What Modern Quilting Means to Me!

When the Phoenix Branch of the Modern Quilt Guild got together a few weeks ago we briefly discussed what exactly modern quilting was. I was pleased at how most everyone seemed to be very open and flexible in what they considered modern. I consider myself a modern quilter, I only consider a few of my quilts to be modern.
Today I interpreted a class in which they were talking about "modern" and "post modern" architechture. It got me wondering if modern art, modern quilting, modern architechture all refer to the same styles or if we are using modern in different ways. Modern can mean "in recent times" but it can also mean "experimental" and while my quilts are all made in recent times, none of them are real experimental and most of them aren't "modern" as far as I am concerned!
So I read over the definition the modern quilt guild put out on modern...it is "a new twist on the traditional art of quilting" they then went on to explain the various ways you can do that including "using modern fabrics, modifying the block arrangement or even the scale of the block...it also reflects the current aesthetic of the day." My favorite part of their definition is "in fact, if there were one rule in modern quilting it would be that there are no rules." I think this openminded approach really is inclusive and allows each of us quilters to piece and quilt what we want, the way we want to. So to me modern quilting is freeing!
To me a modern quilt aesthetically can include lots of solids, or a lot of a solid, sometimes it is white for a clean line other times it might be dark brown or grey for the background fabric. I know for some people they invent the pattern as they go along or purposefully let the pieces look as they look and don't worry about the perfect matching seam. So far I need a pattern and like a pattern! The modern quilts I have made have not had borders, they almost seem simpler or less complicated to look at but that isn't necessarily the case--they are visually interesting anyway. I usually use geometric shapes in my modern quilts, but on a recent one my quilter chose to quilt it with leaves which gave it a more organic feel that really fit.

My two favorite books with modern quilt patterns are "The Modern Quilt Workshop" by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr and Denyse Schmidt's book. I have looked through the latter book many times and finally made A Flock of Triangles out of it. Ringle and Kerr have a new book coming out any day now and I can hardly wait to get my hands on it--Quilts Made Modern: 10 Projects, Keys for Success with Color & Design, From the FunQuilts Studio. Do you have a favorite Modern Quilting Book?

Another interesting thing about modern quilts is that I think they often appeal to teenagers and those in their early twenties...more so than the average quilt anyway. Several years ago I asked my daughter to pick a pattern for me to make her and she had a STACK of my magazine and books and in no time at all she narrowed it down to "Outside the Box" and when my psuedo honorary daughter Rachel saw it she wanted one too. They were in their teens at the time. When I asked my son Mac which quilt he wanted he also picked a quilt from the same book--the black and red circle quilt is his. Now understand I have more than one shelf of quilting books and another whole shelf of magazines. This modern style is what all three of these teens wanted on their beds. They are funky or something.

Of course I also love regular quilts and scrappy quilts and anything designed by Bonnie Hunter too. But at heart I am a modern quilts girl!

Outside the Box Take Three is Quilted

Roslyn sent me pictures...Outside the Box Take Three is quilted. Doesn't it look fabulous? Ros never disapoints! Here is a close up so you can see all the randomness of it!

WONDERFUL! This quilt is going to be in an art show the beginning of December to benefit autism. It is the first quilt I have ever had in anything (other than online) and I am tickled pink!

Here is the wild scrappy background. I wanted to use up what I had and happily I did!

My Hexies for the Great Hexagon Quilt-Along

Awhile back I decided I enjoy hand piecing now and again and Ilove having a to go kind of project to work on when I get time somewhere unexpectedly. So I went to http://www.paperpieces.com/ and picked out the size of hexies I wanted to work with and then spent some time getting the hexies all glued to the paper. That was tons of fun and I randomly threw them down and took this picture before they were sewed.
I also gave a package of these hexies to June, BJ and Ros in the hopes it would entice them to sew along. I think BJ has one going though her method is different than mine. Not sure but Ros may have started one too....today I went to June's and worked on mine for awhile and coincidently she was working on hers. Here is a pic of her stacks...she is working with a smaller size and is making sweet flowers!



I have had a few hours to work on it here and there and I wanted to show you how it is coming along. I worked on it one day at work when I had an unexpected free hour and also took it with me to the Modern Quilt Guild's meeting a few weeks ago. Several of the gals wanted to know how I did it and they even asked me to show them how sometime. Since then at least one of them started her own hexie project with teeny tiny hexies that look like soup crackers!


I am loving it!

Christmas Present Sewing Day!

Today I decided to devote my sewing time to Christmas gift making. I made six pairs of these little flannel PJ shorts. They are all about the same size but so are the little boys they are all going to.
Then I made another Paganini Schnibbles doll quilt. I think this one may go to Ayla and the one I had already made will go to one of Randy's grandaughters. He has four, so I have a few more to make! I went ahead and made a different version of Paganini for this one. It is really a fun pattern! I didn't add any sashing or borders because it was plenty big just as it.


Next I finally got to sewing these cute little tiny Mickey Mouse potholders. The pattern is at www.quilttaffy.blogspot.com/2009/02/mickey-mouse-hotpad-potholder-tutorial.html and it is the first thing I used my bag of selvdges for. This first picture shows what the back of two of them look like, the other two have black ginko fabric on them.



