The Modern Quilt Guild defines modern quilts as ones that are primarily functional and inspired by modern design. Modern quilters work in different styles and define modern quilting in different ways, but several characteristics often appear which may help identify a modern quilt. These include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work. “Modern traditionalism” or the updating of classic quilt designs is also often seen in modern quilting.

The following posts show examples of modern quilting from our members and other modern quilters.

Posts from the ‘Modern Quilting’ category

Member Spotlight: Elizabeth Schneider

Our Member Spotlight this time is Elizabeth Schneider. The Spotlight is a way to learn a little about each other and our shared love of quilting. And, each Spotlight member gets time at the next meeting to be, well, in the spotlight and share some of her favorite modern quilts or other works.

How did you first got involved in with Boise Modern Quilt Guild?
Elizabeth: I got involved in the Boise Modern Quilt Guild after I moved back to Boise in 2020. I had been following the guild on social media before we moved.

What’s your first memory of something related to quilting or sewing?
Elizabeth: My grandmother made most of my clothes growing up. Once I learned to sew in junior high we would spend about an hour each Sunday morning after church working on one of my garment sewing projects.

What’s your most memorable, or favorite, quilting project?
Elizabeth: I really enjoyed doing Cinco De Mayo, Karen Stone’s paper piecing project as a block of the month. I had a friend in another state working on it at the same time.

How would you describe your quilting design style or aesthetic?
Elizabeth: I think “modern traditional” fits my style. I have done modern, traditional and art quilting.

What colors, shapes, fabrics do you gravitate to? What do you use most in your designs?
Elizabeth: I like bright colors. Fabrics include Tula Pink, Valori Wells, Violet Craft, Kaffe Fassett. In terms of shapes I have quite a few house designs plus scrap quilts.

Is there someone or something that has influenced your quilting?
Elizabeth: The guilds I have been a part of have been the biggest influence by whom they bring in as speakers.

What might someone be surprised to know about you?
Elizabeth: I’m also a musician. I play flute and sing in church choir and play English handbells.

What do you do when you aren’t quilting?
Elizabeth: Too many things! I work part-time writing grants for the Idaho STEM Action Center. I am trying to improve my tennis game. I also make cards. And make music.

What are you working on now?
Elizabeth: I’m working on trying to finish Sue Spargo’s 2020 Block of the Month lite, Chirp. I’m also getting a head start on a graduation gift quilt.

What’s the project that you always intended to do (quilting or otherwise) but haven’t yet?
Elizabeth: I want to remake the dress my grandmother wore at my Mom’s wedding in 1961. I have the dress (it’s very cool with a Mad Men vibe) but I’m not her size. I found the Vogue pattern through an online pattern database several years ago and bought it from an Etsy shop for $75!

What’s the longest-lasting UFO in your collection?
Elizabeth: A Dresden Plate wall hanging that I started in 1995. It’s partially machine quilted. The colors are not me.

Do you have a preferred snack or beverage while you’re sewing? If so, what is it?
Elizabeth: Beverages depend on the time of the day and range from coffee or tea to an occasional glass of wine in the evening. I don’t snack while sewing.

What do you listen to or watch while you’re sewing? Do you have any recommendations to share?
Elizabeth: I listen to public radio and depending on time of day it might be classical, jazz, or news. I really like Echoes in the evening.

October Meeting & Paint Chip Challenge

It was the final outdoor meeting of 2021, and we managed to skirt the rain storms for show & tell and news about our Holiday Swap and Challenge.

