What Does a Modern Category Look Like in a Traditional Quilt Show?

Modern quilts encompass a wide range of styles, including improv, modern traditionalism, minimalism, maximalism, and the use of negative space. With all of this variety, what does a single Modern category look like within the context of a larger, mostly traditional quilt show?

A few weeks ago, at the American Quilters’ Society (AQS) show in Paducah, Kentucky, I photographed every quilt in the Modern Category so we could look at the variety you can expect to see when all styles of Modern quilts are combined.

AQS typically has five shows in five locations each year, and each one now has a Modern Category. In past years, the Modern category was limited to Paducah, KY, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, so it’s exciting to have this category style expand to the other shows.

The description for the AQS Modern Category is:

“Quilts using any technique that are inspired by modern design, often using improvisational piecing or appliqué and including bold colors, high contrast, and simple shapes on neutral backgrounds. Expansive negative space may allow the quilting to take the forefront.”

Modern quilting has expanded beyond the expectation of neutral backgrounds and expansive negative space in recent years. Still, each show can determine its expectations for a category, so consider the description a show uses when deciding which category works for your quilts.

Let’s look at the quilts in the 2025 AQS Paducah Modern Category.

AQS arranges the quilts alphabetically by the entrant’s last name within each category. The only exception to this rule is during the Paducah show, when big winners and quilts receiving first, second, and third place within each category are displayed together at one end of the category.

In keeping with this display arrangement, let’s look at the winning quilts first, then at the other semi-finalist entries.

Winning Quilts in the Modern Category

The first, second, and third place quilts are displayed together, with the quilts roped off at a diagonal so you can get close to each quilt and view them straight-on.

First Place: 904- Prickly Pear

• Maker: Susan Braverman
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Machine), Piecing (Paper), Quilting (Computer Assisted)

Second Place: 925- Overprint

• Maker: Betsy Vinegrad
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Ruler Work)

Third Place: 910- FISH

• Maker: Marianne Knöps
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Hand), Embroidery (Hand), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Walking Foot)

Honorable Mention: 916- The 95

• Maker: Vicki Ruebel
• Other Stitchers: Judy Dale
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Free Motion), Quilting (Ruler Work), Embellishment (Vinyl)

Semi-finalist Quilts in the Modern Category

All AQS shows are juried. A juried show means entrants submitted photographs of their quilts months in advance for jurors to review. The jury selects the quilts that meet the show’s requirements and exhibit exceptional design and technical skills. Every quilt that makes it to the show is considered a semi-finalist because they have already made it through the first round of assessments.

AQS Paducah arranges most show quilts in cubicles with ninety-degree angles and a chain across the front. This method means you can see the side quilts up close, but not straight-on, and the back quilt straight-on, but never up close. This arrangement is why some photographs are straight-on, and others are at an angle.

901- Only Way Out, Through the Darkness

• Maker: Andrea Barrett
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Walking Foot)

902- Scrap Maze

• Maker: Anthony Bowman
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Improvisational), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Walking Foot)

903- Solar Flare

• Maker: Sara Bradshaw
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Hand), Appliqué (Machine), Appliqué (Raw Edge), Fabric Dyeing, Piecing (Improvisational), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Hand), Quilting (Walking Foot)

905- Audacity

• Maker: Carlton Brown
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Raw Edge), Piecing (Improvisational), Quilting (Ruler Work)

906- Tunnel Vision

• Makers: Clementine Buzick and Beth Nufer
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Hand), Binding Technique (Piped Edging), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Free Motion), Quilting (Ruler Work)

907- Cosmic Curves

• Maker: Ben Darby
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Quilting (Free-Motion), Quilting (Ruler Work)

909- Multifarious Me

• Maker: Tara Glastonbury
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Hand), Appliqué (Raw Edge), Binding Technique (Facing), Piecing (Improvisational), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Walking Foot)

911- Fabulous Fireworks

• Maker: Lorelai Kuecker
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Foundation), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Free Motion)

912- Signals

• Maker: Candi Lennox
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Binding Technique (Facing), Piecing (Improvisational), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Hand), Quilting (Matchstick), Quilting (Walking Foot)

913- Artistic Rides

• Maker: Tomoko Ota
• Quilting Method: Hand
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Hand), Decorative Stitching, Embroidery (Hand), Piecing (Hand), Quilting (Hand)

914- Renewed

• Maker: Elizabeth K. Ray
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Binding Technique (Facing), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Walking Foot)

915- Puzzling

• Maker: Rhonda Rosales
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Walking Foot)

917- Urban Equalizer

• Maker: Sarah Ruiz
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Computer Assisted)

918- The Queen of Chaos

• Maker: Jen Sorenson
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Matchstick)

919- Intriguing Knots

• Maker: Ronald Stefanak
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Technique: Piecing (Paper)

920- Tangency

• Maker: Karen K. Stone
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Raw Edge). Fabric Dyeing, Piecing (Improvisational), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Free-Motion), Quilting (Matchstick), Quilting (Ruler Work)

921- Take a Bow (AKA The Ballerina Bow)

• Maker: Leslie Swearinger
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Hand), Binding Technique (Facing), Piecing (Improvisational), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Free Motion), Quilting (Ruler Work)

922- Our Code

• Maker: Kathy Tolbert
• Quilting Method: Movable Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Computer Assisted)

923- A Maze-ing Circuit

• Maker: Lori Tourscher
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Machine), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Free-Motion)

924- Squircle Party

• Maker: Marla Varner
• Quilting Method: Hand
• Quilting Techniques: Appliqué (Hand), Embroidery (Hand), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Hand)

926- Colorful Chaos

• Maker: Christa Watson
• Quilting Method: Stationary Machine
• Quilting Techniques: Piecing (Improvisational), Piecing (Machine), Quilting (Free-Motion), Quilting (Walking Foot)

Did the Modern Category Meet Your Expectations?

Modern quilting spans such a vast range of styles that it’s challenging to put all types of quilts into a single category. Which quilts stood out to you as your favorite modern quilting style?