I was fortunate enough to check out the beautifully curated Modern Quilt Showcase, sponsored by the Modern Quilt Guild . This exhibit was part of the quilt show associated with the 2018 International Quilt Market and Festival in Houston, Texas. Members of the Modern Quilt Guild from around the world submitted their quilts for this exhibit that uses traditional quilting techniques with a modern design aesthetic.
I was able to document all 20 quilts included in the exhibit. Unfortunately, the lighting in the show isn’t the best for photography.
Included in this virtual modern quilt show is a walkthrough video as well as both full and detail photos of all of the quilts. All descriptions were written by the makers.
If your quilt was in the show—congratulations! Please email me your Instagram link if it is not listed below and let me know if the pattern is available for purchase. I’d be happy to include in this post.
Enjoy the show!
Looking down on the 2018 International Quilt Show. The Modern Quilt Showcase is in there somewhere!
A video walkthrough the show:
VIDEO
“Number 16” by Miguel Huidor Statement: “With this quilt I wanted to take a traditional shape, the triangle and really modernize it. The quilt is layered in images with the triangles, the hexagons, the stripes, and the small hints of color. I also explored moving away from printed quilt fabrics to more yarn-dyed fashion fabrics. The result is a more elevated finish to the quilt.” [Design Source: Original Design]
detail of “Number 16” by Miquel Huidor.
“Net Worth” by Sarah Lefebvre @sidestitches Statement: “This quilt was an entry in the Riley Blake Designs Spring 2018 Fabric Challenge. Titled literally because the middle part of the quilt top and quilting design reminded me of the “net worth” emoji. Titled figuratively because although it is complete, it is not perfect. We all need to remind ourselves that our perfectionism in quilts and in life, or lack thereof, does not equate to our personal net worth!” [Design Source: Half-square triangles, Flying Geese blocks]
detail of “Net Worth” by Sarah Lefebvre @sidestitches
“Felicitous Pickle” by Kelly Spell @kellyspell Statement: “This quilt was made for the 2018 rendition of the Cut It Up! Challenge hosted by the Chattanooga Modern Quilt Guild. In January, guild members swapped orphan blocks, unfinished pieces, and even a few completed quilt tops. The challenge was to take someone else’s work, cut it up, and use it to create a new, modern quilt of your own design. I inherited one 12″ Stack-n-Whack block and some scraps of fabric from Ann Hurley. Once I started sewing the fabric together, it resembled a Pickle Dish block—a felicitous result!” [Design Source: Stack-n-Whack block]
detail of “Felicitous Pickle” by Kelly Spell @kellyspell
“Infinite Magnification” by Christine Perrigo @ccpquilt Statement: “When our guild chose antique quilts as inspiration for a modern challenge, I was immediately attracted to the Robbing Peter to Pay Paul block. The detail that I was intrigued with the most was that the petals did not meet at the corner of the blocks. In order to emphasize this detail I decided to play with scale and focus on just one of those intersections. This allowed me plenty of space where I could play with a wonky version of the traditional petal pattern in the quilting.” [Design Source: Robbing Peter to Pay Paul block]
detail of “Infinite Magnification” by Christine Perrigo @ccpquilt
“Paper Round Quilt” by Jenny Haynes @pappersaxsten . Quilted by Joe Bennison @joe_bennison . Statement: “This design reminded me of newspapers stacked up ready for the paper round. I like the kick of that light blue newspaper on the top of the pile. I did find it a bit jarring at first, and I nearly remade that part. Now I’m very happy I kept it. My Swedish aesthetics are matchy-matchy by default, but I’m rebelling and loving every minute of it.” [Design Source: Mid-century modern style and the Drunkard’s Path block]
detail of “Paper Round Quilt” by Jenny Haynes @pappersaxsten . Quilted by Joe Bennison @joe_bennison ..
“Big Island Sunset” by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill @wholecirclestudio Statement: “Inspiration for Big Island Sunset came from one of my most favorite places in the world, Hawaii. This modern interpretation of the spectacular sunsets on the west coast of Hawaii is entirely pieced from two blocks, a traditional Drunkard’s Path and an elongated Drunkard’s Path using all solids fabrics. Big Island Sunset was then quilted on a domestic machine using a walking foot.” [Design Source: Drunkard’s Path block]
detail of “Big Island Sunset” by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill @wholecirclestudio
When you’re wearing pants that match your quilt that is hanging on exhibit at International Quilt Festival! Interested in these leggings? Get all the details here.