The Paint Chip Challenge:
• Create a modern mini quilt for your swap partner
• Use only the colors and values (lightness or darkness) represented on the two paint chips you receive from the person you’re making for
• Additionally, you can throw in a pop of a third color; and you can add gray, black or white
• Keep the size small – no bigger than 18” on its longest side
• Your finished piece can be long and skinny, square or any shape you like

How it Works
• Find two paint chips/cards in coordinating colors you love (check your local paint or hardware store)
• Bring your completed mini to the After-Holiday Party on January 22, 2022. It’ll be a fun after-holiday gift exchange! (or if we’re not meeting in person, plan to have your mini delivered by then)

Sign up here and then get your color chips to Darla by November 20, 2021

Show & Tell

Here’s a sampling of what we shared:

  • Nancy Seid stepped into the Member Spotlight, and along with sharing her quilting, we got tips for breaking projects into small, manageable steps that can help get to the finish line. Nancy sees some corollaries between her work with Boise State ADHD students and quilters (go figure!!), and offered several ideas such as setting a timer to help focus attention on one project for a limited amount of time.
  • Millissa let us know about the Oct. 27 Virtual Talk and Tour by Victoria Findlay Wolfe: Now & Then, Playing with Purpose with the Artists. Register here. (It’s free but you have to sign up!)
  • The Get ‘Er Done effort saw some great action this meeting. Millissa spearheaded a leader-ender project during the Day Camp, and then she created two quilt tops. Darla and Cathy took the tops to quilt, and several others took some orphan blocks from our Get ’Er Done pile to make crib quilt tops. Progress!
  • Nancy England showed off her holiday runners and quilt, all of which will be at her church’s bazaar.
  • Betsy completed an art quilt as part of an online class with Laura Wasilowski of artfabrik.com. Betsy used some of Laura’s hand-dyed fabrics for this whimsical fun piece.
  • Karen showed a charming fall wall hanging, another large quilt she described as being made with leftovers from other projects, a huge quilt from Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts, and three (!) pieces from an online class with Cindy Grisdela.
  • Lynne showed a modern quilt made of solids, and a large Americana themed quilt
  • Lindsie finished a hearts quilt for a niece, which was quilted by Laura, but had delivered it the week before

 

Member Spotlight: Nancy Seid

Say “hi” to our next member in the spotlight, Nancy Seid. Nancy’s one who joined BMQG during the 2020 shutdown, when Zoom meetings were the thing.

The Spotlight is simply a way to learn a little about each other and our shared love of quilting. And, each Spotlight member gets time at the next meeting to be, well, in the spotlight and share some of her favorite modern quilts or other works.

What’s your first memory of something related to quilting or sewing?
Nancy: My grandmother gave me sewing cards when I was four, which I worked and worked on. My mother taught me to sew on her Singer Featherweight. I only started quilting a few years ago.

How did you first get involved with Boise Modern Quilt Guild?
Nancy: My little sister Joanna is a quilter and professional sewist. I thought I wasn’t good enough to join a guild, but she told me how much fun she had and encouraged me to join. I looked at the web page for BMQG and loved the projects and inspiration. Such an active, interesting group to learn from.

What colors, shapes, fabrics do you gravitate to? What do you use most in your designs?
Nancy: I gravitate to bright saturated colors, with a white or light gray background. I like bold geometrics with unexpected color combinations. I haven’t made many quilts yet, so I don’t have a particular style or aesthetic yet.

Is there someone or something that has influenced your quilting?
Nancy: My sister is my inspiration. She is a fabric recycler, very creative and artistic. I show her my works in progress and she helps me if I get stuck and is always encouraging.

What do you do when you aren’t quilting?
Nancy: I work at Boise State coordinating academic services for students with disabilities. One thing I do is coaching college students with ADHD. I use techniques for focus and project completion when I am quilting, and inspiration from quilting for the students: visualization of completed projects; “finished is better than perfect.” I am also in a book club and participate in church activities.

What are you working on now?
Nancy: My bear quilt and baby clothes for my 1-year-old granddaughter. Another granddaughter is graduating from high school next May, so she’s going to get a quilt.

What’s the longest-lasting UFO in your collection?
Nancy: The half-square triangle quilt has been in process for two years. I did not have the needed precision skills when I started it. The Guild members gave me some ideas on reformatting it.

What do you listen to or watch while you’re sewing? Do you have any recommendations to share?
Nancy: I listen to podcasts: This American Life, Hidden Brain, and Dateline NBC.

