Quilt Project Runway: Meg Cox, Quilting Evangelist

I profiled Meg Cox, author of The Quilter’s Catalog: A Comprehensive Resource Guide, months ago here, and I attended her session at Fall Quilt Market.  Meg is the new evangelist for all things quilting, her goal being to create new quilters in the 85% of American households that don’t have one.  Can it really be that high?

Meg holds “Learn to Quilt” parties where she teaches women and girls how to quilt:  just the basics like how to pin, piece by hand, and tie a quilt. Oh, and they serve “Quiltinis” – a mock cocktail.   She approaches nontraditional venues such as bookstores, mother’s groups, and other social gathering locations where women hang out.

The interesting comment Meg made was this:  Quilters can be our own worst enemies when it comes to growing the quilting community, because we make things so complicated.

You know what?  I agree.  Go to any guild Show and Tell and the oohs and aahs go to the 3000-pieces Grandmother’s Flower Garden, the king-size Mariner’s Compass, or other such masterpiece quilts.  And we should be impressed.  But what happens when a quilter holds up a Turning Twenty or Yellow Brick Road?  Quiet smiles and nods.  Move on.  Seen it.

Let’s embrace all quilters:  new, expert, traditional, art.  We all love fabric, creating beauty, and the comraderie of other quilters.  Let’s spread the word!