After several years of anticipation, Atlanta finally welcomed the Modern Quilt Guild’s QuiltCon to our city. While America’s Mart is no one’s favorite venue, the MQG produced an amazing show, and an amazing experience for many thousands of quilters on February 23-2

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QuiltCon is a production of The Modern Quilt Guild and is the largest modern quilt show of its kind. It includes hundreds of quilts juried into categories such as Modern Traditionalism, Negative Space, Minimalism, Piecing, and Appliqué. In addition, QuiltCon includes several special exhibits including charity quilts, a featured quilter, and youth quilts.

According to the MQG, “Modern quilts are primarily functional and inspired by modern design. Modern quilters work in different styles and define modern quilting in different ways, but several characteristics often appear which may help identify a modern quilt. These include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work. "Modern traditionalism" or the updating of classic quilt designs is also often seen in modern quilting.” In my experience, modern quilters are also more likely to engage in conversation about current events such as politics or human rights issues with their quilts, following, of course, a rich tradition in the arts.

Let’s take a look at a fraction of year’s show!

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Sponsors

This was our second year sponsoring QuiltCon— the event itself and the Modern Traditionalism category. I’ve shared before about the ways this show feels like “home” to me. I’ve met and connected with friends, made valuable industry connections, and learned so much by seeing amazing quilts up close. We love being part of this event!

String & Story sponsors Modern Traditionalism because, honestly, it’s my favorite category. I think it is consistently one of the strongest categories at the show year to year. Congrats to this year’s category winners!

Vendors

Last year, I drove a vehicle full of merchandise from Atlanta to Phoenix solo, 3 days each direction. It was our first time vending QuiltCon, and we learned a lot! This year, it was amazing to simply rent a van and cruise downtown for set up! We brought a photo op (featuring a quilt pieced with patterns by Whole Circle Studio and 3rd Story Workshop and a cutout of our favorite shop dog), more display options, and kits and bundles galore!

Best in Show

Faculty

It’s a popular saying in personal development to “follow your envy.” Not in a gross “take cool stuff from other people and be mean to them” but rather to notice your own wanting. I’m not quite sure when I started feeling jealous of the little “faculty” ribbon hanging off of QuiltCon name tags, but when I realized it, I made it my goal to become a member of the QuiltCon Faculty myself.

This year, I lectured (“Quilt As Desired: Overcoming Quilting Fear”) and taught two classes (“Quilting Outside the Lines” and “Introduction to Quilting Plans”). I’m not sure when I’ve felt so nervous to teach, but I had SO much fun. Thank you to all my students that made this dream come true so amazing!

A Few of My Favorite Quilts

I have some thoughts about themes and patterns in this year’s show (as I always do), but first, a few of my favorite quilts. There were over 600 quilts hung this year, so I feel overwhelmed by the idea of sharing photos of even a proper fraction of the show. If you are an MQG member, please check out their virtual version of the show before March 31, 2023. I just can’t do it justice here!

Fibonacci’s Cabin: This quilt was part of the Log Cabin challenge. I love log cabins, and I love geometry, so I positively lost my mind at this quilt and dragged all my friends to look at it

Watermelon Eyelashes & Bananiclenation made me laugh out loud in the best way (I also chuckled at a quilt called Zebracolada). I love cheeky quilt names and bold uses of color.

You may be familiar with the Heather bundle in our online store— we “canonized” the Heather bundle after Heather Heck ordered the most stunning selection of dusty colors last summer. What I didn’t know was that she was making a quilt that would ultimately hang in the show— in the category we sponsored, no less!! It’s stunning, Heather!

Observations

One of my favorite things to do at QuiltCon is to do an initial walk through of the show pretty quickly and just observe patterns. What colors are common? Repeating themes? Popular blocks? Each year my observations are a little different and things that wax one year often wane the next. Trends are, in my opinion, evidence that modern quilting is a movement and a community. While we may all create in relative solitude, we are nevertheless influenced by other makers and events in the world at large.

Here are a few of my thoughts from this year’s show:

1. Modern quilters love tradition. Traditional blocks & motifs were strong in all categories of the show this year. While I can’t prove it, I have a theory that the uncertainty of the last few years has us reaching for touchstones of stability, including tried and true shapes in our crafting. I also think this is one (of several) signs of the maturing of the modern quilting movement. Our common skill has increased, and we have the accuracy for curves, tiny pieces, and creative manipulation of traditional shapes

2. All hail solids. Past HollyAnne would have been disappointed by how few and far between the prints were, but there’s a different type of play with color and shape that happens with solids. The strategic use of prints I did see, however, was excellent.

3. So about derivative works... When I started quilting, the HOT HOT HOT topic in modern quilting was all about doing original work versus derivative work. It was related to important conversations about intellectual property, respecting the work of women, etc. But the overarching conclusion at the time was that derivative work was a bit less than and poo poo’d. I was also poo poo’d because I’m a big fan of Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist. Essentially, I think that basically all art is derivative because we don’t create in a vacuum, and we can’t help but be influenced by nature, other quilters, other creative mediums, etc. Rather than seeking to be totally original, we should seek to have a wide range of influences so that each of our works are drawing from enough sources not to be copying or infringing on other’s work.

   This year at QuiltCon, I observed more clearly derivative work than I ever remember seeing (especially work similar to Sherri Lynn Wood and work influenced by notable pop and absract artists such as Mondrian and others). I have rather mixed feelings about it, since the similarities were so clear, but on the whole, I think it’s a sign that modern quilters are becoming skilled enough do things like curves galore and to play more heavily with concepts from other mediums. That’s pretty cool.

4. We quilt to heal ourselves. From social justice issues to LGBTQIA+ rights to COVID trauma to mental health to personal loss, we use our quilting to process, experiment, and ultimately stitch ourselves back together. Quilting is an exercise in activism, self-discovery, and meditation, and it continues to be a powerful medium to gather folks from all over the world for a few priceless days of connection and community.

Beyond the quilts, two other huge themes stood out to me this year:

1. Atlanta is a Black Mecca, and I was delighted to see the way Blackness and Black quilters were honored and celebrated in a way fitting to our city. Our keynote speaker was the amazing Chawne Kimber, and other special exhibits included quilts by the Equal Justice Initiative, quilts honoring Harriet Powers, and quilts by the Brown Sugar Stitchers Guild. There was also a Sew Black space with Lisa Woolfork of Black Women Stitch (learn more about this amazing organization here)

2. While technically the second QuiltCon since COVID, the energy was different this year. The rooms were practically pulsing with the joy of being together. This year’s vibe felt more collaborative and uplifting than ever before!

Concluding Thoughts

While even the most diligent recap only captures a snippet of the QuiltCon show, I hope this has provided you with some eye candy and food for thought and inspiration as you head to your sewing room. Be sure to check out my other QuiltCon recaps to learn more about previous shows.

If you’re new to String & Story or new to free motion quilting, we’d love to send you a gift. Click HERE to request the FREE Confident Quilting Workbook, designed to share our favorite free motion quilting tips and tricks to help you finish your quilts with confidence!