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Monday, 29 April 2013

Modern? Modernitional? Tramodernal?

Do you consider yourself a modern quilter, a traditional quilter or a bit of both? This seems to be a hot topic at the moment. If you're the latter like me then I like to refer to us as tramodernal.  At the start of my quilting journey I definitely wanted to think of myself as a modern quilter but as time has gone on I have become increasingly inspired by more traditional blocks.


I'm excited to share with you a project I worked on last month. Back in January, the Fat Quarterly team put a call out for people to take part in the next edition's designer challenge - to use a traditional block and make it modern.  I've always loved the Blockade block - a Civil War block, ever since I made this one.  It remains to this day an orphan and this is a reminder that I need to do something with it!


For the challenge I decided to make a cushion using some Chicopee and low volume fabrics. As I had a huge 22" cushion insert, I decided to go bigger and influenced by all the gorgeous medallion quilts being made, I added a clockwise 'circle' of flying geese - another traditional block which I only made for the first time this year.

Who would have thought Chicopee fitted in so well with our Moroccan floor tiles?


Issue 13 of Fat Quarterly is out now and it's full of seriously gorgeous tramodernal projects - and you can see how I made my cushion. So go have a look - you might be inspired!

Linking up with the Let's Get Aquainted Link-Up, which this week is being hosted by Kirsten.


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44 comments:

  1. Jess @ Elven Garden Quilts29 April 2013 at 14:36

    It's beautiful Annabella - and I definitely tend toward the tramodernal (love that word!) :o)

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  2. Deborah29 April 2013 at 14:44

    So gorgeous! You really nailed it with this beauty. And i love the word and concept of tramodernal!

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  3. Lynz29 April 2013 at 14:51

    Oh, wow! That's amazing! ! Clever girl adding the geese. And I'm mostly tramodernal, too.

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  4. Carla29 April 2013 at 14:59

    Oh good for you! It's gorgeous and so is that floor!

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  5. Katherine29 April 2013 at 15:00

    Brilliant! You totally modernized this traditional block with your great taste in fabric. Love it!

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  6. Kelly29 April 2013 at 15:19

    Just gorgeous Annabella and thanks for the reminder to renew my FQ subscription :)

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  7. Charlotte29 April 2013 at 15:20

    that's just gorgeous!

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  8. Scrapatches29 April 2013 at 15:31

    Beautiful pillow! "Tramodernal" ... a very good word ... thanks for sharing ... :) Pat

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  9. Unknown29 April 2013 at 16:07

    I consider myself a Modern Traditionalist , I love mixing it up and doing a traditional pattern with modern fabrics and modern patterns with traditional fabric !

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  10. Danny Heyen29 April 2013 at 16:52

    I think I fall more in line with you. I am inspired by traditional blocks but with modern colors. I don't really do wonky too often and it seems like wonky blocks are the only real "new" blocks that can be considered modern.

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  11. Cynthia Brunz Designs29 April 2013 at 16:54

    Love your pillow. I too like the traditional done in contemporary or modern fabrics.

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  12. Di29 April 2013 at 16:57

    Beautiful cushion. Colours can radically change a block. I like the flying geese around the perimeter. Di x

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  13. elsy29 April 2013 at 17:34

    that is really fantastic annabella, love it A LOT...am with you, tramodernal. not great with the sludgy quilts even though the blocks may be amazing but neither wacky wonky stuff either. thats the great thing about this hobby of ours, we can do as we wish and try different things!

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  14. Quilting In The Cold29 April 2013 at 17:55

    Wow!! That is a stunner!!!

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  15. Jessica Pyykkonen29 April 2013 at 18:19

    Love it! I have never known what I was, if I like something I make it. Sometimes it might be modern, sometimes it might be traditional, I just make what I love.

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  16. heart of charnwood29 April 2013 at 18:36

    It's beautiful! And I totally agree about the trad/modern thing, i want to make quilts i love with the brighter, fun fabrics, and sometimes that means using very trad blocks, but i consider that a good thing, a nod to the history of quilting, and appreciation of the beauty of simplicity often.

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  17. Sewing Mom29 April 2013 at 18:39

    It looks great, whatever it is! We had a modern quilt show at our guild...I dont' know if it's modern.=)

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  18. grapes and hearts29 April 2013 at 19:07

    Congrats for being published in FQ! And I think I am rather a modern quilter. But I'd much rather sew than debate my quilting style with myself. I am what I am ;o))) And your tramodernal pillow looks great, Annabella. Love that photo with the tiles!!! Great job!

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  19. Run Quilt Knit Write29 April 2013 at 19:10

    Congratulations!!! You clever thing!
    I'm a wishy washy mish mash I suppose - maybe a tad more trad, but I basically blow in the wind!

