The Creativity Project Week #42: Riane Menardi Morrison

Riane Menardi Morrison is a modern quilt designer making minimal quilts for the modern home. Her quilts; made with linen, cotton, and wool; are as beautiful as they are functional. Each quilt is hand-quilted with large stitching for an heirloom-quality finish. Riane got her start in the publishing industry, and through serendipitous events, found herself working on the magazine, Fresh Quilts. There, she produced and designed quilts, edited quilting-related copy, and oversaw projects. After a brief stint with an advertising agency, Riane started working as the communications manager for The Modern Quilt Guild. Riane has taught at QuiltCon and was a guest on season two of the public television show, Fresh Quilting. She regularly teaches about quilt design and hand quilting techniques to local makers, and was a co-founding member of the Central Iowa Modern Quilt Guild. Her work and writing has been featured in magazines including Modern Patchwork, Simply Moderne, QuiltCon Magazine and Quilting Arts. Riane is a coauthor of the book Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century, and her self-published book about her own modern quilts, Inheritance, is available now for pre-order! She lives and works in Des Moines with her husband, Kevin, and silly pup, Dallas. Welcome, Riane!

How would you describe your quilting style/aesthetic?

Riane: I consider my work to be modern minimalist. I use large-scale piecing and usually just two solid fabrics in each quilt, which makes a nice canvas for high-contrast hand quilting — my specialty. For me, hand quilting adds another design element, and I love how the stitches tell their own story and add so much to a quilt. I also love how they show the hand of the maker.

How would you describe the creative environment in your home as a child?

Riane: I grew up in an incredibly creative and stimulating home. My parents are both engineers-turned-teachers, and my sister and I are both in the creative industry (you decide how that works!). My mom taught me to design and to make things, and we always had crafts, tools and supplies at home for just about anything — we still craft when we get together. My dad taught me how to solve problems, and we would play strategy games, brain teasers and logic puzzles together. Both my parents taught me how to think “outside the box”, work hard, and practice “mental toughness” (a mantra that got me through many stressful moments and near-meltdowns). They also challenged me to do the best I could in everything I’ve tried. I’ve carried these qualities through adulthood and into my creative career. Without the foundation my family set, I wouldn’t be here today. Thank you, Mom and Dad! I love you so much. Also, shout-out to my super talented sister Erin, who designed my book. She’s the one I’ve always looked up to, design and style-wise.

What artists and makers do you most admire or have an influence on your work?

Riane: Oh wow, there’s so many! Where to start? The Conversation Quilt by Rossie Hutchinson was the first modern quilt I remember seeing that made me want to make modern quilts. I finally made my own version for a friend’s wedding a few years ago, and it was a nice full-circle moment. Even though I am a minimalist piecer, there are some insanely cool pieced quilts I can’t get out of my mind; I love them so much. “Face #1” by Melissa Averinos; “For Tanya” by Miriam and Emily Coffey; “Release the Geese” by Sarah Bond; and nearly anything by Kat Jones. As for who has influenced my own work, without a doubt it’s Lindsay Stead, Season Evans and Carson Converse. I can’t get enough of their work.

Do you consider yourself a “quilter”, an artist, or some combination of both?

Riane: I tell people I’m a “modern quilter,” but in my head, I like the words “artisan” and “maker” a little better — they kind of toe the line between quilter and artist, which is how I see my work as well. I don’t consider myself an artist because I’m not trying to create capital-letter “Works of Art.” I just want to make things that I like.

How would you define “making with intention”?

Riane: The process is the thing I love most about quilting. Designing, choosing fabric, cutting, sewing, trimming, pressing, basting, quilting and binding — each step is different, and we get to own it all if we want. To me, making with intention means owning the process — all the beautiful, messy, frustrating and joyful parts of it. If the whole process is performed with intention, each quilt is as unique and as personal to me as a fingerprint.

Do you think that having a craft makes us more compassionate? If so, then how?

Riane: I think everyone has their own reasons for pursuing a craft, but for me, quilting is fairly selfish. I don’t gift many quilts or do charity work. So, maybe it doesn’t make me more compassionate in the traditional sense. However, I DO believe that even making things for selfish reasons can make us better. Taking care of ourselves and following our passions makes us more emotionally available for others. I can only take care of you if I take care of me first, and making things is definitely a form of self-care.

How does creating feed your soul/spiritual purpose?

Riane: It helps me see what I’m capable of (and also how little I know in the end). It helps me find balance between confidence and humility; the cycle of trying, failing, succeeding, and trying again. Yoga is my other passion, and for each new yoga pose I can nail, there’s always one more beyond my reach. With yoga, you can physically see and feel your progress in strength, flexibility and focus. Quilting is the same way. I can see my work evolve with each new quilt, and I think it’s this progression that feeds my soul. It helps me see how I can improve, but it also makes me appreciate where I am and where I’ve been. I don’t think there’s ever an “end” to what we can achieve.  I hope I can just keep moving forward and enjoy each moment of the journey. Quilting is definitely food for that journey.

Are there any rituals that you perform to prepare/ground yourself in your work?

