June 25, 2018

Island Batik June Challenge {Modern Batik Challenge}

The products featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik.




One of my favorite things about being an Island Batik Ambassador is the challenge each month to try something new and step outside my comfort zone. That being said, I was pretty excited to see that July's challenge was to make a modern quilt that is crib size or larger. I can do modern! I've been a member of the Omaha Modern Quilt Guild since it started in August 2012,and my guild joined under The Modern Quilt Guild four years ago. I am well-versed on the characteristics of modern quilts:
  • the use of bold colors and prints
  • high contrast and graphic areas of solid color
  • improvisational piecing
  • minimalism
  • expansive negative space
  • alternate grid work
I started by choosing my fabrics. This was the first month we could share the "surprise" bundles we had received that debuted at Spring Quilt Market. I received the Spirit Rhythm collection. These are not fabrics I would have chosen on my own, but I'm growing to love the deep, rich colors. I selected five blue/green fabrics to use, and I used every last bit of the 3 yards of neutral fabric I had been sent.
I think my fabric choices definitely meet the modern characteristic of bold colors and prints.

I wanted to try a variation of my HST Building Blocks quilt, so I used my AccuQuilt Go! and the 6-inch half-square triangle, 6-inch quarter-square triangle die, and 3-inch half-square triangle die from the 12-inch Qube.

Finished quilt measures 36" x 48".


While most of my quilts aren't completely improv, I do enjoy putting blocks together randomly without overthinking it. (I like to call my process quilting with a plan, not a pattern.) I made 6-inch blocks with at least half of most blocks being the neutral background color to achieve the modern characteristic of negative space. I rarely lay my blocks out to decide on a layout. I just start by sewing two blocks together then sets of two into four patch blocks, and the quilt just seems to grow on its own. It's not a true improvisational piecing but more improv with intent...still modern in my book!


I'm fortunate Country Sampler, one of my local quilt shops, carries a great supply of Island Batik fabrics. I was able to find the perfect backing and binding for my quilt.

In May, one of the Omaha Modern Quilt Guild members gave a wonderful presentation on the importance of taking pictures of our quilts. I've been taking a little extra time to have photo documentation of everything I make. Here are a few of my "artistic" photos...

I haven't quite mastered the "quilt swirl."

Ready for a picnic!

Personalized quilt label made on Spoonflower.

I'm pretty proud of my flowers this year.


Do you have a go-to baby quilt or other handmade baby gift that you like to make? Thanks for stopping by!

2 comments:

  1. I love the color combination you chose for this quilt, my favorite! Randomly placed HSTs look so good together, and make a great modern quilt.

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  2. The color combination is perfect! It is a nice mix of calm and movement - the color and the triangles. I love your approach to a plan, but not a pattern. I also love that you printed your labels at spoonflower....great idea.

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