Trends generally come and go, but some are enduring. Some last for a summer…some last for years…and some come back 30 or 50 years later! The TV show “Mad Men” ran from 2007 to 2015, and sparked a retro design trend embracing Mid-Century Modern. It rekindled a desire for clean design aesthetics that flowed into fashion, interior design, architecture, and eventually….quilting. It was the reaction to fussy clutter, and led to the rise of Marie Kondo. It was a revolt against extreme mixed media, that led to geometric quilts made entirely from solid fabrics.
Now what?
11 years have gone by, and Modern Quilting is grown up enough to break its own rules. There was an exhibit on “Maximalism” on the show floor at QuiltCon. My how far we have come…and still at the core of the Modern Quilt Movement, we have this appreciation for a very different type of quilt design that is difficult to describe because it is always morphing into something new. Glorious!
If you follow my personal Facebook page, you saw the many photos I posted from QuiltCon. These are all gallery/overall shots of the show. Please be patient while I go through my photos of individual quilts, which I will start posting on my photo pages this coming weekend. In the meantime you can pick up the QuiltCon magazine, and also my article on Maximalism in the Fall 2023 issue of McCalls.
What does this have to do with Owls?
The Owl trend has been on a similar timeline as Modern Quilting. It started during the years that the Harry Potter movies were being released. (2001-2011) We all fell in love with Hedwig and the other quirky owls at Hogwarts, and a trend was born. It continues today – from Pop Woodland Owls, to Owls with opulent flourishes, and realistic Owls in flight with intricate feathers. We love them all. And you, our customers don’t seem to be slowing down on your Owl collecting. The artwork each year is more fantastic and detailed, thanks to digital printing technology. Today’s stunning Owl panels are tomorrow’s collector items. Outlining each feather with free motion machine stitching is an adventure that makes these mysterious raptors come alive.
Sharing your love of fabric…
Luana and Paul
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Travel/Quilt Dates:
March 6 – Canadian Quilters Association – Zoom Lecture “Intl Quilt Trends”
March 14-16 – Washington DC
April 7-12 – Allegre Retreat
