Modern Quilts from Traditional Blocks

I've had some fun over the past couple of weeks lecturing for some of our local guilds about making modern quilts with traditional designs. It's been dubbed "modern traditionalism" and fits my style to a "T". I thought I'd share a few of the quilts from Simply Modern Christmas that are truly designed around a traditional block.

First up is "Peppermint Float". If you're a local you may remember this pattern that I did several years ago for one of our shops. It was back in the day when brown and blue were the go-to colors and my original was called "Root Beer Float".

A few years later I moved to brighter colors and a more modern aesthetic, and it became "Peppermint". The block is a Sawtooth Star - a little one and a big one that looks like it's sitting on top of it's border. Really, pretty easy to piece. The fabric is a beautiful Christmas line by Heather Mulder Peterson that is somehow both traditional and modern at the same time.

That traditional Sawtooth Star block has been a favorite of mine forever and I love combining it with an alternate block. "Funky Christmas" is a good example! I just love the bright aqua in this quilt {then again I have an affinity for aqua}.

And yup! The same Sawtooth Star is found in "Spruced Up". This simple design is another that showcases the gorgeous fabrics we have to work with. I love the modern asymmetry created by the Christmas tree, but you really could leave that off and have a wonderful, simple quilt for any occasion.

Here's my original in an older Christmas line by Basic Grey.

Did you know the Sawtooth Star dates back to 1884? I love how we're using these old blocks in new ways. Our ancestors would be very proud and probably amazed!

Don't forget to add anything you make from Simply Modern Christmas to the flickr group here.

Saturday I'll be at Janie Lou in St Louis from 1-3 for a trunk show and book signing. In fact the trunk show is already up in the shop. Hope you can stop by and chat!

Have you seen the ad in Quilt Sampler magazine? You can get a $10 rebate on any Martingale/That Patchwork Place book purchased from a quilt shop. You need the coupon in the ad and a receipt. What a deal!