Pondering Modern Quilting

I mentioned a few posts back that I didn't end up contributing a quilt to Project Modern: Challenge 2. That's okay. I'm being easy on myself because I do tend to be overly optimistic about how much I can get done - plus I work part-time and attend school. The contribution of a quilt to this contest required a few lines (I'll quote): "A brief write up (one or two paragraphs is fine) explaining your quilt and how you took on the challenge"

A baby quilt I had so much fun improvising and making was nearly complete in time to submit to the Portland Modern Quilt Guild's (PMQG) show at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. Submissions requested a paragraph about (another quote): "This show offers us an opportunity to share with each other and the community our thoughts on what modern quilting is right now." However, the due date was the Friday before finals week. Nu huh. No way that was happening! Not that I didn't get encouragement or think I couldn't have pulled an all nighter. But I'm not 19 anymore - it would have been ill-advised.

Why am I talking about things I didn't do? Darned good question. When I become interested in something, I research it wholeheartedly. Be that knitting, sewing machine repair, or quilting. I'm incredibly drawn to modern quilting, and I suspect it's the freedom and improvisation. Sure, I may be paraphrasing what others have said, but it fits. And I'm still thinking on it. What it means, how it ties in, how entrenched in tradition it is. It reminds me of Newton's famous quote - in the sense of 'standing on the shoulders of giants'.

Besides finding the PMQG, amazing blogs and flickr groups, Pat Sloan's excellent radio show, and these contests - I've been reading quilting books, both traditional and modern. I checked out Denyse Schmidt Quilts book,  and it is so highly regarded that now it feels canonical. Heck, it was published in 2006. Ha! I'd also found a book (either at the college or local library - can't recall) on contemporary quilts. It was published in the early 1980s and had a lot of art quilts and the aesthetic of the time. Still, improvisation and freedom shined, even if it looked dated. Perhaps the Moda fabrics I love so much will look dated in 20 years. I'll still love them. I also found this video very thought provoking - it's about an hour with iffy sound quality, but incredibly interesting. Modern Quilting, Mutant Quilting

(Rambling Aside: I love vintage fabrics and am always looking for ways to find more. Maybe I'll post about that and solicit feedback. If anyone is willing to share their source! Modern quilting + vintage fabrics is part of the juxtaposition in my mind. My own individual juxtaposition is my love of sewing machines from the 60s and earlier.)

Modern quilting, modern quilting. It's still turning over in my mind. The definition is still in flux. How amazing is it that an entire community is poised to define what that means.