This summer, some people from my local quilt guild decided to start up a small quilt group focused on modern quilts. I was so glad that there were enough people interested so that the group formed quickly. I've been making modern style quilts for a while and a special interest group of like minded quilters seemed exciting. I was really hoping we'd have some younger gals show up, but alas, none so far have come to the meetings.
Many cities have Modern Quilt Guilds and a lot of the younger quilters have joined those guilds instead of the traditional quilt guilds. I think it's because most of us in the guilds have aged and the younger people want to hang around their own age group. I'm a little sad that we all can't be one big happy family, but I do understand. Our guild is like most others, in that we still have classes and other activities on weekdays, which is really hard on people that work or have small kids. We have existing small groups, many that are closed to new members. We don't have a blog. And, in our case, there is a modern quilt guild right across the river in Portland that is very active.
The traditional guilds may shrink in size and modern quilt groups may be the ones that grow and survive. Progress happens whether we accept it or stand in the way.
I hope you can embrace change. I'm sure trying to myself.
I've felt that change is the constant and the more one experiences change, the more palatable it becomes. Change isn't always easy and it isn't always the best method; but, in the end, new journeys take us places we would never have travelled had we not ventured into the unknown. Regarding attracting younger people--although there are more sewists these days and crafting isn't just for people with limited funds, hooking this group into the quilting world is tough. Their time is limited and they want to spend time with their peers and not with people older than their grandmothers because those people are too set in their ways!
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