or who) they come from. As Mandy said, we have a lot to share…
I made my first quilt in the 1970’s. I guess I am an older quilter. I see beauty in the fabric, in the pattern, in the love put into that quilt. At each point in our lives we will like different types of quilts. We need an appreciation for women who love Civil War quilts and for the women who love the simplistic quilt. We are all creating and putting the love into that which we create. Thank God for all of us (or we would all be making the same thing!). Thanks Mandy!!
Thanks for the post – I have so many thoughts on this I don’t know if I can scrawl it out here… but I agree with you. We should all be making what we love to make – regardless of how “un-hip” it may be, even if you hear that the quilts you make are not “modern enough”. Although, I really do wish someone would come up with a list of criteria soon.
For me, what defines modern quilting—as a distinct entity separate from other types of quilting—is aesthetics and almost nothing else. Each time I see a definition that includes the phrase, “modern quilts are made to be used,” I understand the implication to be “and not hung on a wall.” But I do believe there are many quilters who consider themselves and their work to be modern who make wall quilts meant only to be looked at (among other things such as bed quilts, and pillows and other useful objects) and so do traditional quilters. I see some try to tie the definition to technology and the use of social media, but these are used by quilters of all styles. And as you say, modern guilds are full of members of all ages, despite the widely held notion that modern equals young. It has always seemed to me that any criterion you place on modern quilting as a defining characteristic can be easily shown to be something embraced by many different kinds of quilters—leaving only a narrowly defined set of aesthetic rules as what truly sets it apart. And yet the problem with that is that a small number of people decided to declare what those rules would be while a large number of people were still trying the hat on to see if it fit. Modern quilting as a real movement wasn’t given a chance to grow legs on its own before it was co-opted and turned into Modern Quilting: The Brand. I recently had a great conversation after a lecture at a nearby MQG about how modern quilting, as it is practiced by real people, is often very different looking from what is considered Official Modern Quilting, and I feel this disconnect is going to create a chasm between the people who are trying to control The Brand and the people who saw something in it to begin with and wanted to be a part of it in some small way. Which really comes down to a chasm between the people who make money off of modern quilting and the ones who spend that money.
I totally agree about The Branding. And for me, “utility” also means “hung on the wall, out in the world, having a life”. It doesn’t preclude art quilts at all, or mean that it is just quilts for sleeping with.
I think the quilters of the 30s considered themselves “modern quilters”, they just didn’t label themselves. The same goes for any era, they used the fabric of the day and considered themselves current.
I completely agree with you! I often feel that I am lost in space some place between modern and traditional. I love traditional patterns but usually lean toward solids and fabrics that feel more modern. But I am an epic failure at the complete randomness of most “Modern Quilters.” That doesn’t really appeal to me at all. So, I plug along doing my own thing trying to figure out exactly where I fit in. Maybe one of these days I’ll figure it out. Until then…I’ll keep quilting.
Brava, Mandy! Always appreciate your careful thoughts. I couldn’t agree more with you and Megan/The Bitchy Stitcher when we look at the attempt to control the Brand of the idea. My local MQG has a few founders in it, but most of them seldom appear unless they have something to promote. The rest of the guild are people who are excited to make stuff and hungry for inspiration, be it modern or not. Controlling the Brand is seeming more futile, and less important (not to mention ridiculous) than just MAKING, and making people welcome to MAKE. The part that is my personal peeve is the ageism that is practiced often by the younger followers (I thought when I became a quilting professional I was finally free from sexual discrimination, but have now been scorched a few times for my being north of 50). I might have made quilts like your mom, but my age does not relegate me to that and that only. Despite my seeming senility (!) I have a vibrant interest in many new ideas, and I see many, many quilters equally vibrant and interested. I also know my history! Every movement in art is either a furthering of a conversation or a rejection of it – Modern Quilting is both a furthering of the quilting conversation, and a rejection of the design ideas and motifs that are perceived to be “old school”. Funny how it is now resurrecting many of our traditional patterns and calling them “new” again just because the fabrics used are a bit different. I’m done with the labels – I just wanna MAKE!
