Modern Quilt Month 2017 #2

We're keeping it simple for summer at Quilt Inspiration and featuring a showcase of modern quilts.  These original designs have a bold impact and straight or flowing lines, but the quilting is anything but simple.  We hope you enjoy these quilts as much as we did!
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Piano Razzle Dazzle by Wendy A.S. Hoag, California

Wendy explains, " [This quilt] was designed for my daughter Ashley. She filled our house with years of piano magic. The quilt design evolved after seeing her most recent body art that was inspired by ships' camouflage during World War I, called "dazzle painting."  The "dazzle" made it difficult to estimate the ships' range, speed, and direction."
Wendy's original design is machine pieced, hand appliqued, and sewing machine quilted. We enjoyed this intriguing very well-done quilt,  which reminds us of the fun "op-art" designs of the 1960's. 

Pineapple Rings #5 by Emily Parson , Illinois

Emily states, "This is my fifth quilt in a series of pineapples with an original "rings" color arrangement. I love playing with traditional blocks and making modern fresh arrangements."

Detail, Pineapple Rings #5 by Emily Parson

By setting these blocks into a motif of interlocking rings, Emily has provided an updated, contemporary look to this traditional pattern. Emily's original design is machine pieced and sewing machine quilted.

Cartwheel by Arleen Kukua, California

Arleen notes, "Cartwheels was started in an Improvisation Curve piecing workshop. The fabrics come from a sampler pack of plaids and a Cherrywood Fabrics grab bag." Arleen's original design is machine pieced and hand quilted.

Admit One to the Sands of Time by Virginia Hammon and Coleen Barnhardt, Oregon

Blue ribbon winners for Best Longarm Machine Workmanship - Innovative Quilts at the 2016 World Quilt Show in New Hampshire, Colleen and Virginia write, "Admit one to a journey over the sands of time: how people and ideas evolve through time and history. One fabric begins the story as the block centerpiece, moving into the next position as a new fabric is added and continuing until the sixth block is complete.Then, one fabric drops out as a new one is added  - a fun challenge to pick fabrics that would play well together as the color story evolved."

Detail,  Admit One to the Sands of Time

Stunning quilting motifs mirror and enhance the geometric and circular shapes of the blocks. This fabulous original design is machine pieced.

Farm Girl by Victoria Findlay Wolfe (New York), quilted by Karen McTavish

Blue ribbon winner for Best Machine Workmanship - Innovative Quilts at the 2016  Pacific International Quilt Festival, Victoria says: "I'm a farm girl living in the Big Apple (New York City). If it were not for where I came from, I would not be doing what I am doing now. I cut up my families clothes to make this quilt and to tell this story of a farm girl and all that she is proud of.  [I am] using the star as my direction to find joy and [using] the double wedding rings to show what binds us together."

Detail, Farm Girl

Victoria's dazzling original design is machine pieced and makes excellent use of gold, beige, gray, and blue cottons against a white background, enhanced by Karen McTavish's award-winning quilting.

Double Ikat by Arleen Reiko Kukua, California

"Ikat" is a tie-dyeing technique from Indonesia, in which the yarns are wrapped tightly prior to dyeing and weaving, so that when the color is applied, it appears unevenly. Arleen notes, "[This quilt] is made of treasured Japanese double ikats and Kaffe Fassett ikats. I wanted to highlight the beautiful fabrics and chose Pat Yamin's Magic Squares pattern.

Detail, Double Ikat

Arleen's colorful, eye-catching quilt is machine pieced and sewing machine quilted.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.