“Periodicity” by Cheryl Brickey @meadowmistdesigns Statement: “Periodicity shows the beauty and rhythm of periodic waves in this high contrast and vibrant quilt. It was quilted with horizontal rows of loops using a matching thread color for each section to give the quilt texture but not take away from the bold fabrics.” [Design Source: Periodic waves]
detail of “Periodicity” by Cheryl Brickey @meadowmistdesigns
“Fringe Area” by Heather Black @quiltachusetts Statement: “Fringe Area was designed for this year’s Pantone Color of the Year quilt challenge. The Color of the Year for 2018 is ultra-violet, and I wanted a design that featured almost entirely shades of purple. I named the quilt Fringe Area because ultra-violet is just out of the range of visual light on the electromagnetic wave scale.” [Design Source: Pantone Color of the Year]
detail of “Fringe Area” by Heather Black @quiltachusetts
“Crazy Town Roopetoope” by Irene Roderick @hixsonir Statement: “This quilt is one of the first quilts in what I consider my true voice. After trying to figure out what modern quilting was supposed to be, I threw caution of the wind and just started making elements, putting pieces of fabric on thew all then rearranging them until I found the perfect arrangement. I didn’t pay attention to how to construct the pieces into a quilt, but only enjoyed playing!” [Design Source: Original Design]
detail of “Crazy Town Roopetoope” by Irene Roderick @hixsonir
“Counterpart” by Riane Menardi Morrison @riane.elise Statement: “This quilt is my modern take on a Wedding Ring quilt. After getting married in fall 2017, I started designing and making quilts that represent my idea of home and family. This quilt design was inspired by two wedding rings—mine and my husband’s. The 1/2 rings are appliqued on a wholecloth background. The quilt is hand-quilted using large sashiko thread in two colors. The quilting motif emanates from the center of the rings, representing two lives coming together.” [Design Source: Original Design]
detail of “Counterpart” by Riane Menardi Morrison @riane.elise
“Striped Chaos” by Maria Shell @talesofastitcher Statement: “When making the quilts from my book Improv Patchwork—Dynamic Quilts Made with Line and Shape, I wanted to show the design potential present in the simple stripe, also known in the quilting world as a strip set. This quilt is an off-the-grid composition based solely on machine pieced striped fabric.” [Design Source: Traditional strip sets]
detail of “Striped Chaos” by Maria Shell @talesofastitcher
“Passage No. 3” by Carson Converse @carsonconverse Statement: “I strive to create order and calm amid anxiety caused by the increasingly inflammatory and divisive language that is so common these days. Focusing on creating ‘quiet’ quilts that push the boundaries of minimalism is meditative. I am reminded that we are a single stitch in a vast timeline. I am drawn to horizontal stripes, which remind me of rock strata. I made a connection between my quilts and my love of printmaking and architectural drawing. In addition to being a meditative process, this series is an opportunity to study the way stitched lines can alter values and create atmosphere.” [Design Source: Original Design]
detail of “Passage No. 3” by Carson Converse @carsonconverse
“Show Up” by Sam Hunter @samhunter42 . Quilted by Nancy Stovall @nstovall . Constructed by Maria Cardenas, Nicole Howe, Linda Nussbaum, Amy Qualls, Matthew Stovall, Nancy Stovall, and Megan Woolery. Statement: “When Lisa published this design, Show Up, as a poster, I approached her to adapt the design into a quilt pattern. I am a self-professed ‘word girl’ and so was excited to help produce a pattern with such a timeless message. The construction was assisted by my sewing pals, the Stunt Sewists.” [Design Source: Design adapted by Sam Hunter from artwork by Lisa Congdon]
detail of “Show Up” by Sam Hunter@samhunter42 . Quilted by Nancy Stovall @nstovall . Constructed by Maria Cardenas, Nicole Howe, Linda Nussbaum, Amy Qualls, Matthew Stovall, Nancy Stovall, and Megan Woolery
“Geese Study #1” by Heather Kinion @fire4hairlady Statement: “This quilt is the second in a series of almost wholecloth quilts. I explored dense quilting stitches and used contrasting 12 weight thread to create a feeling of more piecing than is actually present. There are only two pieced seams in the top. I was influenced by the handwork of Chawne Kimber and Heidi Parkes along with the ‘ghost’ quilting of longarm quilters.” [Design Source: Flying Geese block]