Riane: Music! I turn on music that makes me feel energized and confident. I tend to surround myself with strong ladies. Current favorites include Bishop Briggs and Billie Eilish. My go-to playlists include Elliphant and Little Dragon, and you can’t go wrong with a little Bey, Rihanna, Kesha, etc., when the machine is humming. I also binge watch fast-talking TV shows (read: Gilmore Girls and Jane the Virgin). Quilting should always be fun and relaxing.

What is the support system you have in place for creating your work?

Riane: My husband is the most supportive person in my life — he’s the first to see my work, and he jumps at the chance to build me a spreadsheet that will solve all my problems (quilt math, finances, big life decisions, you name it.). I wouldn’t be here without his constant encouragement. And I have to just gush for a minute about Des Moines.  I live in a place with some of the nicest, most creative and talented people on the planet. It’s an amazing place to experiment, start a business and work with creative professionals (like my wonderful photographer and stylist, Austin and Lauren Day). My sewing friends and guild mates are THE BEST (thank you Erin, Jessie and Carol for literally everything). And everyone should buy their fabric from my sweet friend Kristen at Mashe Modern. Des Moines has allowed me to follow my passions and meet so many amazing people who have inspired me and helped me on my journey. It’s also where I met my amazing mentor, Deb, who believed in me before anyone else, and my good friend, Jess, who gave me my first teaching gig. And then, there’s Instagram. I’m so lucky to know many of my Instagram quilt friends in person through events like QuiltCon. It feels like we’re never truly alone and that anywhere I go, I’ll have a friend.

How do you deal with comparison to / envy of others? Can you describe a time when you used comparison/envy/admiration to push yourself in your own work and self-discovery?

Riane: It happens all the time! Comparison, envy, and “imposter syndrome” are so real for me. I’m still trying to find balance. Last year, I was sick of feeling like I “couldn’t keep up.” So, one evening I designed a ton of quilts that I liked. They were designed to highlight my aesthetic and my quilting strengths (large piecing, negative space and hand quilting). I decided I would make all these quilts and turn them into a self-published book. I worked with my finance-minded husband to figure out a budget, and we went for it. A year later, I’m happy to report that the book is now available for preorder and will be shipping in November 2018.  I couldn’t be more pleased with what I’ve made. I constantly remind myself 1) Don’t self-sabotage with negative thoughts and comparisons and 2) Keep doing your own work in the way you want. To steal a yoga term: “Practice and all is coming.” These little reminders help keep the envy and insecurities at bay.

What was the most challenging thing you ever made?

Riane: There are two! Prince and Counterpart. Even though these quilts look simple, I grew so much as a quilter as I was making them. Prince is a twin-size, double-sided quilt, and each side features three width-of-fabric, half-rectangle triangles. It was incredibly challenging to figure out the math for these triangles and piece them technically well so as not bury the points. And Counterpart. There are two versions of this quilt, both featuring appliquéd circles that are ½” wide and 34–36” in diameter. I challenged myself to figure out a way to draw perfect circles at that scale, and it took all my appliqué chops to make the circles clean and smooth. I also figured out how to make bias tape from a single square and write a pattern for it.

What does it mean to you to work in a traditionally domestic medium that historically has been regarded as predominately female (aka “women’s work”)?

Riane: I resisted all domestic arts when I was young. It wasn’t until after college that I asked my grandmother to teach me how to sew. I wanted to learn how to make clothes, but she taught me to quilt. Seven years later, here I am. There’s something magic about learning to quilt from a female family member. It’s truly like stepping onto a path that has been walked by so many women before you. Each time I see an old quilt at a museum or thrift store, I see that chain stretching back hundreds of years. Each time I hear someone say, “My grandma made beautiful quilts; I’d love to learn someday,” it’s a reminder that this craft will continue. I don’t believe quilting will ever “die.” It’s so special, and so much a part of us as women. I also love that women now are taking back these domestic arts and choosing them. We’re making money; we’re building careers. We’re not stuck at home making things because we have to. We want to. And there’s something really empowering in that. My book is actually called Inheritance, and it’s my love letter to all the quilters who came before and those who will come after. Quilting is one of the gifts that we as women are always entitled to claim, if we so choose.

How do you see your current work in the context of quilting history?

Riane: I’m a child of the 90s, which comes with its own joys and challenges as I navigate the quilting industry. I just got married; I don’t have kids; I have a full-time job and haven’t bought my first house yet. I make quilts because I love the them, and I want to help the Millennial generation see quilts the way I do — functional, beautiful and lasting. My peers and I may be killing napkins, chain restaurants and shopping malls, but we’re also living life on our terms. I hope that I can infuse the Millennial ethos into my work and do things a little differently than the way they’ve always been done. But mostly I just want to focus on craftsmanship and make work that speaks to me. If that helps inform quilting history, it would be an honor. But if not, at least I’ve done what makes me happy.

---

Thank you, Riane!  You have a gorgeous and cohesive aesthetic that is so comforting, as a quilt should be! For more about Riane, or to purchase one of her patterns, visit her website, or connect with her on Instagram. And to pre-order her new book, Inheritance, click here. Want to participate in the Creativity Project? You can do that! Click here to take the survey! The Creativity Project can be found on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or Bloglovin’. Or check back here every Friday of 2018!