Prim and folk art quilts - are they still as popular?
 

I've noticed over the past few years a decline in prim/country quilts and folk art quilts in magazines and even on the blogs. With the rise of modern quilting (which I do love) I feel like that's what everyone wants...or some variation of...and so they are really dominating many of the more popular magazines, television shows, blogs, websites, fabric lines....so I haven't seen as much in the realm of reproduction quilts or the warm country quilts that brought me to love quilting in the first place.

Not a knock or anything, but an observation. Is it just me? Do you think warm country quilts are still popular? Or is the trend on a downswing to resurge later after the modern quilting uproar? Or do you think modern quilting is the way things will go from here on out to evolve to somethine else leaving prim country and civil war style quilts to the wayside?

First of all, I have to say that I am a big fan of yours! Love your quilting!!

As far as trends, I think that everything goes in waves. Quilting kind of dwindled in the 50's, (things went to the space age decor), late 60's and 70's hippies got the movement going again, and there was a surge in returning to your roots with quilts, antiques, etc. Before the modern trend, when you looked at the "new" patterns in books and magazines, it was the usual traditional pattern with a new name. Now the quilts have a totally different look to them. I notice with a lot of the modern designs, that there are simpler techniques, and a lot of open space. I think that the industry is trying to get some new blood into the mix, as well as new quilters.
Manufactures are still making Civil War reproductions, and they wouldn't be making them if there wasn't a demand for them. But I do see that there are more art and modern quilts at the big shows now than traditional quilts, which is kind of sad.

I have heard that out of 3 new quilt shops within 20 miles of my place, two are primitive and the other contemporary. I prefer bright batiks for making charity quilts.

I think it is all cyclical when people are bored w/ modern / contemporary the more traditional will make a come back.

I'm one who does not follow trends. I make what I happen to like at the moment, whether it is a pattern or color-inspired or if I see pattern or fabric that would be "perfect" for family or friend.

Maybe when the new Little House on the Prairie fabric gets released in November there will be a little spike in country quilts. I guess part of it depends where you live and what your LQS stocks. There are 5 quilt shops within 45 minutes of my house (considered to be a "reasonable driving distance" in Chicagoland). 1 of them only stocks Civil War & 1930's reproduction fabrics (and they just got a few 1950's reproductions in this week). 1 of them mainly stocks blender fabrics so I only go there when I need notions and thread. 2 of them sell very few notions but have the most beautiful batiks and bright modern fabrics you could ever imagine. The last one is a very tiny storefront shop that has a lot of solids & novelty prints.

I'm making a very traditional Irish Chain quilt out of 1930's reproduction fabrics now. My next quilt is an original design that is a modern take on the Irish Chain, but I'm making it entirely by hand with traditional techniques. I also hope to squeeze in a mini-quilt in for Christmastime to give to my mom that will probably be fairly modern. But then by next summer I hope to make a simple patchwork throw that is tied (maybe even yarn-tied!) for myself for picnicking. I guess I just love having all the options available to me. I stick to 100% cotton baby quilts (and a few mini-quilts/home dec for myself & family), but I think there is beauty in all sorts of designs.

Maybe right now the manufacturers are capitalizing on the fact that most people don't own many modern quilting books, patterns and whatnot, so there is lots more profit to be made selling something that is "new". But I just went to my JAF store the other day to pick up some notions and their BOM was super traditional. It was traditional star blocks with an oversized rose print fabric as the feature fabric. If I didn't have so many quilt projects going, I'd snap it up in a minute because they had nearly sold out.

Nothing is ever gone forever! It all pretty much cycles. I would quilt the way I like and not really worry about the trends.

Magazines and shows will always try to follow trends of what's considered hot. I think there is still an interest in primitive country. Moda still has a Kansas troubles line and Henry Glass is still making the Buggy Barn lines and repros seem to show no signs of slowing down. BTW speaking of repros, Tartan, Civil war (1861 - 1865) was during the Victorian era (1837 - 1901) so it is no wonder you saw a similarity in the fabrics. Even the newer Jo Morton fabric lines seem to be marketed as post civil war repros and they still have mostly those warm country colors of browns, golds, navies, burgundies, etc. I have very eclectic tastes and am all over the place and I think a lot quilters are. I have primitive country calicos, bright and subdued batiks, modern brights and prints, Asians and even William Morris inspired fabric in my stash. Along with loads of tone on tones and blenders. About the only thing I don't have a lot of are solids but I do have smattering of them. In fact I am starting to trend towards solids because they show off the quilting so beautifully.

I can't imagine that the warm, cozy looking "country" style quilts will ever go out of style....i think many of us are just drawn to the "bright shiny object" - and at the moment it's the more modern look.