Modern Quilting is a contemporary approach to quilting that emerged in the early 2000s; with new austere design styles. It uses modern aesthetics, inspired by current trends and is characterized by minimalistic designs, monochromatic colour palettes and sleek, clean lines.
The International Modern Quilt Guild describes modern quilts as:
“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 Modern Style has led to an increasing use of Solid Fabrics, Bold Colours and Contemporary ranges and prints. The simplistic design of the quilts feature high contrasts and graphic areas of solid colour, improvisational piecing, bigger and uncomplicated blocks, minimalism, maximalism, expansive areas of negative space, and alternate grid work, with the focus being on the actual quilting detail and definition.
Modern Quilts tell stories, break the rules, and make a statement. If there is one rule in modern quilting, it is that there are no real rules!
Here are some key characteristics and aspects of modern quilting:
Key Characteristics:
- Bold Colours and Prints: Modern quilts often feature bright, vibrant colours and graphic prints. Solid fabrics are frequently used alongside bold patterns.
- Asymmetrical Designs: Unlike conventional and traditional quilts, which follow symmetrical patterns and blocks, modern quilts tend to embrace asymmetry, allowing for more creative freedom in design.
- The Mod Shapes: Mod Quilts utilize big Geometrical Shapes, with lots more circles. After squares, triangles are easily the most used geometric shapes in patchwork quilts. More specifically, it is the right angle triangle and the half-square triangle. Curved piecing adds a unique dimension to your quilt designs, allowing you to create beautiful arcs and circles. Combine these with squares and triangles.
- Minimalism: Modern quilters adopt a minimalist approach, focusing on fewer elements and clean lines to create striking visual impact.
- Improv Techniques: Modern quilting often includes improvisational piecing, where quilters create without a strict pattern, allowing for spontaneity and personal expression.
- Use of Negative Space: Modern quilters often incorporate significant amounts of negative space (the empty areas around patches) into their designs, which can highlight the quilt’s patterns and shapes.
- Innovative Piecing Techniques: Modern quilting embraces new techniques, such as paper piecing, free-motion quilting, and quilt-as-you-go methods, allowing for more experimentation.
- Quilting Techniques: Much more detailed and simplistic finishes. Computerised programs, Improved sewing, quilting machines and accessories, rulers etc. have facilitated a revolution in the quilting process and appearance of the actual quilting on the finished quilts.
- Quilting Designs: In vogue are lines, lots of lines, parallel lines, straight lines, diamonds. Pantographs are surrounded by lines and free motion quilting.
- Community and Collaboration: The modern quilting movement is characterized by a strong sense of community, often facilitated through social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram and quilting blogs, where quilters share their work, ideas, and support.
In Summary:
Modern quilting has transformed the quilting landscape by encouraging creativity, individuality, and community, with modern guilds and conventions emerging worldwide. It is attracting a younger age group to Quilting. It continues to evolve, becoming more sophisticated as quilters push the boundaries of traditional techniques and styles, making it an exciting and dynamic craft. Whether you’re a seasoned quilter or a beginner, there’s a place for you in the modern quilting world! Try “modernizing” old favourites with new fabrics and designs.
Quilting trends for 2025 include solids, bold prints, light and bright colours that beautify projects and accentuate their quilting designs. South African Quilters are embracing the contemporary styles and modern design elements. They are emerging on the world modern quilting scene, embracing a mindset of exploration, experimentation, a willingness to think outside the box, to change, and to evolve.
The Quilt Worx Studio aims to grow this community with downloadable mod patterns on our Inspiration page and the best fabrics and notions. It’s a good thing we’re fully stocked with the boldest and brightest colours and prints and delicious precuts, with new fabric ranges arriving constantly. As for Solids, well that’s our Specialty. 100 Kona Solids to be specific. We love hearing the “WOW” when you come in to the shop, or receive your online order, it tells us we have our finger on the pulse of modern quilting. Sew Stylish! Sew Simple!
Note: The Pivot Quilt. The feature picture of this article is a Simply Stunning Geometric quilt made from Solids. It is the Pivot Quilt, designed by Modern Handcraft. The Pivot Quilt is the fifth quilt in a solid series, with the designs focused on solid fabrics and negative spaces. For our interested Quilties, here is the pattern link: https://modernhandcraft.com/blogs/news/pivot-quilt-polk-version.
Quilting with Tas
