Modern Quilts Blog Tour Kickoff!

Modern Quilts Blog Tour Kickoff!

Posted by Deirdre Quirk on Dec 12th 2017

In conjunction with the Modern Quilt Guild, we're over the moon to announce the release of  Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century, a collectible, hardcover book that traces the history of modern quilts, explores the hallmarks of the genre, and honors the genre’s past, present, and future.

“From quilt empires like the Amish and the quilts of Gee’s Bend, to the emergence of the word ‘modern’ in quilting, [we] discuss influencers and milestones in the twentieth century and today that have paved the way for all of us,” say the compilers of Modern Quilts, Riane Menardi, Alissa Haight Carlton, and Heather Grant. Although the Modern Quilt Guild was not founded until 2009, their concise retrospective beginsby covering early influencers, the birth of modern quilting , the growth of the movement, the foundation of the MQG, and the movement of modern quilting into the mainstream—all accompanied by large, color photographs illustrating the visual development of modern quilting.

So what is a modern quilt? The compilers tackle this age-old, sometimes controversial question head on. "Modern quilts mean different things to different people. Modern quilts are utilitarian. They are art. They tell stories. They are graphic, improvisational, or minimalist. They make a statement." Modern Quilts identifies several hallmarks of modern quilting, including modern traditionalism, the use of solids, graphic color palettes, improvisation, minimalism, expansive negative space, alternate gridwork, and unusual scale. The quilts selected to illustrate each showcase the wide variety of artistic expression that is encompassed by modern quilting.

You can admire the best modern quilting has to offer in the gallery of more than 200 quilts curated by the Modern Quilt Guild. These large photographs (many of the quilts take up a full page) show every detail of the quilts, from the piecing to the quilting to the finishing touches. 

You’ll also see quilts by an enormous range of artists; over 200 Modern Quilt Guild members, past and present, are featured, including such well-known names as Angela Walters, Weeks Ringle, Melissa Averinos, Leah Day, Latifah Saafir, and more. To celebrate the book's release, over 32 contributors have gathered together for an epic blog tour! You can see the full line-up below. 

12/13/2017 Amber Corcoran

12/14/2017  Heidi Parkes

12/15/2017  Melissa Cory

12/16/2017  Penny Gold

12/18/2017  Shruti Dandekar

12/19/2017  Amy Friend

12/20/2017  Paige Alexander

12/21/2017  Angela Bowman

12/22/2017  Lysa Flower

12/27/2017  Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill

12/28/2017  Jacquie Gering

12/29/2017  Christa Watson

12/30/2017  Heather Black

1/2/2018  Kristin Shields

1/3/2018  Krista Hennebury

1/4/2018  Cinzia Allocca

1/5/2018  Suzanne Paquette

1/6/2018  Yvonne Fuchs

1/9/2018  Ben Darby

1/10/2018  Nicole Daksiewicz

1/11/2018  Kristi Schroeder

1/12/2018  Kathy York

1/13/2018  Marla Varner

1/15/2018  Brigette Heitland

1/16/2018  Stacey Sharman

1/17/2018  Stacey O'Malley

1/18/2018  Kim Soper

1/19/2018  Steph Skardal

1/20/2018  Cheryl Brickey

1/22/2018  Shea Henderson

1/23/2018  Katie Larson

1/24/2018  Katie Pedersen

These quilters have been deeply influenced by the rich tradition of quilts throughout history, as well as by the countless makers who set the stage for modern quilting. Today’s modern quilters are in turn influencing the next generation. Indeed, we are certain that anyone who picks up a copy of Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century will be inspired in their own artistic pursuits, quilting or otherwise. As the compilers say, “we are all makers; we are all storytellers; and we are all part of a community making our mark at this moment in quilt history.”

Want to win your own copy of  Modern Quilts? You can enter our ebook giveaway right here: a Rafflecopter giveaway.

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