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Glossary: LMQG: A Journey to the Land of Modern Quilting

Updated: Nov 10, 2019

1. Our Presenters: Kristen Box-McCoy, Linda McLaren and Gail McHardy-Leitch


Linda McLaren- has a blog as well called "The Quilting Biker"  http://quiltingbiker.blogspot.com/

Kristyn Box-MCoy has business in Ilderton:   Mellon Patch Quilts  :   http://melonpatchquilts.com/  and a facebook page as well:  https://www.facebook.com/MelonPatchQuilts/

Kristen and Linda (friend and LMQG President) have both had Quilts shown at Quilt Con and Kristyn has also had quilts shown at Quilt Cda. Gail McHardy-Leitch is a new member of our guild and a member of the London Modern Quilt Guild. Her experience with modern quilting will be most welcome. Gail also has a blog: www.thecozyquilter.blogspot.com.

2. The Modern Quilt Guild:


The Modern Quilt Guild:  https://www.themodernquiltguild.com/

"Our mission is to support and encourage the growth and development of modern quilting through art, education, and community. Join our community of over 14,000 members around the world."


History of The Modern Quilt Guild:  "In 2009, Alissa Haight Carlton and Latifah Saafir founded the Modern Quilt Guild giving the online community a chance to form in person connections with other modern quilters.  In 2013, the Modern Quilt Guild hosted it's first QuiltCon, which has evolved into the largest modern quilting event in the world."


-QuiltCon 2020 | Austin, Texas ---Feb. 20–23, 2020

Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas

Presented by the Modern Quilt Guild, "QuiltCon is the largest modern quilting show of its kind. Each year, thousands of attendees come to see over nearly 600 modern quilts on display, including 400 juried in from MQG members around the world. The conference features four days of workshops and lectures led by leading designers and quilters, and the show floor has dozens of vendors and exhibitors for days of shopping and fun."


Members of the Modern Quilt Guild enjoy the following:  

News Magazine online:  Modern Monthly:  articles, tutorials and member spotlights.

Webinars  (archive and live):  Each month, leading modern quilters and designers provide webinars for MQG members to watch for free. Recordings of previous webinars are also available.  example:  Improv Hand Quilting With Heidi Parks

Patterns:  Each month, MQG members can access new, free modern quilting patterns designed by other members.

block Studies:  In each issue, we’ll explore one modern block used two ways. Issue 02 features the Organic Diamonds block designed by Hannah Haberkern of the Washington DC MQG.


3. London Modern Quilt Guild:  http://www.londonmodernquiltguildcanada.com/

started officially in 2015

Has 90 members

Meet 2nd Saturday of every month

At their meetings they have "demos"

Their quilting guild year runs from January to Dec.

Typical Agenda for a meeting with this group:

All meetings start off with the following agenda:

Welcome & Introductions 12:00 to 12:30 Starting at 12 noon we can enter the building to socialize and set up

12:30- Guild Business

Programming and hands on work (if required for the program, bring your basic sewing kit, sewing machine and extension cord)

Show and Share

Stay until 5pm to continue working on the monthly program or  your own WIP (bring your lunch)

The London Modern Quilt Guild also hosts quilt retreats Partnered with the Toronto Modern Quilt Guild-- they largely get Southwestern Ontario's modern quilters together.

The London Modern Quilt Guild is a member of "the Modern Quilt Guild"


Limberlost Community Chaplaincy--London Modern Quilt Guild Outreach Program

Goal:  to teach ladies from program to sew and quilt:  offer opportunities for fellowship and to share love of quilting.

"The London MQG outreach program, shares our enthusiasm and knowledge of quilting with a group of ladies at the Limberlost Community Chaplaincy. We meet weekly on Tuesday afternoons from 1-3pm at 1481 Limberlost Road, unit 137.We have been very fortunate to have received generous donations of sewing machines, fabric and other supplies from our community allowing us to run a fun and educational program. This program has given the participants not only a chance to learn how to use a sewing machine, as some have never had the opportunity, but it also provides them with a much needed break from their difficult lives.We have seen participants blossom and to feel good about their newly found skill. It is a joy to work with these ladies.

