SAQA History of Quilting Presentation

OMG!  We were so awesome!  however, I don't have any pics of myself!  I need to ask Suzi to send me some she took.

Our exhibit is located in the front corner of the Dutchtown Library through December.  The 17 pieces were placed on wire shelving and in display cases.  The exhibit looked amazing.  Then Suzi, the SAQA Regional rep gave an overview of the organization and the exhibit.

Then Joyce talked about how the knights wore quilted garments under their chain mail.  She showed a number of great examples of old quilts from her collection and those done by her grandmother.  Talking about the stitching, fabrics and sharing some personal stories, her tale unfolded.  She talked about how quilting has changed through the years.

So at a perfect segue, I picked up the tale of how the Modern Quilting movement started with Martha Stewart and Denyse Schmidt in 1998.  And the how different aspects of a quilt make it a Modern quilt.    I brought about 20 quilts to discuss and share.


Donna and Susan discussed the Art Quilting Movement.  There were displays of art quilts all around the area where people were sitting.

After the presentations people came up and talked about the quilts, looked at the quilting and fondled the minke backs of my quilts!

I had several of my SAQA and CFAL friends tell me how wonderful it was to see the Modern side of my work.  Both groups are art groups so they see me from a totally different perspective.  

It was like the exhibits when we were in France for the Festival Of Quilts and the show was set up showing a whole body of work. Even the Modern Guild only sees one quilt at a time.  So it was an experience seeing multiple examples of each persons work.

Here are some photos from the day!

My quilts waiting for their role to be displayed

Add caption

What is Modern Quilting

Modern Quilt Defined

I am going to refer you to the post on The Seasoned Homemaker because she has a really good explanation with photos that I really like.

The modern quilt movement is very young, starting around 2003.










When I was searching for the correct wording (for some reason I could not get into the Modern Quilt Guild site with this computer) I found a few posts from someone who had sent a quilt to the first QuiltCon.

She was very disappointed that her quilt did not win anything.

What she had done was to make a small quilt (quite acceptable) in some odd fabrics (just because you use a modern fabric does not make a modern quilt) and quilted it on her domestic head (quilting is still important but generally not traditional motifs).

I can tell you that there are many people who cannot define a Modern Quilt, but as the saying goes, defining Modern quilting is like defining prostitution, you do know it when you see it.

And hers was definitely not one!

That aside, there are some clues that will tell you your quilt might be modern if:

there is a definite use of negative space,



traditional blocks are changed, enlarged, made wonky, rearranged, or somehow manipulated to make a different look,

there is creative use of alternative grids,

use of solid colors, bold fabrics or non-traditional designs, 

Minimalism (this is a big one in a lot of quilts)

asymmetry (also used a lot for some great effects)

Another big giveaway is the purpose of the quilt.  Modern quilts are rarely heirloom quilts.  They are meant to be used and loved by their recipients.

I really like this idea because I have found that the simpler the design, the more apt someone is the use the quilt.  Which is good for me because I can turn out a simple fun idea in a pretty short timeframe when I need a gift!

Presentation on Modern Quilting

Because I am the Queen of Modern Quilting, I was asked to give a presentation on Modern Quilting to the Denham Springs Quilt Guild this morning.

The night before I was to give the presentation, the dog ate my notes.

Do I need to tell you WHICH dog?  

And before you ask the question, the paperwork was on the kitchen counter, under two books.  He had to search for it!   

He does it on purpose, you know.  I had taken him to the vet for his itchy skin and they gave him a shot. 

So.......I gave a presentation about how the Modern Quilting movement got started to the Denham Springs Quilt Guild this morning at the Denham Springs Walker Library. I also talked about what elements make a Modern Quilt modern.

As I looked out at the sea of very traditional quilting lady faces I knew I had a very tough job! LOL. 

I had prepared some copies of works from Nancy Crow, Joseph Albers, Yoshiko Jinzenji and Gwen Marsten and they beginning to warm to the idea of Modern Quilting. 

Kelly Surace's Quilt

I prepared a handout for them with the elements of Modern Quilts like no borders, exaggerated scale, negative space, etc, and we went through the quilts I brought and talked about the elements of each one. 

See how skinny I am !!! 44 lbs 

Lori Steib's Quilt won Honorable Mention at GSQA Show this week

 

In the end, I think I may have enlightened a few and changed some minds in the process! And I learned some interesting facts about the beginnings of our Modern Quilt Movement myself!

Thanks to those who lent me their quilts,
 

I appreciate having the diversity of quilts to show them.

Modern Quilting is No Longer So Simple

Remember when Modern Quilts began surfacing?  And we were astounded by the open space in the quilts?  Remember when we took a block, and convoluted it to be a singleton, or we simplified a traditional block and it became modern?

I just looked at one of my favorite Modern designers and she is showing off her new line of quilts and accessories for a new book.  I would imagine a new book is coming out, because why would you save 7 or 8 quilts to show all at once unless you were putting them into a new book and it was on its way to the bookstalls?

I  love her work. An I do love these NEW quilts she has.  But.......they are looking like the more complicated traditional quilts we all came from. 

Have you noticed your favorite Modern designer making more complicated patterns?  Are all the Modern quilts taken now and we need to fill in those spaces?

Or is it just me? 

PS>>>>>>> I DO really love her stuff, really!