Quilt con 2018

Back in my backyard so it was easy to go! I only signed up for a few lectures, I spent most of my time walking around, seeing quilts, reconnecting with people and giving my business to vendors. Got to keep the vendors happy and in business!Being a modern quilt show, there were a lot of different styles. Simply because there is no real definition of modern, it’s all about the committee and judges choices.This was no surprise to me that my favorites were old art quilts from the 1980s-90s. This one is an original by Michael James. I bought both of his books early on, the photos were black and white. So to get up close and see the accuracy, the use of whatever cotton fabric he could get his hands on – was exhilarating. A true master.I wasn’t looking at the names of every maker. These are more of the old quilts, often a visual show is about what you see, not about who made what.I spent a few hours with my son in law Yoch, needless to say, Ma Ru was his favorite. It is very well done and fun! Modern and wonderful. Three years ago, everyone was doing straight line quilting with the walking foot. This year many people sent their quilts out to professional longarm quilters. That is fine, except I do remember when two years ago people complained that Luke Haynes created a show with 50 logcabin quilts and hired other people to make the quilts. But then clearly those people were either jealous or have no idea how the art world works. After a while, I realized that what interests me is the close up of some of the work.   A lot of it was really amazing. Great craftsmanship out there.People from Craftsy were there filming.Just because I really like this.Jen made this coat herself! There is no wearable category  in modern quilting, there should be.Sometimes the ‘mistake’ photos tell so much more of the story.

One thing I have to say here. I HATE all the angry, mean political quilts that were on display. I am so sick and tired of politics invading everything, and by politics I mean lefty angry hateful politics. There wasn’t a single patriotic quilt (well, there was one in the Bernina booth). Nary a quilt about Make America Great Again. I get it, modern quilters are in their tiny little bubble, they don’t think anyone could possibly Republican, or a gun owner or heaven forbid – even vote for Donald Trump and be grateful he is president.

I didn’t want my blog to be about politics, and in general it isn’t. But being slammed from every side (yes also in the lectures) with one-sided hate, I’ve had enough. For years I’ve sat silently with women who are ‘kind’, ‘open-minded’, ‘accepting’ as they have said the vilest things about people they don’t agree with politically. I haven’t argued, I and many others like me, just sit there and take it.  After this show, I felt that once, just once I need to publically state that not all of us buy into the left-wing narrative of how things should be. Yes, I heard people with a product to sell saying that don’t care – if these messages offend people – let them be offended. You better believe they are on my private boycott list.

I don’t think we all need to agree, I think different beliefs and opinions are a good thing. But when civility is gone and at least 5 quilts have the F word on them or other derogatory messages about white people, the Potus, or the awful state America is in. (go live in Iran or Saudi Arabia if you hate it here so much).  I know, woke people feel they have the right to take over everything and spew their garbage, I’m old enough that I want my quilting world to be about quilting, keep your politics out of my creative world, because I never inflict mine on the quilt world.