Please note, our Outreach program does not have the funding to purchase fabric or notions from sellers. However, we will graciously accept donations for our Outreach program.  To find out how you can donate, please contact us outreachlmqgcanada@gmail.com  ;   We are always looking for volunteers too so please email us if you would like to help out. "  Taken directly from LMQG web site.

News Article about Limberlost:  'Room full of laughter': Multi-faith chaplaincy changing lives in Limberlost https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/limberlost-chaplaincy-1.5042265


Teachers, Fabric and Pattern Designers



Steph Scardal is a modern quilter. She has a blog as well.  I had fun playing the the Digital Swatchy Tool which lets you play with swatch colours from ten different designers including Kona and Moda solid fabric lines.  https://www.stephskardalquilts.com/digital-swatchy-tool/

Steph cites Play Crafts as a source of inspiration for the Digital Swatchy Tool.  Play Crafts is spearheaded by quilters as well:

"Play Crafts came about after a late night conversation among friends about the lack of tools available for crafters. But we didn’t want to just make any tools, we wanted ours to be easy and fun to use, because creativity should be fun! Our goal is to provide tools that get out of the way of your creativity and let you chase your inspiration.

Play Crafts is made up of a team of crafters and creator, and we love helping bring out the inner (or not-so-inner) artist in everyone!"

Play Crafts has  a series of tools that you can use in quilt design: http://www.play-crafts.com/blog/tools/

such as:  Palette Builder, Color Play, Equal--generates equilateral triangle quilt designs, using palettes it pulls from Color Play. You can modify the triangle size, and generate infinite numbers of quilt designs! and Illustrator Swatches (which is like Steph Scardal's "Digital Swatchy Tool"

The January 2019 Quilt of the Month is X-Canvas by Steph Skardal, an individual member from North Carolina 


5. Cheryl Arkison http://www.cherylarkison.com/ -- author of Sunday Morning Quilts , A Month of Sundays, and, most recently, You Inspire Me To Quilt

A very interesting article about Cheryl Arkison:   The Pattern That Changed My Life: Cheryl Arkison-- Well worth a read:   https://whileshenaps.com/2015/06/the-pattern-that-changed-my-life-cheryl-arkison.html


Cheryl Arkison Fabrics :  Connecting Threads:  put out a fabric line 2016


6. Libs Elliott  :  Elizabeth (Libs) Elliott is a textile artist and designer exploring the intersection of technology and traditional craft by using generative design to build handmade quilts. A deep appreciation for craftsmanship, design history and future-focused applications are all reflected in her work. She studied Material Art & Design at OCAD University and received a B.A. in Cultural Studies at Trent University. On her website you can shop Libs Elliott fabric and quilt patterns.


7 JOHN ELLIOT WILLARD:  " John excelled at everything he touched starting at an early age at costume design, then photography, collecting antiques and then creating his first quilt in 1975. A 40-year retrospective of John's amazing quilts were recently on display at the Burlington Art Centre" he was well known for his geometric quilts and his creative use of black and white fabric  (pic of him working on a quilt saved)

Images from the 40 year retrospective:  https://www.insidehalton.com/photogallery/4381812/



8. Jacquie Gering: (already profiled in last month's Glossary. Jacquie's book is profiled here as a source for modern quilting. Quilting Modern book by Jacquie Gering (Author), Katie Pedersen (Author) .










9.  Heather Ross is an illustrator and fabric designer whose crafty creations have found commercial success and a massive online following. She has illustrated the Crafty Chloe books Crafty Chloe and Dress-Up Mess-Up and is also the author of the craft book Weekend Sewing.