September Meeting was just rosey

The Rose Garden at Juila Davis Park was a perfect backdrop for our September meeting, and Halloween fabric (and candy!) put us in the fall mood.

Fall-Winter Schedule
We spent some time discussing meeting format in the coming months. Based on comments at the meeting, we’ll plan for a combination of in-person meetings, held outside (weather permitting), indoors in a large room with space to socially distance (think a large meeting room at the library, or a church multi-purpose room), and likely some virtual meetings on Zoom. Here’s the schedule for the next few months:

  • October 8: Club Mod on Zoom (7-9 p.m.)
  • October 23: Monthly Meeting in Person (1-3 p.m.)
  • November 12: Club Mod on Zoom (7-9 p.m.)
  • December 4: Annual Meeting on Zoom(1-3 p.m.)
  • December 10: Club Mod on Zoom (7-9 p.m.)
  • January 22: After-Holiday Swap (1-3 p.m.)

Show and tell
Possibly the favorite part of our meeting….? Here’s a sampling of what we shared (see details below photos):

  • As the feature of our Member Spotlight, Cathy Rogers kicked things off. Her love of all things Tula showed up in the quilt that graces her living room couch, where we suspect she reads some of the 34 books she’s working towards reading this year. (So far she’s at 30!).
  • Nancy E. showed a hexi ornament she made based on what she saw in McCall’s Quilting magazine November/December 2021 issue, and a scrappy pattern she bought on a road trip to the Stitch n’ Snip in Crouch.
  • Lindsie finished binding one of the Sisters of the Hex quilts.
  • Robin joined us for the first time and showed the quilt she made from a kit, featuring Kaffe Fasset wovens
  • Terri worked on knitting socks, while Kathy S. couldn’t help but show off her designer orange bag
  • Karen decided to make some really small hexis, and then wondered what to do with them… here’s what she ended up with!
  • Marilyn got serious about finishing projects this year, and it shows! She showed a jelly roll quilt; an orange quilt that started as a kit purchased in 2010 with Kaffe Fasset prints; a Halloween wall hanging started in 2009; and a skull quilt using Tim Holtz fabric purchased years ago at Salli’s Back Porch Fabric Store in Shoshone. And then! she stunned us with a quilt commissioned by a family member, using a photo of a landscape for color inspiration, and design inspired by Denyse Schmidt.
  • Elizabeth completed two Bonnie Hunter quilts: Appalachian Autumn and a round-robin style Unity quilt (which was sewn mostly from Elizabeth’s stash! Impressive)
  • Linda brought candy (!!) and her completed Bats and Boos mystery quilt from FatQuarter Shop.

Sept. Member Spotlight: Cathy Rogers

This month, we’re featuring Cathy Rogers in the Member Spotlight series. The Spotlight is simply a way to learn a little about each other and our shared love of quilting. And, each Spotlight member gets time at the next meeting to be, well, in the spotlight and share some of her favorite modern quilts or other works.

How did you first get involved in with Boise Modern Quilt Guild?
Cathy: I read about Quilt Con (Austin, Texas in 2013) in one of my quilting magazines and wanted to go and in order to go, I needed to be a member of a modern quilt guild. I talked to my quilting friends and learned about the Boise Modern Quilt Guild and joined.

What’s your first memory of something related to quilting or sewing?
Cathy: My mom always sewed clothes, costumes, etc. when I was growing up but I had no interest in learning how to sew. In my early 30’s, a friend from book club wanted to take a beginning quilt class at Quilt Crossing and asked me if I wanted to go. I said yes, even though I did not own a sewing machine. The teacher taught the class using plastic templates and urged us to use our non-dominant foot to push the pedal, consequently I push the pedal with my left foot to this day.

I was (partially) hooked and bought a sewing machine. After the class was over, I worked on the quilt on my own and then lost interest – my first of many UFO’s. A year or so later, I wanted to make some Christmas gifts and asked my dear friend Darla Christiansen for assistance. She came over and helped me and which made me think that sewing had more to offer than templates. Another friend, Marcia Howard, told me of a beginning quilt class taught by a couple of her friends – Gwen Smith and Teresa Church – that would provide different quilting techniques. I took the class and that truly was the beginning of my quilting love and provided a quilting community.