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  20. Nicky29 April 2013 at 19:13

    Utterly gorgeous cushion - you tramodernalist you!

    Think I started traditional and am in an between phase heading towards modern but to be honest I see something I can enjoy in all of it!

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  21. Toni29 April 2013 at 19:57

    Annabella, this is just too fabulous! I love traditional blocks, too, but with modern prints and colors just like these. Love how you framed the block with the flying geese. Congratulations on being in FQ as well. They must know talent when they see it!

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  22. Fiona @ Poppy Makes29 April 2013 at 20:09

    Your cushion is beautiful Annabella! I really fancy making one. Congratulations on being in Fat Quarterly! I think I'm more of a traditional quilter but I prefer modern fabric. I think I just like making pretty things out of fabric I love :)

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  23. Katy Cameron29 April 2013 at 20:21

    Congrats on the feature :o) I consider myself to be someone that sews bits of fabric together ;o)

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  24. Cindy29 April 2013 at 20:32

    I love a traditional block, but tend to migrate to the bright, modern colors. Not sure what that makes me.

    Gorgeous pillow. So pretty, A!

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  25. Mrs Flying Blind...29 April 2013 at 21:25

    Oh I saw it earlier - gorgeous!!
    I reckon I am just a quilter using modern fabric - is that a cop out?
    Tramodernal sounds like a dodgy drug!

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  26. Catherine29 April 2013 at 21:39

    Such a gorgeous cushion

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  27. Susan29 April 2013 at 22:50

    A triumph! And how wonderful does it looking in its Moroccan setting! I can't label my sewing, it is just what I do!

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  28. Anonymous29 April 2013 at 23:53

    I'm "tramodernal" too! And so exciting for you. I let my Fat Quarterly subscription run out, but I'm definitely going to get this issue now! Such a gorgeous pillow!

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  29. Laura C @ littleandlots30 April 2013 at 00:57

    A beautiful cushion! I've decided I'm past caring what is "modern" or "traditional". There's an interesting mix of modernitional in the quilt guild I recently joined (we are planning to become a chapter of the US national MQG, espouser of "high modernism" in quilts) and I find all of it interesting and inspiring. Congratulations on having your pattern published!

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  30. Leanne30 April 2013 at 02:02

    I saw your pillow in the FQ and was hoping I would see it here too. I love it and also how well the fabrics worked for it.

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  31. Melissa30 April 2013 at 04:38

    It is gorgeous! I am definitely in the Tramdernal group. I draw inspiration from everywhere!

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  32. Kirsten30 April 2013 at 07:32

    Such a stunning design - love the fabrics too!

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  33. Vicki30 April 2013 at 07:50

    Such an exciting design. Looks like it was designed just for your tile. A very magical cushion!

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  34. CJ30 April 2013 at 09:01

    It's lovely. You are inspiring me, as I desperately need some cushion covers. And I love that beautiful Moroccan tiled floor, gorgeous.

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  35. Dianne Neale30 April 2013 at 11:34

    Well done Annabella - in print at last! The cushion is gorgeous.

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  36. patchworkdelights30 April 2013 at 11:38

    I've just purchased Issue 13 based on your pillow alone! I really want to push myself out of my comfort zone, so I am going to make one of this beauties! Truly beautiful cushion! Fi

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  37. Marit30 April 2013 at 12:02

    Yes, I am tramodernal too! I just can't wrap my brain around those minimalist, wonky/improv quilts. Congrats on getting your cushion in the mag - how cool!

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  38. Canadian Abroad30 April 2013 at 12:05

    Love, love, love that cushion. What an amazing job you did. And I love the term Tramodernal. Perfect!

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  39. Janine @ Rainbow Hare30 April 2013 at 13:01

    Love your cushion, Annabella, whatever it is! When I was doing literature I thought we were post modern/post structural/post everything now and I thought of 'modern' as being Virginia Woolf and her generation...Now I find some antique quilts look very modern to me whilst some apparently modern ones don't seem to be doing anything very new. I think I'll always be perplexed by quilting classifications :)

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  40. Sheila30 April 2013 at 15:15

    Your beautiful cushion looks so at home there.

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  41. Rebecca Lynne30 April 2013 at 15:59

    Annabella your work never ceases to amaze me - as usual this is stunning! I agree with Janine, classifications are funny things. As an art history buff I like classifying but as an artist I hate it. I don't want my work categorized, then I'm probably thinking about it too much. Whatever you "category" is I like it!

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  42. Catherine30 April 2013 at 20:23

    It's fab and very tramodernal - love it!

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  43. Nat at Made in Home30 April 2013 at 22:41

    It is amazing! Looks great on the tiles!

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  44. Just Sew Sue1 May 2013 at 05:41

    I need to buy some Chicopee as I only have three FQs.

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