Modern Quilt Month 2020 ! part 4

We're celebrating Modern Quilt Month at Q.I., and we couldn't be more excited about these quilts!  The characteristics of modern quilts may include the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast, graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, and negative space.  Here are a few modern art quilts we admire.

P.S.  For continuous listings of free quilt patterns, please check us out on Twitter !
For low-cost quilt magazines and vintage collectibles, check us out on E-Bay - we're Top Rated Sellers !)

Ladybird by Elizabeth Eastmond

Ladybird is an original quilt inspired by the ladybird beetle, or ladybug, which has a rich folkloric history dating back to 1744 with allusions to religion, good fortune, death, and old rituals.  The split block design evokes the tiny beetle, which a godsend to gardeners everywhere.We admired Elizabeth's clever use of ombre fabrics, which range from violet to aqua across the quilt.

4 Ring Circus, 51 x 50", by Geneva Carroll

Geneva Carroll says, "After purchasing a new curved cut ruler, I played around with a charm pack and solids I had on hand.  I started cutting and sewing drunkard's path blocks until I came up with a fun way to put them together.  It was an intense creative process, but I enjoyed the stretch of imagination.  Just like at the circus!"

This lively design was accomplished with the aid of the Sew Kind of Wonderful QCR Mini Ruler.  Geneva then used black and white thread to quilt in a grid design, and she added variegated thread for color fun.

Woven Stripes quilt, pieced by Tori Benz-Hillstrom, quilted by Jessica Jones

This classic yet modern quilt uses woven stripe fabrics to create a basket-weave design. Tori Benz-Hillstrom says, "I had just fnished a complex sampler quilt and was looking for something fun!  As a basket weaver this [Kaffe Fassett] pattern spoke to me."

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2020 Quilt Arizona Show (Woven Stripes) and the 2020 Road to California show (Ladybird, 4 Ring Circus.)

Modern Quilt Month 2020 ! part 3

We're celebrating Modern Quilt Month at Q.I., and we couldn't be more excited about these quilts!  The characteristics of modern quilts may include the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast, graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, and negative space.  Here are a few modern art quilts we admire.

P.S.  For continuous listings of free quilt patterns, please check us out on Twitter !
For low-cost quilt magazines and vintage collectibles, check us out on E-Bay - we're Top Rated Sellers !)

Hide and Seek by Barb Tatera

Third place winner in the Modern Quilts category, Barb notes, "As you look at 'Hide and Seek', I hope your eyes travel around the quilting finding something interesting in both the fabric and the quilting!"

This bright white background is perfect for highlighting the periwinkle, lavender, and pastel lemon tones of the foreground objects.  In this close-up, you can see the line of the triangular flying geese pattern that provides an excellent geometric contrast to the colorful, eye-catching circles.

Barb quilted her creation herself, and did a spectacular job. This beautiful, perfectly medallion is one of our favorite quilting motifs.

"Olive You!" by Maggie Nichols, quilted by Jessica Jones

First place winner in the category of Pieced Small Quilts, Maggie writes, " The olive green fabric and the name of this quilt,  'Olive You!' is in memory of my mom, Julia Songer. She taught her nurses, while [a patient] at Mercy Hospice-Johnston, how to prepare her martini each night. Cheers!"

"Olive You" is based on the Blue Onion quilt pattern by Karla Alexander at Saginaw Street Quilts. This is a delightful study in monochromatics, with intriguing lighter-hued fabrics providing background contrast. 

Opposites Attract by Betty Hahn

First place winner in the category of Art/Abstract Quilts, Betty says, "Black, white; curved, straight; short, long; near and farm move to integrate to become whole." Betty's quilt is a fascinating study in contrasts.

Betty painted her original design on her iPad, had it printed on silk, and quilted it herself. 

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2020 Quilt Arizona show.