I haven't been into quilting very long (couple of years) so I can't really say from first-hand experience how much the emphasis has changed. Judging from quilts my grandmothers made, though, it seems to be something quite modern and new. I realize it copies and mimics a lot of hand-quilting patterns, so it's more of a twist on an old technique rather than something brand new in the world.
I don't think it's all that surprising though; I think as technology become available to quilters, there will be rushes of techniques that flow through the quilting community as they become available.
I'm sure when the rotary cutter became a thing, it swept the quilting community like a brushfire. Anybody here still use a cardboard template and a pair of scissors to cut blocks? I remember my grandmother doing that, I bet she would have LOVED a rotary cutter in her day! My grandmothers both did hand embroidery on blocks in quilts they gave me; what would they have done if they'd had embroidery machines at their disposal? How would that have affected their quilt planning?
I wish my grandmothers were still around, I'd love to hear their opinions on FMQ quilting. I think they both would have liked how it looked, but I think only one of them would have wanted to start adding it to her quilts.
For myself...I'm not as concerned about creating a perfect quilt as I am about simply creating something with my hands for someone I love. 99% of my quilts are made for a specific person, and for me, the time I spend working on that quilt and thinking about that person are an integral part of quilting, so sending it off for someone else to quilt is not appealing to me. Maybe if it were a quilt for myself, but those are too valuable for practicing on! LOL
But I sure do like looking at those intricately quilted works of art at the shows. I will probably not ever reach that skill level myself, but that doesn't bother me. It's not necessary for my quilts to be works of art...I call them "hugs trapped in fabric" and there's no judging a hug; you just enjoy them.