What’s your most memorable, or favorite, quilting project?
Cathy: I took a paper piecing class at Country Quilter to learn paper piecing. The pattern we worked on was “Christmas Pickle.” I loved the pattern and really like paper piecing. However, I didn’t realize when I started that the quilt had 120 pinwheels. My friend Denise talked our other friends into having a sew day where we all worked on my pinwheels. I finished the quilt and it’s my favorite quilt, not only because of its aesthetic but also knowing all the wonderful friends who helped make it.

How would you describe your quilting design style or aesthetic?
Cathy: I really like modern quilts and have grown to love various modern fabric designers – Tula Pink especially. I also appreciate the philosophy of the modern quilt movement with promoting diversity and inclusion in quilting and art. I still quilt some traditional quilts occasionally, trying to honor quilting history. I believe my aesthetic is evolving. Most of my modern quilts are not scrappy or improvisational but I am drawn to those types of quilts. I need to break out of my safe zone and take the plunge. One of my favorite quilts is “Urban Legend” which has buildings divided into morning, noon, and night segments. I made the quilt using my scraps and grunge fabric and love the result.

What colors, shapes, fabrics do you gravitate to? What do you use most in your designs?
Cathy: I love purple. I also like grunge fabric and anything Tula Pink. I just saw a new designer – William Reue – that I’m really excited about. I have made several Elizabeth Hartman quilts and love the results. I don’t have a signature shape but am drawn to lines more than curves.

Is there someone or something that has influenced your quilting?
Cathy: I took a classes from Amy Butler, Denyse Schmidt, Jean Wells, and Susan Carlson. All of these women are inspiring and nudged me out of my safe zone into a more artistic mind set. Of course, my quilting friends influence me continuously and I feel blessed the have them in my life.

What might someone be surprised to know about you?
Cathy: I’m the tiniest bit obsessed with the Walt Longmire book series. I have read them all at least twice. They are my “go to” books when I feel like I just need to seep, like a tea bag in hot water.

What do you do when you aren’t quilting?
Cathy: I love all things books. I have a reading goal each year, this year is 34 books. I listen to “What Should I Read Next” podcast, and am a member of the Cabin and enjoy attending the Readings and Conversations guest author series each year. I also love live theater, although I haven’t done much of that recently but will again. Also, I hone my trivia skills daily through Alexa’s Jeopardy! app.

What are you working on now?
Cathy: I’m working on a bag “A Place for Everything” by annie.com using Tula Pink’s line of fabric Alice in Wonderland. I am also sewing a paper pieced block of the month series by Whole Quilt Studio.

What’s the project that you always intended to do (quilting or otherwise) but haven’t yet?
Cathy: I have black and white fabrics that I really want to make something with but have not found the right pattern yet.

What’s the longest-lasting UFO in your collection?
Cathy: I have fabric for a Blooming Nine Patch that I must have bought over 20 years ago that I haven’t touched since then.

Do you have a preferred snack or beverage while you’re sewing? If so, what is it?
Cathy: Good and Plenty.

What do you listen to or watch while you’re sewing? Do you have any recommendations to share?
Cathy: I love to listen to audible books while I sew. In addition to the Walt Longmire series, I also am listing to the Louise Penny series. My overall favorite listens are “A Brutal Telling”, “A Cold Dish”, “The City We Became”, “Almost Sisters”, “The Dry”, “11/22/63”, and “A Gentleman in Moscow.”

August Meeting Recap

It was great being in the park for our August meeting and thanks to everyone for finding their way to a new location. A special welcome to new members, and thanks to Lynne Crawford for stepping into the Member Spotlight! We loved seeing Lynne’s quilts and other handiwork.

