Monday, June 9, 2014

Traditionalist, Modernistic, or just a quilter?

So many times over the course of this blog I have wondered where our methods and techniques come from. Is it something from our past? Like Grandma and Mother made things this way or is something totally different than the regular way of looking at your craft.

I like the looks of the Modern Quilter. The color and structure say something that makes me think. But I'm not one to try it. I like the traditional look as you can see from my blog. I do enjoy stepping out of the box from time to time and seeing if a pattern even though it is a modern one will work with traditional colors.

Many modern quilter's use traditional patterns, but put a different twist to them. Being color or off kilter, or just free form. So many ways to express ourselves.

How do you classify yourself?

The other thing that makes me think is what would my Grandmother think of the way I quilt? Mine was a rag bag quilter, but she sewed all the time. She made her dresses and some for me and also her aprons. She lived during the depression and had to make do with what she had. Was her sewing perfect? By now means the same as mine, but she made quilts. She tied a lot of them and they were loved and used daily.

I try to be like her, but not sure I measure up to the legacy she left behind. Hopefully one of my Granddaughters will follow in this pursuit of trying to keep tradition alive. If it stops with me then so be it.

I have searched the web looking for inspiration and found many beautifully done blogs and websites that have all the color a design a person can take in. Some are portraits of people and animals, some are totally linear designs and others are a mixture. Many are traditional looks with a twist. With the colors and textures of the fabric we have today the sky is the limit.

Same can be true of the final task of quilting a quilt. Hand, Machine, Longarm or tied, quilt as you go. So many ways and yet they all have their purpose.

I guess after saying all this I maybe should classify myself as just a quilter. A quilter who enjoys the feel and the look when done. Maybe I lean one way or the other, but the eye is the important thing here. If you like what you see you will continue. How do you lean? Chris    

1 comment:

Katie M. said...

I love color. I can not see myself ever working with 'Civil War repros'. I like the concept of "modern" quilting yet it also makes me think of being lazy and not trying harder to get it 'right'. I really enjoy curved piecing, yet don't do a lot of it. I enjoy paper piecing, yet I don't have the patience for the time it takes. I love scrappy quilts, yet rarely make one. Lately, I've been so busy quilting for QFC (Quilters for Comfort) that I haven't created a quilt of my own.
As to how I lean - I don't think I 'lean', I think it's more of a 'sway' :-)