10. Rebecca Bryan:  https://bryanhousequilts.com/

She also has a youtube channel where she shares tips and techniques:  https://www.youtube.com/rebeccabryan

- most known by the colorful and geometric quilts, author, featured in a ton of magazines. American Patchwork & Quilting, Love Patchwork & Quilting, and ModBlock, etc...  Robert Kaufman released her first fabric line, Panache in 2017 and she has a thread collection with Aurifil






Published books: 

 Modern Triangle Quilts: 70 Graphic Triangle Blocks and Modern Rainbow: 14 Imaginative Quilts That Play with Color













11. Shannon Brinkley is a quilt / fabric designer, author, and national speaker and teacher based in Austin, Tx.  The book Scrappy Bits Applique, where she teaches how to turn scraps of fabric into gorgeous, modern art quilts by collaging a variety of fabrics, vintage and new, with different colors, tones, and patterns to create really interesting and unique textures.

Scrappy Applique is a fun & simple raw-edge appliqué quilting technique developed by Shannon Brinkley

Shannon's Homepage : 




12. Alison Glass:  https://alisonglass.com/

Alison Glass is an artist living in Virginia --designs fabric for Andover and work with other companies in the sewing industry. In addition to designing fabric, Alison produces a line of sewing patterns as well as a growing range of other products.

Here is Alison's 2019 Catalog of fabric and patterns:   https://alisonglass.com/2019-fabric-catalog/#fb0=1


13. Robert Kaufman began business in making menswear but suffered through problems in the depression and changes after WWII to finally focus in the 1980s on the quickly emerging quilting industry. Although a new market for the company, the transition was effective due to the expansion of Kona® Cotton Solids and the unique talents of their very first signature artists Debra Lunn and Michael Mrowka. With the further addition of Jennifer Sampou, Robert Kaufman was catapulted into the quilting mainstream.



14. Ombre fabric fades from light to dark over a length of the fabric, which Laura explains is a change in the color value. The color in an ombre fabric is all the same hue, with shades and tints added. If the color fades lighter it is considered a tint, as white was added to the original fabric hue.  

What is the difference between Ombre and Gradient fabric??“ -gradients are different colors that blend into each other, getting lighter and darker in different places; ombres are colors from THE SAME COLOR FAMILY that go from light to dark in their shades.”


15. Grellow fabric   Grellow, the Newest Color Craze to Hit the Design World.

"Grellow is the design world's newest color craze - but what the heck is Grellow??  a combination using gray with yellow accents, or as its own solid color, Grellow (grey + yellow) is one of the hottest colors (or color combinations) of this year(2011)" Robert Kaufman has a Grellow in their fabric line.


Modern Quilting Techniques and Terminology


16. Modern Traditionalism

-start with traditional but puts in a new way 

a)  Example:  Vintage Modern:  Kelly Clein quilting with Vintage Linen and Lacework:

quote from Kelly:  "Comparison is the Thief of Joy"  --compare to your first piece not everyone else's work

Handy Quilter Live with Kelly Clein:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iargJdf3y1w

-began quilting left over blocks moved to table linens, doilies and hankies.  Uses colourful silks underneath and double batting so finished peices look like Trapunto 

-works exclusively with vintage fabrics.  Check out her site to view the incredible work that she does.  http://www.kellyclinequilting.com/


b)  Example Quilt Shown:  "Swatch Quilt - Transparency " a free pattern from the Modern Quilt Studio--https://www.modernquiltstudio.com/

















c) Colour Study

Another way to make a traditional quilt--modern is with a colour study.

this site shows how a simple traditional quilt block pattern can be made modern with colour choices


The Big Bang Quilt by Mr. Domestic

17. Improv Piecing:

Mathew Boudreaux (AKA Mister Domestic),--  Improv Flower Quilt Block with Mister Domestic--https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bztw-XM4sLA

Mister Domestic did called The Big Bang quilt, all done with improvisational piecing