Announcements & Upcoming Events

  • Sept. 11 Quilt Walk: Gather up those quilts you’ve been making and get ready to show them off at our inaugural Modern Quilt Walk in the park on Sept. 11. The Quilt Walk is an informal way to share the art of modern quilting in an easily accessible location — and to capitalize on greenbelt foot traffic expected at Art in the Park that same weekend.
    • If you’re thinking about participating, let us know by completing this form.
    • We’re celebrating modern quilting — and other handiwork (whatever you’re making and proud of!). Our quilts will be front and center, but you’re also welcome to bring other items (e.g., bags, works in progress) that show the range of things we all make.
    • Read more here and watch your email for additional details as we get closer.
  • Club Mod: We’ll take a break for September as we’ll be on the eve of the Quilt Walk (see more below), and then you’re invited to join the Friday night sew party at Club Mod, October 8, 7-9 p.m. on Zoom. Sew on your projects, chair dance at your machine, and maybe win a prize!

Show and tell
Possibly the favorite part of our meeting….? Here’s a sampling of what we shared (scroll down for details):

  • Delanie designed and worked on this Baby Birch Quilt at the July Quilting Day Camp.
  • Millissa spearheaded a leader-ender project that we could all sew on during the Day Camp. She created a design that uses scraps to make a modern, vibrant quilt.
  • Jeri showed her Center Point quilt by Elise Lea for Robert Kaufman. She also assembled orphan blocks from Artisans for Hope and Darla pieced the back. It’s off to Gwen for quilting and will eventually be returned to Artisans to sell.
  • Apryl is in a mood for minis! She’s making fabric collage postcards (aiming for 100) and the Hamilton mini is for her daughter.
  • Gwen had a few bits of stripes and polka dot fabrics that she’s turned into a bright and cheery quilt.
  • Cathy R. quilted the three (three!) Sisters of the Hex quilts. Thanks in advance to Betsy, Cassie and Lindsie for finishing the binding.
  • Ginny showed off her giant log cabin Ray Quilt by Carolyn Friedlander.
  • Kathy S. made this donuts-and-coffee themed quilt for her husband.
  • Betsy showed off her very scrappy, very beautiful Japanese X block. You can find tutorials and patterns on Pinterest, and here’s just one example of what you’ll find.
  • Nancy S. showed her Bee Sweet pattern with bear fabric from Hobby Lobby
  • Fay made a Christmas quilt with the bundle of winnings from July’s Day Camp raffle
  • Linda is getting ready for fall with Bats and Boos, a mystery quilt from the FatQuarter Shop.
  • Lindsie shared the 2022 Quilter’s Planner that she helped design again this year. You can check out the customizable planner made just for quilters at QuiltersPlanner.com (and a tip from Lindsie: pre-sales end Tuesday, Aug. 31, so if you get your order in today, you’ll get the clip-in bookmarks bundle for free).

Hope you see you at the Quilt Walk on Sept. 11!

Gather Your Quilts for Sept. 11 Quilt Walk!

Gather up those quilts you’ve been making and get ready to show them off at the Sept. 11 Modern Quilt Walk in the park. The Quilt Walk is an informal way to share the art of modern quilting in an easily accessible location — and to capitalize on greenbelt foot traffic expected at Art in the Park that same weekend. Members, watch your email for a sign up form and details (and if you’re not a member yet, but want to display your modern quilts, please join us as a member!).

It’s Simple: We’ll spread our quilts out on the lawn, bring our own chairs and snacks, and BMQG will have a couple of information tables. It’s an opportunity to talk with people about your craft and artistry. Here’s a glimpse at how the Central Washington MQG hosted a similar event last year. (photos: Michelle Bartholomew)

When: Saturday, Sept. 11; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Where: Adjacent to the Boise Greenbelt in Ann Morrison Park; we’ll display on a stretch of grass between the footbridge and Old Timer Shelter

Who: Anyone in the Boise MQG is welcome to participate and display quilts, no registration fee. We’ve also invited the Nampa MQG to participate.

Questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. We hope you’ll join us!

