Modern Quilting, Modern Woman. Or not?

My friend Crystal (aka Two Little Aussie Birds) has been running a fantastic series on her blog called Modern Quilting Modern Women. In Crystal's words, 'this series on Modern Quilting, Modern Women celebrates what makes us who we are. How our craft defines us and gives us a creative outlet which pays respect to our mothers and their mothers before them'. Crystal has interviewed some amazing and very influential quilters as part of the series - they are wonderful posts to read, and offer a lot of food for thought. 

Crystal's series has really made me start thinking about my own experience as a quilter and where I fit in the quilting world, and whether I really need to work that tricky little question out at all. I've been slowly writing this post over the last couple of weeks, so it is a pretty wordy post. I've been doing a lot of thinking about these questions (especially 2 and 3), and it's turned into a bit of a self analysis of sorts. It might be confusing too - I'm feeling a bit confused right now and it's really me just thinking aloud. Be warned it may bore you to tears ;o)

1. Tell us about how you started quilting and how you found modern quilting.

Although I've always dabbled in some kind of creative outlet (mostly cross stitch for many years, but a little bit of sewing when I was younger and had access to my mum's sewing machine), I only got my own sewing machine four years ago for Christmas. My youngest child had just been born and I thought it would be fun to start making clothes and soft toys for her. I made a few bits and pieces for Zoe, but then discovered a few free quilting patterns online and decided it might be fun to give quilting a try. I bought a Flower Fairies panel and some coordinating fabric and started my first quilt, without having any clue what I was doing - and the part made quilt top is still sitting in a box somewhere in my sewing room. I decided I needed to learn a bit more about how to actually make quilts, so I bought a beginners guide to quilting magazine and learnt the basics. I have a background in science and maths, so the calculating and precision in quilting really appealed to me, and I found it way more fun than making clothes, so I pretty quickly decided that quilting was something I preferred to do. I shudder when I look at my early fabric purchases now - but it wasn't long before I discovered the amazing online world of modern quilting/modern fabric and fell in love. Completely and utterly. I am completely self taught thanks to the phenomenal amount of knowledge quilters are willing to share in the form of online tutorials, and my fairly hefty collection of quilt books. 

Now, I'm nothing short of obsessed with making quilts, and my nights are spent playing with fabric and thread. It has become my stress relief, my happy place, something that is mine amongst the chaos of raising three small children. And it's slowly becoming my job, as I've started designing for magazines and teaching patchwork and quilting in a local fabric shop. I've never been happier. 

2. What does it mean to you to be a modern quilter and a modern woman? 

I think when I began quilting (around three years ago) I did strive to be 'modern' in what I made. I was very influenced by what I saw other modern quilters doing, and gained a lot of inspiration from the work of others. That hasn't stopped entirely, but lately it has become a choice of whether to spend time quilting, or whether to spend that time reading blogs/IG/Flickr - and most of the time the sewing wins out.  

The other thing is that over time, as I've become more confident with my use of colour and design, I've become less obsessed with trying to fit into any particular aesthetic and just started making what I love. I don't claim to be original with my designs or use of colour - but I like pushing myself to try something new with each project I make, whether it be a new palette, a new piecing technique, or trying something new in terms of how I quilt a quilt.  

If anything, I identify more as a modern quilter than anything else. But having said that, at this point in time (as in literally today) I've decided to completely abandon trying to fit in to any particular brand of quilting and just be happy making what makes me happy and just call myself a quilter. And right now for me that's enough. I can see the importance of defining modern quilting (and I am a founding member of the Tasmanian Modern Quilt Guild), but I don't want to feel limited by defining myself as any particular type of quilter. I'm feeling quite confused by what can be construed as 'modern' in the quilting world at the moment anyway, so I'm quite happy to just keep doing what I do and to hell with trying to define myself.

3. Which quilt that you have made represents you and why?

My most recent finish - my kaleidoscope star quilt which I've renamed Galaxy (thanks to treadlemusic - who incidentally is a no-reply blogger so I haven't been able to thank her for the name idea!!) represents me as a quilter. I poured my heart and soul into this quilt from start to finish, and I am not ashamed to say I am SO proud of it. This is the quilt I entered into QuiltCon (my only entry) and this is the quilt that got knocked back. And I guess this is the quilt that has made me decide that I don't need to define myself as a quilter (modern or not). I don't know whether this is a modern quilt or not to be honest - but it represents me as a quilter more than any other quilt I've made. The fussy cutting, the pops of colour in the stars, and the ridiculous amount of free motion quilting make me happy. 

From the very start this quilt was destined to be a show quilt - the very first time I've deliberately embarked on a quilt project intending to enter it into a show. I have to admit that when I was making it, I wasn't really thinking about whether it could be called modern or not, so it may not have been the best quilt to make with the deliberate intention of entering it into a modern quilt show. I guess  my use of negative space and use of different sized stars in the quilt could be interpreted as modern - but maybe not according to the MQG's definition. I don't know. I'm a bit disillusioned and confused as to what is considered modern right now. I've always felt I fit into the traditional side of modern quilting if anything, and I wasn't expecting it to be accepted, but I was fervently hoping it would be. 

To be brutally honest, I want people to see this quilt. I know it's a really good quilt. It is the best representation of me as a quilter in terms of my skills, and I want people to see the amount of detail I've poured into it both in the piecing and the quilting. I think that's why I'm disappointed it didn't make the cut. I realise it isn't a reflection of me as a quilter that it didn't make it into QuiltCon, but it has really made me question what is 'modern' - because the only reason I can see that it wouldn't be accepted is that it isn't a modern quilt. Okay rant over. I just needed to get this off my chest peeps. 

So on a happier (less whingy) note, I'll get onto the last question...

4. How do you connect with other modern quilters?

Up until the beginning of this year, I only connected with other quilters online - at first by connecting with people via my blog/reading other blogs and then late last year through Instagram. Early this year I approached one of my local fabric shops, Frangipani Fabrics, with the idea that I'd like to start teaching patchwork and quilting classes, and this was where I started connecting with other local quilters. Frangipani took a massive risk taking me on as an unproven teacher - but I feel like I've found my home there. I absolutely love teaching people how to make quilts, and being able to share my passion for it. My co-workers have become close friends of mine, through our shared passion for quilting. Most of the classes I have taught have run over a few months, so I began to get to know my students really well, and I am now proud to call lots of them my friends.  

A few months ago the Frangipani crew and I, along with a few other local quilters, started the Tasmanian Modern Quilt Guild - so that's become another wonderful way to connect with other modern quilters. We have been completely blown away by the response, and already have close to 60 members (not bad for our little island state!).

If you've managed to get all the way through this post I think you deserve huge congratulations. Thanks for reading my ruminations, and please don't judge me for being my (too) honest self! I think this is the scariest post I've ever written and it's taking a lot of guts to press the publish button, believe me.

Massive congratulations to all of you who have had quilts accepted into QuiltCon - I am so excited about seeing them all hanging in Austin in a few months, and I can't wait to meet so many people who I've been friends with online for the last few years. 

xx Jess