I am hosting an interactive series called Modern Quilting Modern Women. It’s all about celebrating what makes us who we are as individuals and as a community of quilters. It’s about how our craft defines us and gives us a creative outlet which pays respect to our mothers and their mothers before them. I see many different women coming together as a tribe of quilters. We are woven together by our craft. Modern quilters are as diverse as modern women.

I have lined up some incredible modern quilters to share their thoughts on modern quilting.

I am a proud modern woman and quilter!

Often when people think quilting, they think traditional. They probably imagine a grandmother sewing by hand with a needle and thread, swaying gently in her rocking chair. This is especially true for people who have never quilted before. When I tell my colleagues at my day job that I am going to Quiltcon to spend four glorious days devoted to modern quilting, they often give me ‘that’ look. You know the one I mean. An eyebrow raised – a smirk forming. They are surprised that quilting is a thing and something that I would actually be interested in. How very wrong they are. We know that quilting is no longer reserved for your nanna.

Enter modern quilters. We are edgy. Some of us have tattoos. Most of us use social media. We are strong, outspoken and have a deep love for quilting that links our online and real life communities. It can bond the most diverse groups through a love of fabric and thread. My Modern Quilt Guild is so important to me and my craft. Every month we meet, share, laugh, cry, get angry about injustices, celebrate, commiserate and talk about quilts. Our guild has an amazing collection of strong women from various social, religious and ethnic backgrounds. Many of us are mothers. Some of us are not. Many of us are highly educated. Some of us work in technical fields, are professionals, or work in highly influential positions in government and the corporate sector. A few of us are even men. We, all of us, juggle competing demands on our time. But we are woven together in a rich tapestry. We form a strong, supportive, nurturing and inclusive community which is generous with time and ourselves. This is my village, these are my people.

What does being a modern quilter and modern woman mean to me?

The very definition of the word modern means “a person who advocates or practises a departure from traditional styles or values”. This true for being a modern woman as it is for quilting.

Let’s stand together as proud modern quilters.