The mission of the Boise MQG is to develop and encourage the art of modern quilting; encourage new quilters and other fiber artists from all backgrounds to explore modern quilting; offer educational opportunities; and support “charity” or other works that provide back to the community through the use of modern quilting skills.

Aug. 28 Monthly Meeting (10 a.m.)

Join us for our monthly BMQG meeting, outdoors and in person! We’re meeting earlier in the day to beat the heat.

When: Saturday, August 28, 10 a.m. to noon (**note time change for this meeting**)
Where: Grass near the Old Timers’ Shelter at Ann Morrison Park, Boise (park near the east entrance of the park)

  • Masks are optional; we’ll supply hand sanitizer.
  • Bring a chair or quilt to sit on. The weather should be perfect, so bring some handwork if you’d like.
  • Bring your Show & Tell, including anything you might have been working on from the July Quilting Day Camp.
  • Do you have an idea for the next Get ‘er Done project? Bring it, share it, get some help.
  • We’ll have a door prize!

We’ve chosen this location for our meeting so that we can scope out the site of our Sept. 11 Quilt Walk, and so that everyone can get familiar with the location ahead of time. Are you thinking about what quilts you might want to display at our inaugural show? It will be a fun, casual affair, and we’d love to have as many participants as possible with as many quilts on display as you’d like. Read more about the Quilt Walk here.

Questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. We hope you’ll join us!

New! Member Spotlight

We’re pleased to introduce the new Member Spotlight series. The Spotlight is simply a way to learn a little about each other and our shared love of quilting. And, each Spotlight member gets time at the next meeting to be, well, in the spotlight and share some of her favorite modern quilts or other works.

First up: Lynne Crawford, joined BMQG during 2020 and attended her first meetings on Zoom.

How did you first get involved in with Boise Modern Quilt Guild?
Lynne: I found the Boise Modern Quilt Guild online.

What’s your first memory of something related to quilting or sewing?
Lynne: Taking a quilting class and working on a sampler quilt from the book Quilts, Quilts, Quilts.

What colors, shapes, fabrics do you gravitate to? What do you use most in your designs?
Lynne: I like solid colors.

What do you do when you aren’t quilting?
Lynne: I like to knit and embroider. I also like to ride my road bike and ski.

What are you working on now?
Lynne: A Carolyn Friedlander pattern called Ariel. I also have several quilts that need the binding hand sewed.

Do you have a preferred snack or beverage while you’re sewing? If so, what is it?
Lynne: No food – I’m too messy!

What do you listen to or watch while you’re sewing? Do you have any recommendations to share?
Lynne: Audiobooks. I use an app called Libby that lets me check out audiobooks from the library (for free). I like mystery/detective stories as well as some science fiction/fantasy. My favorite authors/series are Louise Penny (Inspector Gamache), M.C. Beaton (Agatha Raisin), Jim Butchers (The Dresden Files) and N K Jemison (Broken Earth series).

Quilting Day Camp 2021 Was So Much Fun!

Our quilting day camp was such fun! Thanks to everyone who spent the day with us to sew, talk, pose for close-ups, eat, win, and all the rest. Shout out to Millissa Masters for her work designing and organizing a leader/ender project, which one day will be another Get ‘er Done community quilt; to Linda Jolly for applying her magic touch to the hexi quilts; and to everyone who helped sew (an unsew) the hexi blocks.

And, we had truly generous donors who contributed to our prizes and swag bags. Please support and thank these terrific folks:

Here’s what some of our attendees said when we asked what they liked about the retreat:
“Food was great, lots of social time and great prizes.”
“Seeing everyone! Working on the community quilts. Sharing ideas and seeing what everyone is working on. I left renewed and inspired.”
“Seeing everyone again and just chatting with people. Getting my creative juices flowing again!”
“So very happy to get out of the house and sew. Thank you!!! LOVED the swag bag and I am excited for the tshirt.”
If you attended and have pictures to share on social media, be sure to tag them with #boisemqg. And, check out our Instagram profile @BoiseMQG for more photos in the coming weeks.