Modern Quilt Month 2015 (part 1)

The modern quilt movement is growing. We've enjoyed seeing the modern quilts at various shows, and summer seems like the perfect time to feature these fun quilts. Here is part 1 of Modern Quilt Month!

Fury in the Forest by Monika Hancock, quilted by Debbie Stanton

This great quilt is based on the Tiny Textured Trees project by Carolyn Friedlander, in Modern Baby: Easy, Fun and Fresh Quilt Designs (2013).  You can see a photo of the quilt in its original colorway at Carolyn Friedlander's blog.

Close up, Fury in the Forest by Monika Hancock, quilted by Debbie Stanton

Third place winner in the Small Pieced Quilts category, Monika notes,  "This is a modern quilt of the forest. The forest is on fire; below the forest ground, life is still flourishing." Debbie Stanton's longarm quilting pattern uses warm hues of thread in flame-like shapes which clearly expresses the theme conveyed by Monika. 

Flying Kite Tails, 52 x 60", by Joni Morgan (Danville, Kentucky)

With Flying Kite Tails, Joni Morgan had fun with wonky flying geese and medallion quilting.  This quilt was completed at Gwen Marston's Beaver Island Quilt Retreat.  We love the "kite tails" that circle the center medallion.

Close up, Flying Kite Tails by Joni Morgan

A variety of fun prints were used to construct the pink, blue, green, orange and yellow rows in the center of the quilt.  The gray background provides a neutral backdrop for the  colorful composition.

Forbidden Fruit, Wicked Appetite Series # 6  by Sandra Branjord

Sandra says,  "This is the sixth quilt in the series going back to Adam and Eve and that first forbidden fruit (apple).  Machine piecing, appliue, trapunto, and quilting play out the story. "

Close up, Forbidden Fruit by Sandra Branjord

Here is a great example of Sandra's trapunto work in her original design,  as she creates the vines of the Garden of Eden in an eye-catching zebra print.
  

The serpents are done in bold geometrics, which helps to draw the eye towards them, so that they are not lost among the large, high-contrast circular shapes.

Modern on Westcott by Donna Hilliard, quilted by Jeannie Rogers

Second place winner in the Modern Quilts category at the 2015 Arizona Quilters Guild Show, Donna writes, "I came up with the design. Jeannie came up with fabrics. We wanted something modern and a challenge to quilt." The lime green, black, arctic white, and gray comprise a clear, bright palette that is most refreshing on a hot summer day.

Modern on Westcott by Donna Hilliard, quilted by Jeannie Rogers

This close up shows the wonderful variety of pattens that longarm quilter Jeannie Rogers used on Donna's original design.

Here is another view of the creative quilting motifs used in each panel of this modern quilt.

Rainbow Quilt, 56 x 74",  by Grit Kovacs (Germany)

Grit explains, "This quilt was sewn by hand and is made out of 1095 pieces, all from scraps. The pattern is made out of squares and honeycombs. The chosen colors have always been an inspiration to me and so, this time I have made a quilt out of them. So, this has turned out to be my own  personal rainbow."

Close up, Rainbow Quilt by Grit Kovacs

Grit continues, "The quilting was all free-hand without any pre-designs, and it is my testimony to my love for free motion-quilting." Look at how nicely all these set-in seams turned out! The workmanship and accuracy are fabulous.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2015 Arizona Quilters Guild Show (Fury in the Forest, Forbidden Fruit, Modern on Westcott),  the 2015 World Quilt Show in Florida (Rainbow Quilt) and the2014 AQS Quilt Week in Phoenix (Flying Kite Tails).