detail of “Geese Study #1” by Heather Kinion @fire4hairlady
“70s Child” by Kristin Shields @kristinshields Statement: “This quilt came about when I decided to try out some improvisationally pieced curves. I made several sizes of blocks with various types of curves and then played with the arrangement until I came up with this. The bold shapes and colors remind me of mid-century design and since I’m a child of the 1970s I started to think about bell bottoms, bold graphics and certain colors. I remember vividly the abundance of avocado green, harvest gold, and orange during the 70s. I chose the harvest gold for that reason, but then updated it with turquoise, pink, and red.” [Design Source: Mid-century design]
detail of “70s Child” by Kristin Shields @kristinshields
“Give and Take” by Kari Vojtechovsky @quiltsforthemaking . Quilted by Christine Perrigo @ccpquilt Statement: “Give and Take was created as a modern quilt with inspiration from a selection of antique quilts for the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum show ‘How New is Modern?’ I kept a curved element in the otherwise angular design. The similarities diverge from there, with Give and Take using an expanded color palette, expansive negative space, and boldly streamlined design. The quilting is a nod to the past with the addition of feathers but in a different and modern way.” [Design Source: Robbing Peter to Pay Paul block]
detail of “Give and Take” by Kari Vojtechovsky @quiltsforthemaking . Quilted by Christine Perrigo @ccpquilt
“Unchained Melody” by Jackie Benedetti @tinwoman48 . Quilted by Dionne Matthies-Buban @dinglebobbins Statement: “I’ve always been intrigued by the 1930s pattern Jack’s Chain and love how different the pattern looks depending on color placement. I was inspired to make a modern rendition using solids, lots of negative space, and my favorite colors. Dionne’s quilting helped highlight the background blocks. Minimal quilting of the Nine Patch blocks helped make them pop. The entire top was hand-pieced except for the Nine Patch blocks.” [Design Source: Jack’s Chain pattern]
detail of “Unchained Melody” by Jackie Benedetti @tinwoman48 . Quilted by Dionne Matthies-Buban @dinglebobbins
“Mid-Century Modern Curve #1” by Carole Lyles Shaw @carole_lylesshaw . Quilted by Carol Byrnes Statement: “This is a functional quilt inspired by 20th century art. Specifically, the bold palette was inspired by Color Field painters and the curved motifs found in the works of Sonia Delaunay. The blocks are based on traditional Drunkard’s Patch blocks that were improvisationally cut and fractured. I created negative space in and around the blocks and placed it in alternative and asymmetrical layout.” [Design Source: Drunkard’s Path block]
detail of “Mid-Century Modern Curve #1” by Carole Lyles Shaw @carole_lylesshaw . Quilted by Carol Byrnes
“Radiant” by Maritza Soto @maritazsoto Statement: “I wanted to make a compass quilt using a fresh modern palette. Inspired by the paintings of Kristin Farr, who in turn was inspired by barn quilts, I employed an analog approach to making this. I used a 10 degree wedge ruler and kraft paper to create paper piecing templates for the radiating wedges. I enjoyed how the result played tricks on the eye.” [Design Source: Original Design]
detail of “Radiant” by Maritza Soto @maritazsoto
“Color Glide-Summer” by Juli Smith @zahada_mod Statement: “This really started as an exercise to explore how the same color array would react in different widths and with different background, but in the same quilt. I explored the world of color gradations to learn more about color values and hues. My goal was to use solids to find harmony and balance between the color and negative space. I call this color simplicity. Color Guide-Summer included 24 Kona solids against the white backdrop.” [Design Source: Original Design]
detail of “Color Glide-Summer” by Juli Smith @zahada_mod
9 Comments
Thank you for sharing the showcase with us. It makes me even more excited for QuiltCon in February! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing the showcase with us!
Thanks for posting the Showcase quilts.
Sheri, thanks so much for posting these fabulous quilts (including one of my favorites…Big Island)! Those of us who could not attend at least got a taste of the event.