Modern Quilt Month 2022 (2)

We really enjoy modern quilts and examining the design elements that make the finished pieces come alive. Summer seems like the perfect time to feature contemporary quilts, so it's become an annual tradition at Quilt Inspiration. Here is part 1 of Modern Quilt Month for 2022!

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Gilded Matrix En Taupe by Karen G. Fisher 

The stunning Gilded Matrix en Taupe has won multiple awards, including an Exemplary Quilting award, PLUS First Place in the Small/One Person/Pieced/ Machine Quilted category, at the 2022 Tucson Quilters Guild show. 

Karen G. Fisher says, "[Here is] my latest Matrix in an ombre arrangement of taupes. There are 21 columns of color, and the appliqued rows of color are all 'gilded'.  The embellishing adds sparkle and detail."

The precise selection of fabrics to create the ombre design makes this quilt shimmer with life. Karen says that she designed this arrangement years ago, and this may or may not be her last Matrix quilt! We love the way the buttons match the gradated ombre hues of the background squares.

Scrap Stitch by Debra Kay

This creative work by Debra Kay reminds us of a contemporary stained glass window! Scrap Stitch was first made by creating new pieces of fabric froom scraps of thread, yarn, trim, Angelina fibers, and rickrack. The scraps are all densely stitched together with both plain and decorative stitches.  The new fabric is then cut into pieces and assembled on a black background."

For the finishing touch, the new fabric blocks were mingled with yarn, tulle, and solid pieces, stitched in place, and quilted with invisible thread. We love the colorful, sparkly effect which Debra achieved.

Space X by Leslie Hughes (Minnesota), quilted by Karen McTavish

This colorful quilt has a mid-century modern feel with its intersecting, dimensional diamonds. Leslie Hughes says that she was watching the private space ventures being tested, and found this pattern in bold colors against a blank space was the perfect foil to represent the capsules, support structures and blasts in all directions. Hence the quilt's name, Space X.

The expert machine quilting by Karen McTavish echoes and emphasizes the sharp points of the diamond shapes. Space X was, quite appropriately, entered into the "Use of Negative Space" category at the 2022 QuiltCon show.  [Note: The design is based on the Square Dance pattern by Victoria Findlay Wolfe.]

Harvest by Sarah Hibbert @quiltscornerstone (Hertfordshire, United Kingdom)

Entered in the Modern Traditionalism category at the 2022 QuiltCon show, Harvest is a beautiful use of black and white contrasts, intermixed with toned hues. Sarah Hibbert says, "Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields.  Exactly what I did when visiting Ray Stitch in London, their rich linen range just needed gathering in."

Harvest is made up of 16 colors, in a combination of half square triangles and half rectangles. Sarah decided to hand quilt in a simple straight line, changing the color of thread randomly as it ran out; we love the hand-quilted look!)  Note: A pattern for Harvest can be purchased at Sarah Hibbert Quilts.

Jubilation by Tara Faughnan @tarafaughnan (California)

Joyous and bright are adjectives that describe this wonderful HST quilt.  Tara Faughnan says, "I created this quilt as a celebration, an expression of the joy I was feeling during the spring of 2021. We were coming out of the long pandemic winter and Delta [variant] had yet to rear its head. I was heading off to a coastal town in Mexico, and thinking of its bright gorgeous colors and celebrations, of its cenotes, and street food and textiles and architecture."

Jubilation was machine pieced, improvisational pieced, and wonderfully hand quilted. Tara says, "As I pieced this quilt, I put these colors together thinking of hugs and warm nights and tacos and laughter and the sound of an accordion somewhere nearby."

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2022 QuiltCon show (Jubilation, Space X,  Harvest) and the 2022 Tucson Quilt Fiesta (Gilded Matrix En Taupe, Scrap Stitch.)