After reading Barbara Brackman's post yesterday I was a little sad.
I knew the ever expanding quilt industry wouldn't last forever but it was a downer to read some of the statistics from last year.
It doesn't discourage me, just makes me sad.
I admit I don't spend as much on books and fabric as I used to. Part of the reason is because I have a large stash but the main reason is because I am a traditional quilter who likes reproduction fabrics
and patterns and my local fabric shops/magazines are catering more to those who like the trendy colors and themes.
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| Kate Spain - cute but not me. |
But, I have to tell myself that they are catering in that direction because the quilters who like that are the ones spending the money. Makes perfect sense.
Also the many of the new patterns that are available are too simple and too "easy" for me. I want a challenge, I want something intricate.
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| I guess they are trying to attract beginner quilters |
I love the ideas that are coming out of Australia. They seem to be going in lots of interesting directions.
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| Jen Kingwell makes some interesting patterns |
I appreciate designers like Barbara Brackman, Betsy Chutchian, Jo Morton, and many many more who are still carrying the banner of "preserving the past". They haven't given up on quilters like me and I haven't given up on them. In fact, there is a new book I've got my eye on because of the pine tree quilt on the cover. Warming up to cheddar has taken me a long time but it sure makes this quilt sparkle.
Here is the book.
Regardless of the trends, I'm not giving up on quilting. I have many more fabrics to piece and stitches to make before I'm finished!!!
Robin
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10 comments:
I was also sad to read Barbara Brackman's last two posts.I made my first quilt in 1983 while pregnant with my third baby girl.Now I am a 65 year old grandmother of 5, (4 boys and one girl) in London Ontario Canada.I found that Civil War reproduction fabrics called to me,although you can understand they are harder to find here.I did order online once, but the shipping cost was killing. With our low dollar,a fat quarter is between $4.50-$5.00 now here.My sister-in-law has a wonderful quilt shop in Coldstream Ontario called The Marsh Store ( there is a website). No store can carry everything,and she really does a great job bringing stuff that her customers want.I'm not going on a fabric diet at all,ever,and I am glad that I bought what I bought.I found it weird that Jo Morton designs for Moda now.I I bought two charm packs of Gratitude ($16.90 each!),But they seem like more of a Moda pretty colour,rather than the reproductions she was known for. Also heard that Edyta Sitar is designing for Andover now.What the heck? I am very glad that I have as much of Barbara's fabric as I do,now that she is not designing.I recently bought a small Janome sewing machine hoping that the little kids will learn to sew.
The tree quilt is wonderful! Love the cheddar and I am a cheddar fan.
I also read Barbara Brackman's post. I don't like the idea of some parts of quilting being on the wane. Things are changing with the digital world and some of the way I shop. I have way too much fabric and think some of the reason is being bombarded with such easy shopping online. I love having the big stash as I like scrappy quilts. I usually have fabric I can pull from. Have to shop for larger pieces though.
I know what you mean about being sad concerning the statistics. I just try to support my local quilt shop and other main street quilt shops where I go, buying only the minimum online. I still buy more quilt books than I probably need because I rarely use a pattern. The whole book industry is changing though and I'm dreading the day quilt that books might become e-books only. Ugghh. That would never work for most of us! Oh well. Times they are a changing and really, the fact is, the quilting industry has probably hit its high water mark. Just have to hope they readjust in a way that works good for us real quilters, the one to whom it isn't a fad!
I also read Barbara's post with some sadness, but like you I have a large stash and I prefer more traditional fabrics. I like a lot of the Australian designers. I try to support my local shop, but I am also trying to use what I have
I so agree with you! I live within 30 minutes of four quilt shops and only one has a good inventory of repro fabrics. It makes it hard to support your local shops when they mainly cater to the modern quilter. Although I do love some of those fabrics, most just aren't "me". I just got Betsy's book, and still have to decide which will be first on the list!
Same here in reading the dwindling interest in what you (and I, and many) love in quilting... I believe it's cyclical and will again come back around - we just need to bulk up our stashes!! I do try to support local shops, and online, too. Doing my part :)
If you are interested, a group of us that retreat in Shipshewana bi-annually, have started a FB group and have just started working on the stamp quilt pictured on the front/middle of the Treasury of Quilts book. (Betsy Chutchian has joined in too!) the FB group is called ' 42- Cents Forever Stamp Patchwork Divas '. It is a closed group, but just ask to join, and someone will approve your admittance. We'd love to have you join in sewing along!
Happy stitching!
I can't quilt quilting: I'm just getting started! I started because I had a lot of fabric left from sewing, some of it from 10 or 20 or 30 years ago. As one relatively new to quilting I was all over the place with fabric choices but now I'm tending toward vintage/reproduction fabrics. When I look at my shelves of fabric I sometimes think -- I have to use this before I die! And then I buy a little more, for just one more project, or maybe two.
It seems like creative activities go through cycles of popularity. In the 1970s and early '80s I was dyer, hand-spinner, and weaver. That all went out of fashion after 10 or 20 years, and now it's becoming popular again, especially the hand-spinning. I hope companies continue to make good quality quilting fabric and that designers continue to create.
That's exactly the sort of book I'd enjoy. I read her post the other day, too. I used to buy quilt magazines but that was long ago. I'd look at the masterpieces in them that would inspire me ( even if I wasn't capable of creating them at that time, or now, lol ) but now with the internet and everyone showing and telling and link parties, etc. who needs magazines very much any more.
I love a scrappy quilt and it's all about using up my stash this year. I do try to support my LQS too, however, the NZ$ for fabric here is high so I'm also tempted by the newer on-line fabric ranges. I've found that buying small amounts now & then gives a bit of new life to my pre-modern stash, so it's all good!
It's certainly very different times from when I first started quilting that's for sure! The internet seems to have surpassed magazines, one-designer quilts are very popular... but I also feel that whatever gets younger people hooked on quilting is great too.
Statistics are probably up for 2020! At some of the sewing stores in big cities, it takes 2-3 months to get your machine cleaned because so many people have pulled them out of attics, basements and closets and begun sewing again!
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