The last one I made was the one on the bottom left and it turned out to be my favorite and I am keeping that one to remind me of our trip to Disneyland this year. One of these will go to my daughter Hannah for the same reason. My aunt Nancy is nutso for Mickey Mouse and has her whole kitchen done up really cute so she will be getting one of these. Her daughter Tara already commented on my facebook that she needs one, so I suspect I will be making more of these, maybe with strips instead of selvedges. They are quick and easy though!
Tonight we decided to move the treadmill from our bedroom upstairs (where there is no longer a TV) and the loveseat from downstairs up. Of course it didn't go quite as planned. The loveseat didn't fit up the stairs, so we took an overlarge reclining chair that comes apart so we could get it upstairs up there. I decided as long as we were moving things I should clean and rearrange. So the living room and the bedroom are now all set up just as we want them, for now! I also cleaned out my dressers, closet and three totes of clothes! I am donating about three totes now and I have reorganized and am all set. What a great feeling that is. Then believe it or not, I rode my bike even though I was so tired and had already taken a shower! I lost one pound this past week. Getting really close to 25!
Oh and congratulations to my brilliant daughter Hannah! She is a junior in college for accounting and after two interviews just got hired at a good company as an corporate tax intern and is even making decent money! She is over the moon and I am so proud of her. I am so glad I have this middle child...if for nothing else than to prove I did something right! I love the boys too, but she is the only one like me in terms of setting and keeping her goals...so far anyway!

Blogger's Quilt Festival!

Amy at www.Amyscreativeside.com is having her annual Blogger's Quilt Festival. Last year I wanted to post my Double Delight but it was still at the longarmer, so this year it is still my favorite quilt so I am posting about it! This was Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt and I enjoyed every step with my online group. I discovered how much I love cheddar colored fabric while making this quilt. And I love it so much that I won't even put it on my bed--which is what I made it for. One of our dogs chews, so for now it is folded up on the treadmill waiting its day.

I remember finishing up the border (which took hours on its own) at Quilt Camp and really being happy that I spent the extra time on the border because it really did bring the design all together.

Join the festival!

The Start of Le Petite Projects and a Red Cross Quilt

Last year's Year of Schnibbles was so much fun that I decided to go ahead and particpate in A Year of Small Projects this year. I only plan to make the patterns that appeal to me or that I have a need for. As in I don't need 12 more tabletoppers, but I can be creative and try to figure out where I can gift some of these little projects!

This was my first block. I actually broke free from the pattern a bit and used my Mary Englebreit flower fabric that was precut into triangles. This meant the blocks would be a bit bigger. I just went with it and cut my background fabric a half inch bigger and it turned out fine. Whew! So after the first block I realized that I really wanted to make the block which has the background on the other corners. So I started making those and here is the first block.

Isn't it cute? I really like it!

Here are four blocks together. I realized this would be a good size for a doll quilt, and I need to make a few more doll quilts for Christmas gifts so...

I added some sashing (half inch bigger than it called for since my blocks were bigger).

Then I added a border too. It is now more than big enough for a doll quilt. I think I will try to quilt it myself too.

I plan to make another one of these and have a few more blocks done.

I forgot to blog and tell you guys I got a bit crazy a month or so ago and ordered a bunch of fabric. I knew I had to get this sashing kit and backing for the Designer Mystery BOM eventually so I ordered that.

These were on sale or clearance and I couldn't resist. The gears were just too cute and the animals in the other set made me smile.

Last Thursday night was Quilt History class. We mostly talked about the Red Cross. Lynn set up a guest speaker to come and talk to the group. Paul used to work for the Red Cross and had quite a collection of clothing, pins, dolls, posters, veils, etc. to share with us along with a plethora of information. This picture is three of the gals admiring the hand stitching on this jacket.

You can see some of the other thigns as well.

The best thing he shared with us was of course a Red Cross quilt. It had grey fabric on the back that matches the grey on the front so Paul was sure it was made by the Grey Ladies of the Red Cross.

He also gave us each a pattern for a "housewife" to hold needles, thread, buttons and such that were issued by the red cross. He had a lot of patterns for things so that the ladies would make them all the same in certain colors and gauges and such. I had no idea it was that organized...really a bit military like! He also told us that www.redcross.org has free pdf patterns so I will need to check those out as well.

Backing is Pieced for Outside the Box Quilt

I decied to use all my leftover pieces of fabric and the two yards or so that came with the original kit (that I decided I didn't really want to do afterall about two years after I bought it) and wound up with this. Didn't think it out too hard but didn't want all the blue in the middle so I split it and added the pieced part in teh middle. Didn't quite have enough of that blue so there is a red corner. Should make this quilt pretty reversible!

Here is the top again in the outdoor sunlight. Ros met up with me today for a quick exchange and bite to eat and so she will be working this one into her busy quilting and grandma-ing schedule. I appreciate it Ros!

I should also mention I actually lost 4.2 pounds this week! That is 23.2 for the past 9 weeks I think it has been. I needed it..the last two weeks were tough.

And up tomorrow? I am hoping to get Paganini Schnibbles cut and maybe start sewing. I don't really need to do this one, but been thinking of join the Year of Petite Projects and doing the ones that interest me since I had so much fun with A Year of Schnibbles.

And this pattern is cute! You can get it all over, but I borrowed this pic from the Fat Quarter Shop...and they have always made me a happy customer! Thanks FQS!