It's Modern Quilt Month! (1)

 We're celebrating Modern Quilt Month at Q.I. This is the first of FIVE posts, and we couldn't be more excited!  So, what makes a quilt modern? According to The Modern Quilt Guild, the characteristics include the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast, graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, and/or expansive negative space.  Enjoy!

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Patterns of the Heartland, made and quilted by Cathy Lillie.

We love the composition, colors, and flowing lines of this original design. Cathy Lillie says, "Patterns of earth and landscapes fascinate me. I created this pattern from an aerial photo.  During Sheila Frampton Cooper's class, I learned how to put this together.  It is 100% cotton with cotton batting." The machine quilting, resembling natural forms, adds so much to the effect.

Once in a Blue Moon, made and quilted by Cherie Swanson. 

Churn dash, maple leaf, flower, and house blocks make up this colorful sampler! The white spaces give plenty of room to show off the quilting. Cherie Swanson says, "A variety of blocks and techniques made this sampler quilt fun.  It was a good place to practice free motion quilting!" The pattern source was Autumn Acres by J. Wecker Frisch. 

Fascinating details can be seen under the blue moon, shown above. This house sports an American flag and a smiling puppy dog. Note the quilted "smoke" coming out of the fireplace. Further examination shows some very creative quilting in the blocks and open spaces. In the closeup photo below, an embroidered bee sits on the flower block.

Synopsis Spring 2023, made and quilted by Diane Hartman

Spring was in the air when Diane Hartman made this fun, colorful quilt assemblage (it's an original design!) Diane says, "Each small quilt (square within a square) was inspired by the painted fabric.  The intention was to make the whole greater than the parts but still make the parts distinguishable." Small fabric flowers and embroidery were used as embellishments.

Elemental, made and quilted by Jolene Ficklin

In this original 4 x 4 sampler, each small quilt is an art quilt. The eye is drawn to the different forms: triangles, circles, and lines (horizontal, diagonal, and curved.)  The mini quilts are connected by square tabs made from a graphic batik print. Jolene Ficklin says, "This quilt began as monthly prompts of art elements in my art quilt group.  Inspired by an installation at the Boise Art Gallery, it became an expression of elemental design."

Sharp Women Heart by Colleen Babcock, Diane Bootes, Alice Catallini, Cheryl Collins, Linda Cote, Natalie Furrey, Kenci Lewis, Laura Steiniger, & Judy Tenen. Quilted by Linda Cote. 

A puzzle of beautiful blocks create this dynamic heart quilt. This quilt was a collaboration by the Sharp Women Quilt Bee, hence the title (Sharp Women Heart). Each member of the group selected fabrics to complete the blocks in the Boho Heart pattern by Jen Kingwell and Andrea Blair. The quilt was pieced together by Alice Catallini, and quilted by Linda Cote.

Linda Cote quilted vertical columns of connecting hearts along the background strips, made from a medley of black and white fabrics, shown below.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2024 Tucson Quilters Guild show.