The principles of the modern quilt movement, as stated on their website, are these.

"Modern quilts and quilters:

• Make primarily functional rather than decorative quilts
• Use asymmetry in quilt design
• Rely less on repetition and on the interaction of quilt block motifs
• Contain reinterpreted traditional blocks
• Embrace simplicity and minimalism
• Utilize alternative block structures or lack of visible block structure
• Incorporate increased use of negative space
• Are inspired by modern art and architecture
• Frequently use improvisational piecing
• Contain bold colors, on trend color combinations and graphic prints
• Often use gray and white as neutrals
• Reflect an increased use of solid fabrics
• Focus on finishing quilts on home sewing machines"

They state that they are quilters first and modern quilters second, with their feet firmly planted in the "field of tradition". This style of design and quilting has been around for years and years, someone just slapped a new name on it and started promoting it as "modern". Like any style of quilting, or anything else for that matter, there is a huge diversity of ideas as to what is included within the label.

To reply to Holice's original question, because the 'modern' quilters are internet created, younger, and electronically 'with it', they seem to communicate primarily through blogs, Flickr and Facebook rather than 'old fashioned' message boards. More power to them if it brings new quilters to the fold, but I hope they don't get too wrapped up in segregating themselves from the foundations of the craft.

ETA: As far as using patterns, I totally disagree with the statement that modern quilters do not use them. There are a bazillion books and patterns available with the 'modern' label on them and I guarantee they're not all being purchased by traditional and art quilters. Many of the 'formerly known as' contemporary quilters (Denyse Schmidt, Ringle and Kerr, etc) have rebranded themselves as modern quilters just to appeal to this audience.

I am a "modern" quilter and joined my local modern quilt. holice i was gonna suggest the same website that clsurz noted. i love the bold colorful fabrics that are being created these days and while traditional quilts can be stunning the patterns didn't seem to tug at my artistic strings. my thoughts were there just had to be another way to make these patterns appeal to my sense of style and color. in stepped this whole modern approach to quilting and took hold of me.

i am (well was now i am a quilter) a clothing designer by training and have sewn since the age of 7. i had started my own boutique and custom children's clothing business that i operated for approximately 18 years creating uniquely colorful and embellished clothing for children. i also custom designed dresses for girls. i say all of this to say i was use to sewing and creating my own style and designs. when i started quilting about 6 years ago, i felt the same need to create my own quilt styles using a variety of colors, fabrics and design.

when initially looking at the traditional quilt patterns, i did not feel they represented my design sense and i knew that i needed something different to represent me. the first 17 quilts that i made for family were all done with freestyle design and a mixture of fabrics and textures. i had a very small fabric stash from my sewing days which was not all cottons but where high end fabrics. so using my sense of color and balance, i created these quilts as i made them with geometric cuts and strategic placing of fabrics and using embellishments. each quilt is unique and was made without a pattern.

while the modern quilt movement loosely (to me) describes their style by the use of negative space (the grays & white fabrics), simple lines and plentiful use of solids, there could be a sub-category for quilters like me within this genre, those who are freestylers with emphasis on colors, patterns and mixed fabrics and textures.

and if i can put an updated spin on a traditional block, sign me up.:) but to me modern quilting is more than reintrepreting a traditional block but we need to create new blocks to reflect our design aesthetics. i truly believe there is room at the quilting table for all of us no matter what our style is. to me it is not a traditional vs modern quilter mentality at work here but there is room for us to learn from each other. and this is just my 2 cents.:)

happy mother's day to all.
http://i3.squidoocdn.com/resize/squi...rs-Day-Clipart

Loved it, clsurz! Thanks for the link.

WOW! Thanks for the website link. I love the straight line quilting and geometric shapes in these quilts. The architectural designs with solids were my favorites on the 100 days series. It's like a fusion of Amish quilts and Frank Lloyd Wright!

Thanks for the link clsurz...I haven't been 'grabbed' by traditional quilting and I can now see why. I just love the modern quilting designs :)

I would be interested. I like it all. It would be nice to maybe have a permanent link, forum section, on this board. Do I need to choose traditional or modern?

Interesting. I particularily like the stitch patterns.

a nice blog to view is www.crazymomquilts.blogspot.com I found her searching google for modern quilts

It would be awesome to see some of your modern quilt pics posted here - on this link. I love them.

Simply do a search on google for modern quilts and it will pop it up. Also Facebook has some groups going on there. The full fledge one (web page) will list on right of there page the countries that have such groups going on and in the U S they have it by states.