Making It Modern, Quilt That Is!

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Have you tried to make a modern quilt? Well this was my first time making a modern quilt and I had a lot of fun doing it. It is fun and freeing because the quilt does not have to have symmetry and improv piecing is welcome. Using negative space with height contrasting areas can create a striking quilt that is unique and fun to design.

This month's challenge, I had the pleasure of using Island Batik's Farm Fresh Fabric line designed by Kathy Engle. This line had images of corn, pumpkins, grapes, wheat, trees and moons. The fabrics are beautiful. At first, I was challenged to figure out how I was going to put these fabrics in a modern quilt as they are somewhat more traditional prints. Well, bring on the challenge! I decided to use circles with asymmetrical lines and negative space. Once I had those design elements decided on, I knew appliqué circles would be the way to go. I learned about Applipops which is a company that makes a notion to make perfect circles without raw edges. This tool has many different size circles and allow your creativity to run wild. The Applipops tool paired with these vibrant batiks was the perfect solution to making the quilt I had envisioned.

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The Applipops circle tool comes in a variety of sizes. Eight different sizes in all are available and they offer a pro pack of all of them so that you can make several at once. The tool is easy to use and a great addition to your sewing supplies. I have included a video and step by step pictures to demonstrate the ease of use of this tool. Instructions are provided with the Applipops and they include how to make a starch solution to make your circles nice and crisp. They are offering a sale for Mother's Day so what a perfect time to pick some up for your next quilt.

Making this project was fun and because there were no rules, I played with an abstract design that included some black lines and negative space in gray. The black lines and strips of color were pieced with the grey fabric and the circles were appliquéd on top. I made over two hundred circles and used one hundred and thirty circles on the quilt.

Look at all the variety of sizes that can be made with Applipops. They are so cute and fun to use!

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I used Hobb's Poly-down batting and quilted with 28 weight Aurifil thread to make a pebble design among the circles and a flowing lines throughout the negative space. The 28 weight thread really gives the quilting a pop. I used 4 different colors (green, yellow, orange and pink) on the quilt to match the circles.

This was a great project that allowed me to try something new. The fabric, batting and the Applipops were all given to me and were sponsored by Island Batik Fabric, Applipops and Hobb's Batting.

Enter Your Chance To Win!

This week Island Batik Fabrics is sponsoring a Giveaway. They will be giving away a precut cake layer pack and a strip pack.

Sign up here for a chance to win:

Island Batik Blog Hop Giveaway Week 1

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Update: tacdah is the winner of my blog giveaway! Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments and my next giveaway will be in August.

Comment on this blog and get another chance to win a prize

What type of sewing do you like to do?

Answer this question to be entered for a chance to win two Fat Quarters from Island Batik's new Farm Fresh line, two Stash Builders fabric rolls and two sewing patterns.

The winner will be announced Monday May 10th.

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Lastly, you have one more opportunity to win a prize! On Tuesday, May 4th these two prize packs will be posted on my instagram feed: briannaroberts71. The winners will be announced Monday, May 4th.

Two prizes will be awarded.

1st Prize: 40 piece charm pack of Farm Fresh Fabrics, 1 - Scrap builder roll, Two sewing patterns and an Applipop Pro Pack.

2nd Prize: 20 piece charm pack of Farm Fresh Fabrics and 1 sewing pattern

What do you need to do to get a chance to win? Go to instagram and follow the directions below. Good luck!

1. Like the post showing these prizes.

2. Follow Me: briannaroberts71

3. Follow: applipops

4. Follow: island_batik

Thanks for checking out my blog today. This month all the Island Batik Ambassadors will be posting their blogs about modern quilting. Here are there links for further information:

Megan Best ~ Best Quilter Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts Elizabeth DeCroos ~ Epida Studio Jennifer Eubank ~ Archipelago Quilting Jennifer Fulton ~ The Inquiring Quilter

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts Joanne Hart ~ Unicorn Harts Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania For Quilts Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood Denise Looney ~ For The Love Of Geese Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights Sally Manke ~ Sally Manke, Fiber Artist Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia Gail Renna ~ Quilt Haven Threads Brianna Roberts ~ Sew Cute and Quirky Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail

Andi Stanfield ~ True Blue Quilts Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt Janet Yamamoto ~ Whispers of Yore