As many of you know I am very keen on art quilts and have indulged in a few creations myself. Currently there is a controversy raging in the quilt world – started when a quilt was displayed at the recent Modern Quilters Convention. This quilt comprised of many blocks – all featuring the ‘F’ word. Blogland has been very busy with those for and against the display/making of this quilt – and the commentary has become quite heated. Naturally this has raised further debate on censorship but I was rather dismayed to read the following on one blog: “the quilting community censors itself in myriad ways on often ludicrous bases: foremost the gangland war between ‘traditional’ and ‘art’ quilters with recent skirmishes from the ‘modern’ sector.” I was surprised to know that I was part of a “gangland war”. I thought we were all just indulging ourselves making beautiful quilts that we could all enjoy. I do hear people say nasty comments at quilt shows and think that it is unnecessary and may be hurtful as the quilter may be standing behind them! I am also impressed that the people who enter the shows are brave enough to enter their quilts and have this criticism. Braver than me that’s for sure. What do you think?
Oh and apparently there is a group called the BadAss Quilters Society who were formed because they thought the quilting world required them to be “quiet, grey haired and a bit frumpy”. I think these girls need a session with us! If you want to read more about this quilt see here http://www.thomasknauersews.com/on-surface-and-substance/
On another note, if you thought the social media was powerful then listen to this – due to the results of a Facebook competition the iron has been deleted from the Monopoly board – it is to be replaced by a cat. Now this gets me really steamed up – why do they mess with things that have been going well for years? I hope there was a pressing reason for the change and they iron out any further problems!
But wait there’s mopre – more beautiful fabric that is – have a look at this range – Lux Metallics by Timeless Treasures – you really have to see it up close as the gold is just so rich. I think the large fabric reminds me of the ‘Metropolis’ movie that Fritz Lang made in 1927 and Giorgio Moroder released again with a soundtrack by rock artists like Freddie Mercury. Here’s the link to the trailer here
Now what can you make with that????
Smoke Signals from a Log Cabin 
Hmm, well, nice to see some modern pieces, but I don’t see the purpose of using the F word in a quilt. On a nicer note, I love Timeless Treasures, the have some lovely fabric ranges.
Thank you Kaye for another beautifully expressed post. You’ve given me more food for thought. I’ve found so many overlaps between quilting and my former profession in journalism – layout, graphics, color – and here’s yet another one: censorship. Of course I understand the old guard wanting to protect their craft, like the old print journalists who love the smell of ink on newsprint paper (so do I). But new thinking and new media open up exciting opportunities for expression, and no one should be shunned in the news world (or the quilt world) for thoughtful new attempts at telling the truth. But I’d respect the old guard in my truth telling, since they taught us how to sew. As I would say to my students – tell the truth, but be sensitive to your audience.