I have signed up for two sort of local Modern Quilt guilds. Neither one is close, but they are the closest MODERN guilds to me. I am not a type-A person and so it took me a while to even step out of my comfort zone to attend one of the meetings. Now, I can say I’ve attended TWO whole events. Wahoo, right? So when I saw that both the Baltimore and DC guilds were combining together for an event, I decided to go. Jay McCarroll spoke.
On my way there, I was listening to music as I drove along. It was over an hour drive, so lots of time for music. I flipped from Country, to Top 40, a little classical and then just ended up on something. Who knows. But I was thinking how I don’t like just one kind of music. I like many. I just like good music. I like the way music makes me feel.
I wasn’t sure what it would be like to listen to a guy talk for 3 hours. But it was really fun. He has no filter which I totally loved. The way he spoke, was totally the way a creative person talks. Some people speak in a line, but creative people, IMO, speak like a tree, breaking off into branches. I can follow that way of thinking because that is how I think and talk. Staying on topic is not natural for me. I was delighted with his personality and his stories. There were indeed Jazz Hands involved and lots of just funny stuff.
During his talking, he asked what we called ourselves…Sewists, Sewers, Quilter etc. Then he said something to the effect of let’s just all make stuff and like it. Of course this is my with my overly simple way of explaining it. I think I would call myself a “Maker”. I like to make things because it satisfies my need to create.
I sat with Jessie and Elle from DC Modern Quilt Guild.
That leads me to this. What is a Modern Quilter anyway? I went to The Modern Quilt Guild blog and read their description of what Modern Quilting is. And while I identify with some of what they described, some of it I didn’t identify with at all. I like my designs to make sense. I like graphic design, negative space and an all over sense of calm.
Elle brought a bunch of blocks our guild is going to work on putting together.
There were a handful of women working on hand stitching, binding, basting hexies, and even knitting. I think it is fun to see other Makers in the process of making.
It was a lot of fun to connect with other creative minds. I finally got to meet Heather from Baltimore Quilt Guild. She is just as sweet as you would imagine. The Baltimore Quilt Guild is very active and has lots of activities going on.
On the way home from the event, I was flipping around on the stations again. I just love music. I don’t like just one kind of music. And I don’t like just one style of quilting or quilt fabric.
I think a Modern Quilting is more about connecting, inspiring, learning and sharing. It isn’t just one aesthetic. It is a creative journey. It good design and technique.
PS. I buy most of my solid fabric at Joann’s, and I don’t have a huge fabric stash. And I still consider myself a Modern Quilter/Quiltest/Sewest/Sewer/Maker.
What about you? What makes a Modern Quilter?