Wednesday, May 2, 2012

modern or post-modern?


The official Modern Quilt Guild site has a definition of "Modern,"  which you can read here
  • Make primarily functional rather than decorative quilts
  • Use asymmetry in quilt design
  • Rely less on repetition and on the interaction of quilt block motifs
  • Contain reinterpreted traditional blocks
  • Embrace simplicity and minimalism
  • Utilize alternative block structures or lack of visible block structure
  • Incorporate increased use of negative space
  • Are inspired by modern art and architecture
  • Frequently use improvisational piecing
  • Contain bold colors, on trend color combinations and graphic prints
  • Often use gray and white as neutrals
  • Reflect an increased use of solid fabrics
  • Focus on finishing quilts on home sewing machines
There is a lot of flexibility in this definition -- and lots of room for everyone to follow his/her own path. But NNJ is expanding that definition to be more inclusive. Maybe we should call it "post-modern."
  •  We encourage a diversity of size/shape/purpose in our quilts, including art quilts for the wall.
  •  We love solids but also love combining solids with contemporary or vintage fabrics, hand-prints, and hand-dyes.
  •  Machine piecing, hand piecing, and fusing all work for us -- whatever works for you is great.  If you want to hand-quilt along with (or instead of) quilting by machine, do it! (It's very Zen and great for sitting in meetings or in a doctor's waiting room).
Here are a couple of post-modern experiments on my own design wall.  Not sure whether I will end up with either one, but it's fun to play.  Both combine solids with vintage fabrics from cut-up older quilt blocks.



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