Quilting: A creative process or pattern regurgitation. When you first read this theorem was your gut reaction the same as mine - "OMG! They're kidding, right?"
You may be asking why I reacted so strongly. Well, let me give you a little background. I've been quilting now for 23 years, so I know a couple of things about the process. Not only do I quilt, but I teach, have judged in quilt shows, spoken before groups and served on the board of guilds and organizations whose purpose was to promote, educate and support quilters.
Now let me explain why I find viewing quilting as just a "pattern regurgitation" so preposterous. Maybe it would be better explained by posing some rather pointed questions:
1. Would you view the work of an artist - any artist, known or unknown as the regurgitation of color or subject? Why or why not?
After all, artists use (regurgitate) the same colors every other artist has available to them in their palette. Uh, that would be every color under God's green Earth and the rainbow - and every color every artist before them has used or may use.
Furthermore, an artist may use the same subjects - landscapes, people, animals, buildings, etc. - other artists have used and will use. An artist may also be using techniques and styles employed by other artists.
Instead of a regurgitation, we choose to view and value the work of an artist and appreciate it for the use of color, technique, light and subject. These are all creative interpretations of the artist and his art form. Question: would you view Van Gough or da Vinci's work as regurgitation?
2. Do you view the work of a photographer as regurgitation of film, technique and subject matter, or much like you would an artist? I would suggest once again we value the work of photographers on the interpretation and creative use of all the factors that went into taking that photograph.
3. When you listen to great music, do you just hear a regurgitation of musical notes and/or compositions?
After all there are only so many notes on the musical scale and every musician must use those very same notes. It would appear given those parameters we would have a very limited musical selection, but no, music is alive and thriving after thousands of years and we have many styles and interpretations. These styles evolved out of the creativity of musicians using the same resources other musicians also had available to use.
Think of all the versions of your favorite classical composition, be it Beethoven's Ode to Joy, Pachabel's Canon in D, Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, Vivaldi's Four Season or any other and I'm sure you can think of one artist, one orchestra or one symphony who performs your favorite version. It is their creative version that inspires you not their regurgitation.
4. When you see a 13th, 14th or 15th century tapestry hanging in a museum or stately home do you see a regurgitation of fabric, fiber, thread and design or a creative, artistic and heartfelt view of the world at the time it was lovingly hand made by women with something to say?
Quilting can be view in much the same way. Yes, I will agree there are many patterns and designs that have been around for years, maybe centuries. But, quilters today have creative ways to give their own interpretation of those patterns.
The quilter today has tools, fabric and techniques her quilting predecessors could have never imagined. Computerized sewing machines, long arm quilting machines, rotary cutters, design software for the computer, a multitude of fabrics in every color of the rainbow and design, books, magazines, guilds and so much more are at the fingertips of today's quilter or as I like to call them - textile artists - to inspire their creative juices.
Out of the old, new can evolve. Yes, quilters can take old patterns and use them in new innovative ways. New designs are born, sometimes by even combining elements of the old.
You can look at two quilts, born of the same pattern - pieced or applique - and more than likely you will see very different quilts. Why? Well, it will be the creative interpretation of each quilter that makes each quilt different, even though the pattern in the same.
The interpretation and use of color is a very artist and crucial element in the making of a quilt. The use of color will make a big difference. A quilt made with a particular pattern, say the Honey Bee, could be made in a monochromatic color scheme, or with two colors, or with a kaleidoscope of colors or any where in between. The end result is this - each quilt will be decidedly different, unique and a creative product of the maker.
Furthermore, creative variety is imparted into a quilt through the quilting stitch (the stitch that holds the quilt "sandwich" - top, batting, and backing - together), fabric use, setting (and/or sashing) design, border design and placement and embellishment.
Now, all this may just be "words" to you, but let me explain how in practice I have employed the creative process while quilting.
For years it has been quite popular for quilters to participate in something called the Block of the Month (BOM). This usually involves a monthly or bi-monthly distribution of a block patterns - sometimes with fabric choices already included for the quilter. Sometimes the BOM is part of a quilt shop promotion or it can be a monthly guild program or an exchange or challenge between friends. Many times in the quilt shop BOM the last month includes the design and fabric for the setting/sashing of the quilt and the border. The resulting quilt is usually a sampler quilt of some kind. (A sampler quilt is a quilt in which each block is a different design or pattern.)
You could see where in this case, especially in a quilt shop BOM that provides fabric where there might be a lot of "regurgitated" identical quilts floating around "out there". About the only way to add diversity and creative difference would be during the quilting process. Unless...
In the 1990's I started participating in BOM activity, but I made a decision. Each quilt would have MY stamp, MY interpretation and MY creativity infused through out the design.
I've done this in different ways. In some cases I've used colors and fabric of my choice. Other times I have totally redesigned the blocks. In one case for an applique quilt I totally redesigned and drew each block. I added embellishment to some blocks by adding embroidery work and buttons. For a pieced BOM I redesigned some of the blocks by redrafting them using high school geometry.
In other BOM quilts I have designed my own settings and borders to create a unique and individual overall design and look. Finally, I added my own inspiration with the quilting stitches and design. I have named these quilts my Maverick series.
I think it's unfair and short sighted to look at what a quilter does and simply relegate it to "arts and crafts", hobby or a pastime that requires little or no talent based simply on the medium a quilter works with - fabric and textiles. There is a complicated creative process involved in a well thought out and executed quilt. It also takes talent and ability to produce a high quality end product.
So, is quilting a regurgitation of pattern? I say, "Hardly!"