To hang or not to hang…. That is the unanswerable question, and boy, do we love to stick our noses into things like this!
The debate about the best way to present a quilt to an audience—either in real time or in photography—flashed a week ago on the blogosphere (no, we’re NOT dishing on who and where) and while it seems to have died down, we wanted to offer a few thoughts on the topic from our humble positions because it’s something we’ve got some really strong opinions about.
Are quilts at their best when displayed (we’re not talking in use on beds here) in an artful drape over a chair or in a full frontal, drape-free position on a wall? Like pre-washing your yards or dry vs. steam ironing, this is another one of those circuitous controversies that is always more fun when conducted in friendly fashion over a glass (or two) of wine, because at the end of the debate, there’s enough cause to pronounce both approaches as sound.
And that’s mostly where we land—firmly in the middle—because what it boils down to is what are the purposes of the display and the quilt? Looking back to our Quilter’s Home days, we politely and persistently fought a losing battle over what our cover photographs should have looked like. We (Jake and Melissa) believe that lifestyle shots (that’s mag-speak for a quilt being draped over a chair) and full frontal shots are both important for marketing a quilt to a consumer, whether it’s for a magazine cover or for a pattern. Think about it; a lifestyle shot hooks ‘em and the full shot gives all the details.
But in the case of QH, which was all about living with and enjoying quilts, we longed to show our cover quilts with people: babies crawling out from under quilts, people cuddling under a quilt or (gasp!) pets snoozing on top of quilts. (Because we all know that happens and don’t try to deny it.)
Of course, we lost that battle. Meh. Ancient history.
It should come as no surprise then that short of showing it with a car parked on top or using it to wrap the water pipes, we don’t think there’s anything wrong with any particular way of displaying or enjoying a quilt. Please yourself. And isn’t that why most of us sink so much time, money and effort into making our quilts…because it’s fun? If it happens to yield something that can be given away, enjoyed , or used to make a statement, well, fine. But admit it: you wouldn’t be a needle jockey if you didn’t like it.
We do understand those impassioned artisans who revere quilts as art. An art quilter has made his or her piece for one purpose only: to show off. In such a case, of course you’d want the viewer to see all of the subtle and not-so-subtle work that has gone into making a statement with the quilt. That’s why displaying it flat on a wall with great lighting and maybe some surrounding atmosphere suits an art quilt best.
And we also understand those designers who are creating quilts with the hope that some quilter will come along and want to remake that same quilt in his or her preferred fabrics and size, just so they can jazz up the couch, bed, freshly married son or new baby. In this case, displaying a quilt in a more suggestive way that makes the customer envision the quilt in use makes a ton of sense. Sex sells, and that applies to quilts, too.
Bottom line:Those who like to show quilts being used or enjoyed in poses other than flat on a wall are not ignorant fiber Philistines. And those who only like their quilts spread-eagled on the wall are not uptight stitchers with an inflated sense of their artistry.
Say it with us: It’s a personal choice. And you’re all right!
Now can we please get on with our lives and treat each other with kindness and respect? There’s too much fabric out there and it’s just waiting for us!
COMMENT #1
Thanks for this post. I totally agree that it should be up to the quiltmaker. I usually photograph my quilts on the wall. Part of the reason for that is that I prefer to show the whole quilt, but, honestly, I am not much of a photographer and I think photographing styled quilts is harder and requires better backdrops than I have 🙂
COMMENT #2
Right on!!! Quilts are made for many different purposes by many different personalities – it’s a personal choice of how to make them and how to display them. They’re all good.
COMMENT #3
It’s a personal choice, and you’re all right! My view is, why waste time arguing about silly stuff when you could be quilting?
COMMENT #4
Well that’s that, then. 😉
However! (lol)
This was something I thought a LOT about when I started blogging my quilts and for sure I made a lot of photographic errors as well as presentational errors. 😉
But what I realized is that though I loved seeing other people’s quilts artfully draped over something or other, or flapping the wind or the like, I ALWAYS then wanted to say to the poster -“So, can I see the quilt now?”
So, can I say the group at large – if you’re a “lifestyle” photographer of your quilts, (love that!) every once in a while, pretty please can you throw us a bone (“us” being those who want to see the whole thing) and give us a full shot so we can see what it actually looks like too? No pressure!