Here is a video of improv paper piecing as another format to use:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE7H0jEryQs

Improv piecing tutorial: with scraps --  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VS6Xo8HExU

 Easy Improv Quilt Block Tutorial:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRbMjOfldNg

A similar concept to Improv piecing is Crumb Quilting:  Crumb Quilt Tutorial: Learn the Crumb Quilting Technique- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx7iU689AuQ


18. Alternate Grid:  "Alternate grid work is a modern quilting design element that is used frequently by modern quilters. It is often one of the easiest design elements to experiment and explore modern quilt making with. Modern quilters often “break the grid”. Alternate grid work is a tool to help showcase modern quilting design fundamentals such as negative space, no borders, minimalism, asymmetry, modern traditionalism and exaggerated scale."

Source for Alternate Grid Material:   https://themodernquiltguild.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/6885/

-note:  this source has some excellent further reading on Modern Grid Design at the bottom of the article as well as a book list for further reading

Traditional Grid

The Straight Set - columns and rows of repeating blocks

On Point -columns and rows of repeating blocks on a 45 degree angle

Medallion -a central focus feature with design elements bordering outward


Modular Grids are the basis for a vast majority of quilt design


Modern Grid


Traditional grids can be adapted or altered beyond the normal repeating columns and rows.

Increasing negative space

Shifting the on point angle to an atypical degree

Modular Grids can be adapted by not following strict columns and rows--Using scale is a great way to use a modular Grid in an alternate way

Variable Framing uses the modular grid but floats blocks in negative space.  The underlying column and row format is there, but utilizes negative space to make it modern

Offset or Misaligned Grids shift the rows and columns to offset blocks

Paneling does not follow a modular grid structure and disguises any underlying grid.


19. Project 48 Quilts  --"Project 48 is designed to be an epic year long quilt sampler, with four 9” blocks delivered each month in 2016. Each month will focus on a different theme, where Linden will create a traditional style block and Crystal a modern interpretation along with two guest versions. The series will be offered for a small joining fee in 2016 to all those who sign up with their email address. Each week, subscribers will receive an email with the instructions to the block and information on the guest contributors including contact information and many more tips, tricks and extra tid-bits along the way."



Example:  No waste flying geese vs traditional flying geese.  

are you interested??? Here is a tutorial on how to make the No Waste Flying Geese:  http://www.raspberryspool.com/no-waste-flying-geese-tutorial/

Project 48 is a "Quilt Along"  http://www.quiltalong.net "There are so many great sites creating a constant stream of modern day sewing bees across the Internet. Our favorite talented bloggers are sharing their craft online and connecting with other crafters. Let's make it easy to discover new parts of the community through quilt alongs, BOM, link parties & more!"

Some Modern Quilters who have hosted "Quilt Alongs" -Jessica Schunke:  https://www.simplesimonandco.com/2017/04/modern-quilt-along-solid-colors-with-jessica-schunke.html/

Lee A. Heinrich  -  http://freshlypieced.com/blog   

Participation from 100 Days of Modern Quilting--Published: Tuesday, June 5, 2018--https://community.themodernquiltguild.com/resources/participation-100-days-modern-quilting

The above are excellent examples of the types of projects and the incredible number of quilt along groups out there.


20. Finally, our presenters shared a number of Guild activities that can spice up your quilting experience. Below is a list of some of the ideas...I could not keep up with every example.

Lots of ideas for activities for quilters by LMQG:

Example:  Partner Swaps (interview partner about likes, colour etc... and partner makes you quilt top)

Example:  Quilting Pen Pal

Example :  Mini Quilt challenge

Example:  Round Robin quilt exchange:  Round Robin quilts are long-term projects in which each person works on other peoples’ projects during the time of the round robin, passing along a quilt idea, fabric, and a rapidly growing partial quilt top to each participant until the quilt ends back in the original quilter’s possession.

 
 
 

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