If you are an admirer of quilts, you’ll want to check out Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century by the Modern Quilt Guild. I was really excited to see an advance copy of the book at this year’s Quilt Market, especially since two of my quilts (Cabana and Big Love) are included in the book. This hardcover book contains more than 200 quilts that are beautifully photographed. The book honors modern quilts past, present and future.

Here is a little bit about both of my quilts that are included in the book:

Cabana

Cabana is a minimalist quilt inspired by striped cabanas at the beach. The quilt is primarily constructed out of 1.5” strips of black, white and aqua fabric (1” after pieced) and was quilted on a domestic machine with a walking foot. Cabana measures 67″ x 70″.

Cabana has been on a tour around the world! Here are some of the locations Cabana has been or will be:
• Modern Quilt Exhibit at the Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange, Texas (2016)
• QuiltCon 2017 in Savannah, Georgia
• Best of QuiltCon 2017 Worldwide Tour (2017/2018)
• Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century Traveling Exhibition (2018/2019)

Big Love

Inspired by frequency waves, Big Love is an abstract interpretation of what the word “love” might sound like. Big Love, measuring 95″ x 78″ (yes it is BIG), is the second version in a series of love frequency wave quilts I have designed and produced. If it wasn’t for an unexpected event, I wouldn’t have made Big Love. 

I designed the first version of this quilt way back in 2014. It was small (35″ x 23″) and was called What’s the Frequency, Love? I finished it a couple of days before submissions were due for QuiltCon 2015. I decided to enter it along with a couple of other quilts. This was the first time I ever entered a quilt show (keep reading for an important lesson I learned about entering shows). I was completely surprised when I learned it was juried into the show. I was completely floored on the first day of QuiltCon 2015 when it won first place in the Small Quilts category.

I was truly honored and shocked. Even more shocking—the quilt sold. I was heartbroken at first. The quilt had extreme sentimental value as it was one my first quilts that won a major prize. I got over the anguish knowing it went to someone that really loved it enough to buy it. That made me happy. I also remembered that it was just fabric and I documented the original pattern. I could make it again. I went home from Austin and sized up the pattern to make it, this time three times larger.

Tangent: Remember I mentioned that I learned a valuable lesson about entering quilt shows. Pay close attention to the “for sale” section of entry forms. I sold this quilt for $500. This is the value I placed on the quilt when I entered it. To be honest, I didn’t think anyone would ever want to buy a quilt of mine. If I had to do it over again, I would have valued it for the true cost of materials and my labor. Live and learn.

I’m really glad that I remade the original quilt that sold into Big Love. Check out all of the places it’s been seen:
• Modern Quilt Special Exhibit, International Quilt Market & Festival, Houston, Texas (2015)
• International Quilt Festival Quilt Scene Magazine (2015)
• QuiltCon 2016 in Pasadena, California (2016)
• Quilt Week, Paducah, Kentucky (2016) winning 3rd place in the Large Wall Quilts, Modern category

I love designing new versions of designs and making new iterations. In the spirit of evolution, I created Modern Love, an easy quilt to make and instructions come in three sizes. You can learn more about the quilt and pattern in my online shop.

Be sure to check out the book, Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century to see these quilts and many more. 100% of royalties earned from this book go the Modern Quilt Guild, a non-profit 501(c)3.

Want a preview of more quilts included in the books? Be sure to visit all of the bloggers on the book tour for lots of inspiration!

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