I had the great opportunity to attend AQS Phoenix last week and check out all of the awesome modern quilts. Click here for the list of all AQS winners.

It’s inspiring to get up close and personal with so many bold and graphic quilts, something that’s hard to do by just looking at pictures online, or in books and magazines.

Throughout this post, I’m sharing modern quilts from the show that really spoke to me and engaged my attention.

Whether they were awarded ribbons or not, they are certainly winners in my eyes.

I’m loving that fact that more and more people are taking the plunge and entering their modern quilts into shows because I think it’s having a huge impact on the quilting community.

Modern quilters are proving to the world that functional, “made it myself” quilts can be just as beautiful as over-the-top bedazzled pieces.

As quilters embrace the organic beauty of crafting their own quilts rather than opting to pay for computerized perfection, I believe this movement will continue to explode.

I like to compare quilts show to fashion shows – you can see an amazing amount of diverse talent all in one spot.

Depending on your own personal aesthetic, the quilts can be soul-inspiring and engaging, or they can be overwhelming and perhaps a little outrageous.

Whatever the case or your opinion, large national shows certainly generate excitement for the craft and help shape the conversation of quilting.

Over time, ongoing trends seen at quilt shows trickle down and permeate throughout the entire quilting community.

I for one am glad for the proliferation of quilting events and shows – and I can’t wait for the next one!