Make Modern Issue 50

An email popped into my inbox this morning from Mark Manson, with the quote: “Fear doesn’t control us by dominating our emotions. It controls us by quietly convincing us that our comfort is more important than our happiness.” As I sat with my morning coffee (one of my great comforts), I pondered this thought a while. Personally, this past year has been one of great change and there have certainly been moments of fear and uncertainty. My comfort zone has been pushed and pulled and prodded at as I work through the changes and consider what’s next. Hubby and I have taken the family business to the next level, which has meant an interstate move, and the decision to rent out our house and live more minimalistically in our new…

SUPERSIZE ME This striking quilt is effortlessly simple and would appeal to anyone with minimalistic tastes. The grey and white colour scheme is delightfully cool and neutral, but you could give it a totally different look by switching out the colours to suit your personal style. materials 3 yds of grey fabric (1)2 yds of white fabric (2)½ yd binding fabric4 yds of backing fabric70” x 70” piece of batting Block Size: 31” Finished Quilt Size: 62” x 62” preparation and cutting Tip: Creating labels and attaching them to each set of cuts will make block assembly a breeze. 1. From the grey fabric (1), cut: 10, 4 ½” x WOF strips. Subcut four strips into 16, 4 ½” x 9 ½” rectangles (E). Subcut six strips into 16, 4…

CROSS YOUR HEART Could there be anything better than rainbows? Yep – pair them with a word many crafters can relate to, and you’ve got the perfect mini quilt to decorate your sewing room wall. This quit would also make a great wallhanging for kids – just substitute the word Maker with their name. materials 1 ¾ yd charcoal solid background fabric5” x WOF white fabric (for the text)3” x 12” pieces of fabric in 22 colours for the crosses1 yd backing fabric35” x 35” piece of batting¼ yard binding fabric Finished Quilt Size: 28” x 28” fabric note: Kristy used a mix of her fabric collections for Riley Blake Designs on a Confetti Cottons Licorice background. preparation and cutting 1. Print or trace one copy of the ‘maker’ templates…

English paper piecing, or EPP as it’s commonly referred to, is the art of using paper templates to stabilise fabric shapes while sewing them together to create a quilt block. This block can then be sewn to other EPP blocks to create a mosaic of fabric to make a quilt or appliqued onto background fabric for a myriad of projects. English paper piecing is very popular amongst quilters because it’s perfectly portable! Whether it’s on the sofa while watching your favourite shows, on the train to work, or even while travelling around the world, EPP is a handy dandy quilting technique to have up our sleeves. GETTING INTO SHAPE To be able to English paper piece, we need to have the pieces! These are typically a lightweight cardstock or sturdy…

TONING IT DOWN This delightfully understated quilt pattern was inspired by the unpretentious little white-grey Edelweiß flower which grows in the remote mountain areas of the high Alpine region as well as the shapes and colours of the intricate marble floorings found in old churches in Anke’s region of Germany. materials 1 ½ yds of beige solid fabrics (1) (Ivory)1 ¾ yds of taupe solid fabric (2) (Shitake)3 ¼ yds of off-white solid fabric (background) (Snow)5 yds backing fabric⅔ yd binding fabric70” x 90” piece of batting Quilt Size: 60” x 80” fabric note: Anke made her quilt using three shades of Kona Cotton for Robert Kaufman, Snow, Ivory, and Shitake. You could use low volume prints as well, but this works best if the background of each print also…

If you follow me on social media, you will have seen that I’m inviting you to develop a quilt design practice this year. I had such a good time designing to a brief in this column last year with my Tall Poppy quilt, that I thought you might like to join in. In the middle of each month, I’ll publish a new design brief on my blog. The brief is there as a prompt, a set of constraints or rules to work within. To read about the challenge in more detail, check out the original post here. Having a challenge to work to is a helpful way to get started, and for those who are already established, it can be a way to develop a more regular habit. Someone with…