Once again I received a book to review for you! This e-book, titled Modern Quilt Patterns, couldn’t
have found its way to me at a better time. Having just shoveled out of a
record-breaking snowfall, seeing the cover of Modern Quilt
Patterns with its light, bright, sherbet colored quilts just made me want
to run out and buy some spring-colored fabrics and start sewing! I was also
intrigued because a Modern Quilt Guild chapter has recently sprung up in Maine.
While I haven’t made it to a meeting yet, there has been plenty of discussion
about just what IS a modern quilt anyway? In the introduction to this e-book
Beth Hayes, Editor-in-chief for McCall’s Quilting, defines Modern Quilts as “notable for their
minimalist aesthetic, use of bright, bold colors with large doses of white and
other neutral solids, asymmetrical designs, and free-form piecing.” The book
goes on to showcase three happy quilts, one of which, Lemon Squeezy, uses a
strip-quilt-as-you-go technique. This is a technique I have been exploring for
my class (see tutorial) so I was very interested to read how this particular quilt was
constructed. Download this book. You may be sorely tempted, as I am, to pull
out strips and scraps and begin quilting-as-you-go. Or perhaps the design possibilitres of half-square triangles will excite you, as in Rainbow Rhythm. Although the directions are based on fat quarters, the units begin with 5”
squares, which got me thinking, what if you started with 4 or 5 charm packs?
Finally, there’s Baubles and Beads, which relies on more traditional block
piecing and white sashing. Pictured in spring greens, pinks and yellows, it
would be perfect for a girl’s room. If it’s winter where you are, download this book and breathe in a little breath of spring!
