To put it mildly, Q-bies, we were amazed, gratified and giddy about all the stir created by the “What is Modern Quilting?” Essay Contest. First, we get seven solid contributors pouring out their thoughts on this very elusive subject. Then we get more than 150 commenters, many just as thoughtful and eloquent as the original essay entries.
Dang, but you guys can express yourselves well, and not just in fabric!
Before we announce the winner of the essay contest, though, let us thank the full roster of contributors, in the order their essays appeared:
Cathy Ledbetter, Lauren Hungler, Kathy Loomis, Molly Bailey, Laura Weston, Susan O’Connell, and Jill Tafoya.
Extra-special quilty thanks to each of you for being a part of the essay contest. It takes guts, time and thought to put yourself out there, and we appreciate your efforts.
But there can be only one winner, and it’s Kathy Loomis! If you missed reading her essay (or any of the contributions), just click here and you can catch up on some thought-provoking reading. And by the way, the photos accompanying today’s post are all quilts by Kathy. Through some untimely cyber malfunction, we did not have these to share with you earlier, and are happy to do so now.
As strongly as you all responded to this assignment to define modern quilting (which one commenter likened to defining pornography….she can’t define that either, but she knows it when she sees it!), we decided we had to pick a second place winner, and that’s Molly Bailey, author of essay #4. Not quite sure what the lovely Molly will receive from Jake’s giveaway closet, but it’ll be good.
Oh, and we did bribe you all to vote by promising to pick a winner from among the commenters, didn’t we? Well, a promise is a promise, and the winning commenter is Julie E. Julie, you should be getting an email from Jake soon!
(Now listen up, Kathy, Molly and Julie: Please send an e-mail to Jake at jake@generationqmagazine.com with your postal addresses, so the mail slave can package up your goodies and get those in the post.)
Aside from just enjoying a good verbal melee, we have another reason for being so delighted with how this essay contest has gone. It matters a great deal to us to explore, quantify and help others understand this growing segment of quilting.
You might say this desire goes back to something that Jake and Melissa encountered about two years ago, when they noticed a big gap in the otherwise strong Quilting in America survey produced every three years by a consortium of quilt industry companies. When we looked at the results of this survey, all we could see was who was not included. It didn’t begin to tap the vibe of the younger stitcher, or to describe the blurring lines between garment stitcher and quilter.
Somebody needs to do that, and it’s going to be Generation Q. We are embarking on an in-depth survey of the modern quilting/sewing niche—maybe one of the first done, frankly—and we felt the first step would be to see how those within the niche define their own genre.
The next step will be the launching of the actual survey, as soon as we have our cyber ducks (or survey monkeys) in a row. Stay tuned! And be prepared to spread the word. A lot of people want to know a lot more about modern quilting, and it’s up to all of us to tell them.
Meanwhile, we’ll leave you with the words of one of those who commented on the essay contest. We loved her comment and if you missed it, well, here it is again:
“I agree with them all! What I get from reading them is an overwhelming sense of joy in what they do and believe. A sense of following each individual star as it appears–and then shifting stars as the mood strikes. Isn’t this what we would all like to be able to do? Isn’t this the feeling we all want to achieve through our creativity? To do what we want when we want and then share it with whomever we please. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
COMMENT #1
A little late to the party here, I just had time to read all the entries. All entrants express a feeling I think most of us have had during our quilting lives. I believe that the time is now to excite another generation, young or old, to the marvels of the quilting process. While studying those “show quilts” one is easily intimidated by their perfection. We need to let the sewing world know that these are special in their own right but certainly not the norm. When one remembers that not all points are perfect the quilt still provides the love and warm feelings intended by the sewer. If it is an art piece, well, design is the most free form of expression. I am reminded of a talented quilter in one of my groups who makes meticulous miniatures. I have recently started practicing free-motion quilting. Some of this practice is in preparation for learning the landscape quilting process. I had multiple samples that were taking up space and I had to search through the pile to study the particular stitch I wanted to recreate. I had an idea. I had a finished quilt top that was a kit I purchased at a show. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but when finished I didn’t care for the colors or the pattern. A waste of over $100.00. So I layered it up and started using this quilt to practice all my free-motion stitches. I now call it my album quilt. When I need to find a pattern, there it is. I took the finished and bound quilt to my group last week to demonstrate how I used this quilt top to my advantage. Everyone agreed that the idea was good and many really like the quilt. Except for this one person who proceeded to critique the piece as if I had had the nerve to enter it in a show! Yeesh! Interestingly, though she proclaims her expertise, she has never entered a show. While I did not expect this to turn into a long story, I suppose, for me, it illustrates the prevailing obstacle for new quilters. We must stop that. I hope your project enables us and supports all who want to learn.
COMMENT #2
THANK YOU! to Generation Q magazine for hosting this nifty contest, and to everybody who voted for me. Yes, I’m an old lady but I like to think of myself as ageless, especially when it comes to making quilts and making art. I’m so happy to see an influx of younger people into the craft/art I love so much, so it can live on to coming generations.
COMMENT #
Congrats Kathy!
COMMENT #3
I didn’t get to comment on my favorite essay because I’m a space cadet and it took everything I had to just sit down long enough to read them all. But the one I was going to vote for is the one that won, so no harm no foul, right?
They were all excellent essays and all did a really great job of “defining” the modern quilting movement.
Congrats to the winners!
COMMENT #4
Congratulations! I agree that all the essayists are really winners, and it wasn’t easy to pick just one to vote for.
Now to get back to work on my Wonky Stars that I’m supposed to demo at my guild meeting on Thursday night….
COMMENT #5
Wow – Kathy’s quilts are BEEYOOTIFUL!