Being a vendor/exhibitor at QuiltCon 2024 (more above that here), I didn’t have a lot of time to check out this year’s juried quilt show. This was probably the only disappointing thing for me about the entire experience. I did have about an hour to get view the show on Day 4 before the floor opened to the general public. In that time, I was able to snap photos of some of the quilts that resonated with me.

Enjoy 10 of just some of my favorite modern quilts from QuiltCon 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In the coming weeks, I plan on sharing even more quilts. Be sure you’re subscribed to the newsletter to be alerted when new posts go live. All descriptions were written by the quilters/makers. Prepare to be inspired and moved.

Shuck the Patriarch

Shuck the Patriarch
by Zofia Anchondo @zofotography
Statement: “I earned by PhD in Ecology from the UNC-Chapel Hill, and studied oyster reef restoration in Pamlico Sound and the Chesapeake Bay for my disseratation. When I first saw the challenge palette for QuiltCon 2024, I envisioned a pop-art inspired oyster quilt as a finished product. With this quilt, I sought to highlight the spectacular diversity in the local Eastern oyster shape and form using needle-turn applique. Each of the oyster blocks is entirely improv-designed and pieced, but is an abstract interpretation of one of the thousand of oysters I shucked — and photographed — for my dissertation research. iused a simple piece of all 6 challenge fabrics in each block to create 40 unique oyster blocks. October is NC oyster month, and I made this quilt during the month of October 2023.” Featured in the Windham Artisan Cotton 2024 Challenge category.

The Science of Quilting

The Science of Quilting
by Lissa LaGreca @lovinglylissa along with Anne Velikoff. Pieced blocks created by visitors to the Big Science Celebration. Quilters were Lucas Weisleder (age 14) and Lissa LaGreca
Statement: “The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) is a large science museum in Columbus, Ohio. In the spring they hold a week long Science Festival culminating in the Big Science Celebration. The Central Ohio Modern Quilt Guild hosted a test introducing the science of quilting. One of the activities that visitors could participate in was to create a quilt block. Many chose to take their block home, the rest were made into this quilt.” Featured in the Group & Bee Quilts category.

Pink-A-Boo

Pink-A-Boo
by Kelly Spell @kellyspell
Statement: “This quilt is part of a series of work that explores layers and perception. How does the brain interpret visual information to create whole objects from parts? Four large, magenta circles appear to float between the orange foregropund and lavendar background, but are they actually there?.” Featured in the Use of Negative Space category.

On the Verge

On the Verge
by Miguel Huidor @mh_x_q along with Sue Erdreich, Mary Kirchoff, Kathy Morganroth, and Margy Schilling
Statement: “I led the inspiration for this quilt with our Bee, the CQB’s (Collaborative Quilting Bee). I shared an image with the group of an abstract tile wall from an interior, and then each member brought back a block based on the inspiration. It was an excellent exercise for discovering new interpretations. Together, we selected the blocks/techniques that we were inspired by, and then each member worked on a section of fabric. The final step was composing the quilt cover, which we improvised together. As the lead for this quilt, I completed the quilting and finishing of the quilt.” Featured in the Group & Bee Quilts category.

36 Days of Quilt Type

36 Days of Quilt Type
by Kaitlin Rim @freetimefibers
Statement: “36 Days of Type is a 36-day global project that allows artists to explore their unique interpretation of the letters and numbers of the Latin alphabet. Graphic Designer Tim Hill (@timojhill) designed a wonderful modular alphabet, “typgram”, inspired by Tangram puzzles where each letter was made of a 4×4 grid, three shapes, and two colors. I used this alphabet and modular idea to take my own 36-day journey into pieced and quilted letterforms. All curves were hand sewn using curvelitos templates from Jen Carlton-Bailly and Fiona Johnstone, respectively. Bonus puzzle: word scramble results in two words that describe this piece.” Featured in the Small Quilts category.

White on White

White on White
by Amy Pabst @amymakesquilts
1st place in the Small Quilts Category
Statement: “This quilt was inspired by the 1918 painting ‘White on White’ by Russian artist Kazimir Malevich. The painting is a white square on a white background, and I tried to capture the minimalistm of the original painting. There are five different white fabrics used. This quilt is the 27th quilt in my series Micropiecing, and it has 12,720 pieces of fabric.” Featured in the Small Quilts category.

The Number of Holes

The Number of Holes
by Lorraine Woodruff-Long @quiltinginthefog
Statement: ” ‘The AR-15 is the most popular rifle worldwide and it can easily fire as many as 800-1200 RPM depeneind on the version of the fun, caliber, and trigger.’ —Neckbone Armory: How Fast Can You Fire An Ar-15? Rate of Fire By Caliber. I draw many ideas for commentary quilts from signs spotted at marches. This image was spotted on a sign at a March for Our Loves rally. To date, I have been unable to attribute this phrase or image to anyone to give proper credit. I was floored by the concept and poignancy so simply — and clearly — communicated. The top uses repurposed black denim from my family. Hand cut, fused and quilted fabric denim letters with embroidered bullet holes deliver the message.” Featured in the Applique category.

Drift

Drift
by Linda Branting
Statement: “For my granddaughter’s eighth birthday, I made a rainbow quilt — her favorite motif at that moment — and came away with the idea of a spectrum quilt as the next evolution of my to-that-point monochromatic applique ring series. A surprise gift of a fabulous range of Oakshott 6-inch squares gave me a push. I made them into rings, adding larger sizes from stash, and after a careful edit, 80 of the original 150 created, drift into this floating wreath. A twenty-color spectrum of narrow vertical quilting also appears to drift as the viewer and ambient light move so that no two people see it the same way.” Featured in the Applique category.

Pentimento

Pentimento
by Lee Sproull (leesproull.com)
Statement: “Pentimento is a visible trace of history. In painting it is an under-image painted over. In cognition it is an earlier memory (primacy) overlain by a later one (recency). The shadowy traces in this piece reference my five-year history exploring the figure and metaphor of branching forms.” Featured in the Improvisation category.

Virtuous Cycle

Virtuous Cycle
by Jo Wollschlaeger @jowoquilts
Statement: “When we live our best and truest lives, exalt in our colors, we create a virtuous cycle. The tension of opposites has the potential to create positive energy, forward motion and constant renewal. Each of the overlapping circles is composed of seven concentric circles, which shift in hue and value to create the experience of a gradation as you move to the center. The quilting echoes and emphasizes the overlapping circles. The densely quilted background pushes the circles forward and creates dimension and texture.” Featured in the Minimalist Design category.