"we have added a new Modern Quilting category to the competition."

-- Why? What prompted the committee to add this new category? If you can answer those questions, it could give you direction to come up with the description/definition.

But it may not be possible to prevent a quilt from fitting more than one category. If that's the case then perhaps a requirement for the quilter to pick the best category for the quilt -- but the committee reserves the right to move the quilt to a more appropriate category if the committee feels it was entered into the wrong category. But that will really open up the committee to hurt feelings and cries of favoritism.

Not knowing what the rest of the categories and descriptions are, I'm with Holice on this one.

I have never entered my quilt in any show. There was a call by The Modern Quilt Guild for the first Quiltcon to be held in a few months in Austin, Texas. I was tempted to enter one of my quilts and then I got lost in the categories. I think my quilts do not fit anywhere. LOL. I don't care, I like them none the less.

In googling "modern quilt guild" and scrolling thru many sites I noticed several things and will jump in with my two cents here.

Many of these quilts now appear to use large prints in previously (10 years ago) unpopular color combinations, yet these prints are 'all over' the fabric world today. ('Somebody' is buying them! That's good!)

Many of the quilters appear to be younger than the average quilter previously (12-15 years ago) seen in the survey in QNMazagine whixh was 54 years old. (Yippee!! New blood always regenerates.)

Many of these quilts seem to be made in styles highly reminiscent of 'leading edge' quilters of the late 1980s and mid 1990s, such as Johnathan Shannon, Katie Pasquini, Yvonne Porcella, Nancy Crow, Ruth McDowell, Terrie Mangat, and tens and tens of others I can't think of off the top of my head at the moment. Their quilts were award-winning, controversial, discussion-provoking then, and the same styles are so now, apparently.

And then there was the "discovery" of the Gees Bend Quilters in the very early 2000s.......!!!

It seems there really isn't much "new" under the sun. I, personally, love it!! (...though I may still be focused on "traditional" blocks done in "traditional" colors for the most part, in my personal quilt journey. :rolleyes:) :D

Jan in VA

All true, Jan, and don't forget Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. Their FunQuilts Studio has been renamed Modern Quilt Studio to get in on the 'new' trend of what they've always done. They're "all in" with the MQ movement. Denyse Schmidt is another.

Yes! And I know there will be more mentioned, that I probably haven't thought of in years, honestly, since I left Texas 6 years ago and am no longer closely tied to the "industry". Thanks for mentioning them all!

And Debra Lunn/Mike Mrowka! See, there are so many!

Jan in VA

That particular definition amuses me, too, as I think traditional quilts were functional to the extreme. However, I am drawn to the work of a lot of "modern" quilters and what I mostly see are solid colors, lots and lots and lots of negative space usually white or grey and a lot of straight line quilting - but not exclusive to straight line. Someone here said "I know it when I see it." and I have to agree with that. :)

Jackie Gering, co-author of Quilting Modern had a beautiful gallery of work here:
http://jacquietps.wordpress.com/
And her co-author Katie Pedersen also has a wonderful blog here:
http://sewkatiedid.wordpress.com/

But it is hard to corner a style and say 'modern', 'traditional', 'art', etc. I would NOT want to be the one making those decisions. I'd rather just enjoy the show. :)

Seeing the list of definitions for a "modern quilt" and thinking of Amish quilts, many of the same apply. They are simple, frequently geometric, functional, use negative space, and plain bright colors, but certainly would not be considered modern. You'll have to be really, really clear in your standards so quilters are not confused about what you're looking for.

Bargello quilts and paper pieced were invented at later dates . They are not traditional. Don't know the dates for them introduced into the quilting world. Crystals and glued on embellishments are modern to the quilt world with the invention of waterproof glues. Hope this will help with the definition of modern quilts. Watercolors and pens, zen tangled designs would be considered modern I think.
We entered a block contest where rule stated must bea traditional block,...but the winner was a star that was paper pieced...I won't enter their contest t his year!

I havn't seen the answer to the question of why the Committee believes they need a separate category.

To keep is simple: We "all" understand what a traditional quilt is. Anything "outside" the "traditional box" is a "modern quilt." To be fair to your entrants: Have separate categories for hand quilting, domestic machine quilting, mid arm quilting, and long arm quilting. This is the thing that really bugs me at quilt shows - "lumping" all into just one category. By having more quilting method categories will automatically categorize many of the quilts. Also, as long as I'm at it: Would love to see another category that includes quilts quilted by other than the maker of the quilt top. Really irritates the crap out of me to see professionally quilted quilts win "Best of Show" awards when the maker of the top sent it out to be "professionally" quilted.