INTERESING COMMENTARY -- WHAT DO YOU THINK?

[Margo C.]

clipped from http://www.flor.com

Musings - The FLOR blog

Denyse Schmidt: The Modern Quilt

Denyse: “I had been admiring old quilts (late 19th century, but also early 20th century), but found that what I loved about them – simple color palettes, lots of solid fabrics, a spareness and sometimes quirkiness – wasn’t being widely referenced in contemporary quilts. Art quilters were making quilts to be hung that were more conceptual or about making a statement, home quilters were using traditional palettes with way too many prints and colors that were murky, and the commercial world – quilts made overseas for department or specialty stores, were not very exciting. I loved the history and lore of quilting, the community and family feeling of it, and the tactile-ness and collective memory of fabric combined with designs that are very graphic. As a designer, I wanted to get other people to see quilts in the same way that I did, to bring this amazing craft to a wider audience”


POSTED IN MY BLOG READER FROM ANOTHER POSTER.... I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING COMMENTARY.... WHAT DO YOU THINK??


I kind of agree with what she says. I am finding my tastes in quilt /fabrics / pattern is changing drastically this past year. What I liked 5 years ago no longer, " GET ME EXCITED" I have just given several ufo away to a charity quilt club...I made the blocks they are taking it to the next step. They were nice blocks, well made but no longer was to my taste or what I wanted to do. Because my quilting time is so limited I ONLY WORK ON PROJECTS that EXCITE ME and DRIVE me to finish. I now know the difference in what makes me feel creative and engaged and what projects are just wasting my energy.

In some ways I am reaching to the past for the patterns for the basic shapes but I am going in different directions for my color palette. My quilts are taking on contemporary / graphic / geometric styling, more than in the past.

[Terry K.]

Fabric manufacturers keep making different fabrics so that we will buy them. I buy what I like and work on projects that I like. . .life is too short to work on a project that doesn't excite you. Terry

[Terry K.]

I have been working on memory quilts for people for the last year or so and well, frankly getting sick of them. So now my neighbor asked me to make a quilt for his wife in reds and whites with photos. I started getting excited about it when I found some beautiful bright red fabrics and now can't wait to get going on it. The pattern is simple with 9 patches and snowball blocks. the photo's will go in the snowball blocks. It is wonderful to get away from ties and shirts. Also his new quilt will also be used and not hung on a wall.

[Terry K.]

I made a photo / memory quilt 10 years ago... it is not holding up... faces/ colors are getting dark and indistiquishable. It did not hold up to washing well even though I tested the technique prior to makeing an entire quilt.

I would caution your neighbor about the washing issues... ane wear over time... Maybe a regular bed quilt and a smaller wall hanging would work better.

Sad about my fading memories

Lady RAgs

[Terry K.]

I was lucky to find a company that does photo transfers and was told it is much more durable than the stuff you do at home. It is processed with a higher heat and can withstand washings. It cost me $10 a sheet, (8 1/2X11) . Depending on how large the finished photo is depends on how many you can put on a sheet. Mine ended up being 3 to a sheet. You provide the material, and they apply it to the material. Seems like a lot of money, but when you consider the ink and wear and tear on printers, miss prints and so on, and aggravation, it is worth it to me. Actually to my neighbor. He is paying for it. I also pre-washed my reds, so should be good there too.
The company I used is Ceil and have a website.

[Eileen K.]

About the original commentary, I've gotten very bored with the colors and fabrics available to us. Another quilter mentioned, and I took notice at a LQS, most of the fabrics are medium values. Not a lot of good, deep darks or really good lights. You do see darks and lights in the antique quilts, maybe that's what struck that blogger so much.