Monday, 11 August 2008

In style, out of style?

I've been shopping while on vacation, and usually from the sale bin. This time, I succumbed to fashion and $17/metre fabric, but for dubious reasons. These are fabrics from Mark Lipinski's new Home line, and purchased from the only Canadian store (in Moose Jaw, Sask.) to carry them so far. So you could argue I'm right in style with the quilting times. They're lovely fabrics, and I think I'll have fun with them, but I succumbed because they're new and they're trendy. Usually I don't fall for that -- I only buy something if I either need it, I know I'll use it in the future, or its a great price (and I still have to love it, otherwise I leave if for the next cheapskate ---uhh--thrifty---person like me.)
But what was unsettling about this purchase is the idea of quilt fashion. Now I make quilts because I like working with colour, fabric, and texture, and because they have longetivity. In my professional life, I write for a newspaper, where yesterday's news is old news. Quilts, by contrast, have sticking power. I'm intending for them to be useful for several decades. At one quilt shop I visited on my trip (and it was a great shop with helpful staff), the saleswoman said the quilts on the wall are changed every couple of weeks (!!!) because they go out of style, the fabrics are discontinued, or the kits for the quilts are sold out. That means even this new Lipinski fabric will be out of date before I can make them into a quilt (since I bought it last week, and I haven't washed it or formulated any sort of plan for it yet). I know what the woman meant-- that quilt fabric is like fashion, changing from season to season. But can a beautiful or scrap or wonky quilt really go out of style? I know it can become dated, but really, in two weeks? or two months? or even two years?
There's my philosophical rant. Later, I'll post my thrift shop finds and my sale bin dated fabrics.

6 comments:

Donna said...

I think quilt shops are SHOPS -- committed to consumerism and as such want to instill a sense of constant change so consumers' sense of "need/want" is constantly being encouraged. Yes fabrics come and fabrics go -- what was in style in the 80's is dated now. And at the same time what was in style in the 30's is back in :-) I think using fabric you like, to make projects you like is the important thing. Yes, with time the quilt may look "dated" (I've got one from the 70's that shows its from the 70's) but more than the fabric being dated I think its the trendy patterns that show their age -- who does "cows" anymore? snowmen are "in" right now, but a dozen years from now might not be.. Some quilt patterns are intended to be used with the latest fashion of fabric and only intended to last a year or two before being "old" (I find this particularily with cutesy fast fused applique patterns) others are going to stand the test of time better. There's a time and place for both and its darn frustrating when you think its something that'll "stand the test of time" only to find it was "trendy"...

Kim West said...

I think the reason quilt shops switch out frequently is twofold; they want quilts to show the new lines out there AND most people want the same fabrics in the quilt to make the quilt the exact way; if you can't get them, the customer gets upset and might shop elsewhere. But if they can make the same quilt (what I call cookie-cutter quilts) the same way, then it is bonus for the shops.

Joyce said...

I don't think scrappy or wonky will ever be out of style. After all, aren't people collecting antique quilts and they are scrappy.

Mary Johnson said...

Scrap quilts don't go out of style, overly coordinated quilts using a single fabric line...yes, maybe those do but these are great fabrics and I bet you'll make something fun with them.

Tonya Ricucci said...

yup, the other commenters have hit the nail on the head. shops need to keep their fabric turning over, but scrap quilts are always fabulous. fun fabric, buy my what a price.

Anonymous said...

I live in Upstate New York---but I have been to a quilt shop in Moose Jaw, Sask when I went to visit my friend in Regina.

Brings back good memories of my friends. I, too, bought something just so I'd have something to remember my visit!

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