Most of us will
remember the celebrations of the Millennium New Year as one of the biggest
events of our lifetime. How awesome to witness the turning of the year 2000. We
partied like it was 1999, just like Prince’s song. That song was released in
October 1982. I remember dancing to that song in a disco in Hong Kong and
thinking – 2000 is so far away! Then in 2000 thinking – 2020 is so far away!
Well here we are. Have we achieved 2020 vision? I think not. But who knows what
2020 will bring?
Our industry has changed so much in the 20 years since eQuilter started in the
basement of our home. Back then people were afraid to buy metallic prints
because they thought the metallic would wash out. 5 years ago people were
afraid of digital prints for a similar reason. 20 years ago I could not have
imagined how digital printing technology would radically change the range of
products that we carry. Now we enjoy fabrics printed with permanent
dye-sublimation that bonds to the molecules of the fabric, and have a limitless
amount of colors and no restriction on the repeat length. A designer’s dream!
20 years ago quilters were arguing over ‘what is a quilt’ and ‘what is art’ and
the Modern Quilt Movement was perhaps a twinkle in Nancy Crow’s eye but she
didn’t know it yet. Ha. Now our quilt festivals are full of creative and
technical categories that didn’t exist in 2000. As sewing machines became
digital with computer brains and mind-blowing technical advances, we’ve
embraced the changes and allowed them to feed our passion for stitching in ways
our grandmothers could not have imagined. I think of my grandmothers often when
I am sewing.
More than anything, the internet has brought us together and provided us a new
way of sharing our creative inspirations, and allowed us to find new friends
all around the world. The internet was just taking off when we opened our
little business in 1999, and now it is integrated into all of our daily lives.
When we share things like slow-stitching and hand-applique through the
internet, that mode of sharing has come full circle. That part our grandmothers
could relate to, for sure!
I thank my grandmothers Minnie and Merle, for teaching me to sew and planting
the seeds for my creative career.
sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul
See my Flickr Photo Pages
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Visit Pinterest, eQuilter’s Instagramor Twitter for more Color and Design
ideas.
eQuilter
Classroom:
March 6-8 – MJ Kinman – “Unicorn
Rainbow” & “Elizabeth Diamond” Gemstone Workshop
April 13-15 2020 – Susan
Carlson
June 1-5 2020 – Paula Nadelstern
Luana’s Travel Calendar:
Jan 24-29, 2020 – Tokyo Quilt Festival – 1 day with Lisa Walton’s Japan Tour
Feb 19-22 – QuiltCon in Austin TX
Mar 18-27 – Wilderness Congress – Jaipur India
July 29 – Aug 2 – “Love Your Mother” Gallery in Birmingham UK