Thank you for this post Mandy…I agree with everything you said. Do what you like to do and give a rats about what others think … that’s right, life is yours and it is short!
Very thoughtful post. Thank you.
Once you begin to define what you are, you define what you are not. When you define what you are not, you leave people out. We are all here – in groups and guilds, alone or not, looking at blogs or happily quilting away – for the love of the craft. Let’s keep the definitions to a minimum and everyone can join! I understand the MQG’s desire to define “modern” quilting for the judges out there who have to judge modern quilts in shows. But for the world of quilters, let’s just sew and be happy.
I applaud that you recognize that traditional quilters and those that have been quilting for many years (including myself) have a ton of expertise to share and talents to inspire newer, modern quilters. Sometimes I feel as if I am caught in between the two. I only make quilts that I love creating, some are modern, some lean more towards art quilts and some are fairly traditional. I am lucky that the modern guild I belong to embraces all of my show and tell, not just the modern pieces. Recently retired, I am trying to use up much of 40+ years of fabric stash building, so it’s rare for me to buy current fabrics. I like to think of my quilts as Middle Aged Modern! I also love finishing vintage quilt tops so they can be enjoyed and used instead of allowing them to sit hidden away.
I’ve been making quilts for over 26 years. Some of those early efforts are sad affairs that I want to stay hidden in a closet. Some of my recent works just bring me such joy. The effort I’ve put into them to create something new and interesting from basic components just makes my heart sing.
I’m not a Modern Quilter or a Traditional Quilter. I am a Quilter. I make quilts that speak to me. I make quilts that are intended to be used and loved. I make quilts to keep and quilts to give. I make quilts that are serious and quilts that are lighthearted. I won’t be put into one box or another because I think there isn’t enough room in the big box that is called “Quilter” for everything I want to do before I run out of time.
Modern quilting isn’t about gender. I am male and I quilt. Don’t assume it’s only women
I don’t assume that, although I admit I did fall into the trap of using the collective “she” the same way the collective “he” is used elsewhere, for the sake of convenience. I’m usually more careful.
Thank you for a well said piece. I started quilting in the 90s with an online group. We were modern traditionalists. Learning and breaking the rules. Then life got in the way for ten years I was disconnected. When I returned 4 years ago I went to the Internet to reconnect. I’m still a modern traditionalist. I embrace quilting in social media my local guilds both the traditional and the mqg I helped start. Some times the technology intimidates some(young as well as old) but it is really about the people and being creative. I was a little disappointed by the winners of the latest mgq fabric challenge with Michael Miller. I saw amazing quilts but I don’t think the most amazing quilts were chosen winners. Rather a more narrow definition of modern seemed to be in play.
This is great, thank you for writing and sharing it. For me what defines modern quilts is aesthetics. But then, I’m always talking about the quilts and not the quilters and I do acknowledge that other folks have other definitions…as with any loose association of individuals. I find talking aesthetics to be useful because it pulls apart how a quilter got a particular look in their quilt. Of course, that type of conversation should be invited and I agree that most of the time, the simple joy of making is enough.
I don’t know anyone in real life that talks about modern quilting in a bubble or without historical awareness or who thinks that self-identified modern quilters are the only ones that use modern technology or that thinks only younger people make modern quilts. I do see that kind of blather in “trend pieces” written by non-quilters and I do wish they’d stop with the “not your Grandma’s quilts” headline. I just know enthusiastic people looking for inspiration wherever they can find it.
I recently wrote an short essay for the beginning of an educational display on modern quilts, which you can see here: http://r0ssie.blogspot.com/2014/07/writing-about-modern-quilts.html It touches on many of the same issues.
I do like this post and loved reading all the comments. I too dislike the rules that are being placed on what some people believe is modern and I decided a while ago not to worry about whether I have to label myself as traditional or modern. While I personally prefer bright and bold fabrics, I used whatever suits the person I am making the item for whether it be traditional or not. As someone else said perfectly, I’m not a traditional quilter nor am I a modern quilter, I am simply A Quilter.
P.S. I can’t wait to see the book!