Modern Quilt Month 2022 (2)

We really enjoy modern quilts and examining the design elements that make the finished pieces come alive. Summer seems like the perfect time to feature contemporary quilts, so it's become an annual tradition at Quilt Inspiration. Here is part 1 of Modern Quilt Month for 2022!

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Gilded Matrix En Taupe by Karen G. Fisher 

The stunning Gilded Matrix en Taupe has won multiple awards, including an Exemplary Quilting award, PLUS First Place in the Small/One Person/Pieced/ Machine Quilted category, at the 2022 Tucson Quilters Guild show. 

Karen G. Fisher says, "[Here is] my latest Matrix in an ombre arrangement of taupes. There are 21 columns of color, and the appliqued rows of color are all 'gilded'.  The embellishing adds sparkle and detail."

The precise selection of fabrics to create the ombre design makes this quilt shimmer with life. Karen says that she designed this arrangement years ago, and this may or may not be her last Matrix quilt! We love the way the buttons match the gradated ombre hues of the background squares.

Scrap Stitch by Debra Kay

This creative work by Debra Kay reminds us of a contemporary stained glass window! Scrap Stitch was first made by creating new pieces of fabric froom scraps of thread, yarn, trim, Angelina fibers, and rickrack. The scraps are all densely stitched together with both plain and decorative stitches.  The new fabric is then cut into pieces and assembled on a black background."

For the finishing touch, the new fabric blocks were mingled with yarn, tulle, and solid pieces, stitched in place, and quilted with invisible thread. We love the colorful, sparkly effect which Debra achieved.

Space X by Leslie Hughes (Minnesota), quilted by Karen McTavish

This colorful quilt has a mid-century modern feel with its intersecting, dimensional diamonds. Leslie Hughes says that she was watching the private space ventures being tested, and found this pattern in bold colors against a blank space was the perfect foil to represent the capsules, support structures and blasts in all directions. Hence the quilt's name, Space X.

The expert machine quilting by Karen McTavish echoes and emphasizes the sharp points of the diamond shapes. Space X was, quite appropriately, entered into the "Use of Negative Space" category at the 2022 QuiltCon show.  [Note: The design is based on the Square Dance pattern by Victoria Findlay Wolfe.]

Harvest by Sarah Hibbert @quiltscornerstone (Hertfordshire, United Kingdom)

Entered in the Modern Traditionalism category at the 2022 QuiltCon show, Harvest is a beautiful use of black and white contrasts, intermixed with toned hues. Sarah Hibbert says, "Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields.  Exactly what I did when visiting Ray Stitch in London, their rich linen range just needed gathering in."

Harvest is made up of 16 colors, in a combination of half square triangles and half rectangles. Sarah decided to hand quilt in a simple straight line, changing the color of thread randomly as it ran out; we love the hand-quilted look!)  Note: A pattern for Harvest can be purchased at Sarah Hibbert Quilts.

Jubilation by Tara Faughnan @tarafaughnan (California)

Joyous and bright are adjectives that describe this wonderful HST quilt.  Tara Faughnan says, "I created this quilt as a celebration, an expression of the joy I was feeling during the spring of 2021. We were coming out of the long pandemic winter and Delta [variant] had yet to rear its head. I was heading off to a coastal town in Mexico, and thinking of its bright gorgeous colors and celebrations, of its cenotes, and street food and textiles and architecture."

Jubilation was machine pieced, improvisational pieced, and wonderfully hand quilted. Tara says, "As I pieced this quilt, I put these colors together thinking of hugs and warm nights and tacos and laughter and the sound of an accordion somewhere nearby."

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2022 QuiltCon show (Jubilation, Space X,  Harvest) and the 2022 Tucson Quilt Fiesta (Gilded Matrix En Taupe, Scrap Stitch.)

Connecting Our Natural Worlds - SAQA Global Quilt Exhibit (Day 7)

The Connecting Our Natural Worlds exhibit by SAQA showcases art quilts that illustrate the natural wonder of habitats around the globe. Through their own unique artistic interpretation, each artist has identified danger to flora and fauna in their own backyards. The selected pieces inspire viewers to get closer to nature and become better stewards for our environment.  We recently visited this outstanding exhibit at the Brigham City Museum in Utah.

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Desde Mi Ventana (From My Window) by Georgia B. Heller (Arizona)

Georgia B. Heller says, "This is a view of my yard in Scottsdale, Arizona.  The colorful pool and patio invite you to enjoy the outdoors, and the ambiance is accented with several native plants. The saguaro cactus defines the Sonoran Desert and its blossoms are the state flower."

A short drive away from this locale is the Sonoran Desert Preserve, a protected desert and mountain habitat.  Georgia notes, "By keeping large areas safe from human development, we hope to find a balance between preserving their natural beauty and the demands of population growth."

This beautifully rendered, photo-inspired scene was constructed with cotton, acid-free inks and markers. Many of the details were accented with thread painting.  Applique was used to construct the brightly painted Talavera pottery seen on the table, above.

Soon the Summer Sun by Brenda H. Smith (Arizona)

This fantastic art quilt honors the penstemon, which provides valuable nectar for many insects and hummingbirds.  Brenda H. Smith says, "Penstemons are some of my favorite flowers.  We have planted these low-water-use species to add color and augment the native landscaping in our yard [in Flagstaff, Arizona.]  Penstemon species native to Arizona are not endangered, but reducing non-native plants in favor of native species helps preserve local biodiversity in our urban landscapes."

Soon The Summer Sun was constructed with hand dyed and commercial cottons, which were painted, screen-printed, fused, machine appliqued and machine quilted.

Sonoran Monsoon by Debra Kay (Arizona)

People who live in the Sonoran Desert are familiar with the summer monsoons, which bring much-needed rain and spectacular lightning displays to the parched terrain.  Debra Kay says that her journey into art quilting began three years ago with a move to Tucson, Arizona.  She began to depict desert scenes with mountains, washes, and desert flora and fauna.  The jagged outlines of the Catalina Mountains are shown in this piece.

Streaks of lightning can be seen above the mountains, with  the rocks and sand rendered in muted tones of the appliqued batiks. Sonoran Monsoon was constructed with cotton and cheesecloth, using various techniques including batiking and tea dying; applique; free motion stitching; and fabric painting. We were intrigued by the use of a coiled and knotted fabric "rope" to outline the upper edge of the quilt, shown below.

Precious Reserves by Linda Syverson Guild (Maryland)

Amazing in its detail, Precious Reserves pays tribute to the High Plains aquifer, which is critical for the existence of the magnificent Sandhill cranes that live along the Platte River in Nebraska. Linda Syverson Guild says, "Our world exists in a precarious balance with nature.  What lies beneath the surface of the earth is the 'Fort Knox' of our future - the precious reserves."

The High Plains Aquifer is depicted in meticulous geographic detail with applique and embroidery, ranging from Texas to Wyoming and South Dakota. Linda explains that central pivot irrigation has depleted the reserves to the point of crisis, endangering the Sandhill cranes. Many different materials and techniques were used to create this piece, including hand-dyed and commercial fabric, polyester netting, and fabric paint.  The shading, created with black netting, can be seen in the closeup photo below.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the Brigham City Museum in Utah. As of August 2021, many of the pieces can be purchased at the Connecting Our Natural Worlds web page.