Do/be what you will! 🙂 And for gawd’s sake – blog however you want to!
Make quilts, not war!
COMMENT #5
Yes, yes and YES!
“It’s OK to not like something, but don’t be a dick about it!”
COMMENT #6
well said! I read along as this debate unfolded and I was a little disappointed at all the negativity…I don’t think it’s becoming of us quilters to name call and criticize someone for criticizing us. I live by Mahatma Gandhi’s words ‘you must be the change you wish to see in the world’. I definitely understand where the ‘other’ side was coming from better in her more recent posts than the ones before it. I like looking at this subject from an impartial marketing angle. I wonder what the sales figures are when you compare quilt patterns with full quilt photos on the front to quilt patterns with a lifestyle photo…and as a Marketing graduate who is not currently working in her field, I’d just like to say that I want to work for whatever company studies this lol! It would be so fun to work in the quilting industry 🙂
COMMENT #7
If you don’t want your quilts (art or otherwise) to be associated with domesticity and utility — to the extent that you find lifestyle shots of other people’s quilts offensive — you are fighting the very soul and history of the art and have chosen the wrong medium.
COMMENT #8
I’m one of those who makes quilts to be used. My dogs sleeps on them, my house mates dog sleeps on them. We use them hard but that is why I make them. They are made with gorgeous fabric I love and whether on a wall, on a bed or on the sofa, they are there to be see and used.
Art quilts aren’t really my thing – I prefer simple geometry but that’s not to say they are unworthy. The mind behind them is different, that’s all. they can be clever, intricate and complex but they are often things of incredible beauty.
Having an opinion about these things is good but at least have a little tact in expressing it!
COMMENT #9
Love this article! Yes – it’s personal choice!! I have done almost everything except wrap pipes! I have artsy-fartsy ones on the walls, snuggly ones on the beds, others draped over chair & couch backs, piles in closets, and yes, the dog (before he passed last month) used to love to hunker down in the middle of whatever he could including a quilt top that I was busily pinning together to quilt (bad dog – off my white quilt!!!)! That being said – when I look at a magazine or web page – I want to be able to see both the full quilt so I can get a “taste” for what it looks like and also a close up of a section so I can see some of the detail piecing (is it too hard for me?).
COMMENT #10
Well said! For the record, I do it all. My cats sleep on some of my quilts, others are on the wall, still others are artfully draped on a chair (and the cats sleep on those too!).
COMMENT #11
Took the words right out of my mouth. I love it!!!!
COMMENT #12
Amen and Amen. To each her own. Personally, I photograph my quilts any way I can get ’em. Usually ends up with me standing on the porch with my arms spread as wide as physically possible and trying to hold it high enough to keep it out of the dirt of the flower garden. The photographer is my 11 yr old son, who has difficulty sitting still, and has the attention span of a gnat, so waiting for Mom to hold it just right doesn’t happen very often. My second “go to” technique is to pin it, with old sewing machine needles, to the unpainted wall in my dining room, and then try to do handstands to get a pic without the chandelier in the middle of the quilt. Sometimes, the picture just doesn’t happen at all. That’s easiest.
COMMENT #13
Ummm…did I miss something? I can’t for the life of me figure out why this is even an issue.
COMMENT #
Hi Sherry: There was a brouhaha over the blogs last week about this issue. We aren’t trying to point fingers and don’t want to make it personal and the parties concerned are trying to tap it down, but we did want to voice our opinion on the topic as it’s near and dear to our hearts. That’s all. How quilts are displayed and photographed does seem to be an issue for many of us because it goes to the heart of the purpose of our quilts–art or use.
COMMENT #14
If I am looking at photographs of quilts, I like the quilts to be hung or flat so I can actually SEE the quilt. Some magazines show the quilt on a bed or draped but I want to see the quilt and that way I can’t see it fully.
COMMENT #15
Personally, I just like to look at quilts. Draped on a chair, piled on a couch, hung on the wall, flat on the floor, flung on a bed….or, in my case, binder clipped to the glass doors of my entertainment center & UFO cabinet.
I do like to see the whole quilt, but sometimes that is just not possible. Oh well.
Leave ’em wantin’ M*O*R*E!!!
COMMENT #16
Hear, hear!!