Modern Minimal: 20 Bold & Graphic Quilts

by Alissa Haight Carlton

Quilts get super sleek and ultra modern with these gorgeously graphic designs by Alissa Haight Carlton, co-founder of The Modern Quilt Guild. Each of the 20 projects uses lots of open space to show off the simplicity of the quilting. Designs are perfect for all your solid fabrics—accent with your favorite prints! Try straight, strip, or improvisational piecing using strips, squares, and rectangles. These beginner-friendly quilt projects work well with any décor, in any room, for everyone in your family!

Genres: Quilting, Crafts, Sewing, Nonfiction, Reference, How To

144 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2012

Reviews

[Jocelynne Broderick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful quilts but they lack personality, in my opinion. There's something to be said for prints as opposed to almost all solids.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really great book for an introduction to minimalism in quilting.
One of my kids, not a quilter but very in to home design elements and how things look also loved this book--if you are looking for how to successfully think about negative space, this is a really good place to start.
I got it out of my local library at first, but liked it so much that I bought a used copy off a used book site for a very modest cost.

[Donald Schopflocher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book for beginning quilters emphasizing easy graphic designs made with a small number of solid colours and large pieces. Nice to see free-motion quilting suggestions becoming part of modern quilt books. Just a picture book if you are an experienced quilter though.

[Katherine t. Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many good ideas

A good variety of straightforward designs that can be used for quilt fronts and backs. I can see double sided quilts that will take a reasonable amount of time if you are considering making gifts.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely written with very clear instructions and diagrams, including good suggestions for quilting.

[D Andrew Terrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay.

The book had some interesting tips and a few patterns I might try. Overall, not one I will need in print.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a bit hard to rate this book because while the quilts are beautiful, they are not at all my style. They are very modern looking. And this is the first time I've heard the phrase "improv piecing" but I'm pretty sure it's not my thing. I am a believer that corners don't have to match exactly and other loose ideas that would have many quilters gasping in horror, but I still like more traditional patchwork. I also like symmetry, and a lot of these patterns are asymmetrical. That being said, there are some nice projects here and I can see quilters with different preferences having a ball with these ideas. I particularly liked the color palate of the quilt "Mosaic" on page 68.

Usually I like the little blurbs at the beginning of quilt pattern, but to be honest, most of these blurbs turned me off. Not really sure that I can put my finger on why. It did really bother me that in the baby quilt section the quilts were either blue (with the suggest to make for a boy) or pink (blurb telling you how much baby girl will love it). Come on! Can't we get past 1)only those colors for babies and 2)gender typing colors starting the day babies are born?

[Jkrontirislitowitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the fresh approach that the modern quilts bring to quilting so this book interested me. I found that about half of the quilts had ides pas that I wanted to absorb. My favorite pages were:

P. 57 oddballs quilt, Especially the wavy quilting ideas
P. 157, 158, 160 Cobblestone quilt pattern and assembly
P. 257 Don't fence me in patternw

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

746.46 Ca

LOVE pg. 99 Six concentric rectangles in red from light in center
to dark on the outer edge.

pg. 127 Possible baby. Another variation for cashmere.


pg. 18 Interesting bars possibly for solid wool afghan.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some nice eye candy. Now to decide how to be inspired without copying. I appreciated the suggestions for quilting design--two for each pattern. There didn't happen to be any techniques explained that I needed to learn, but that is not the author's fault.

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having just worked on three small improvisational pieces, I liked the author's notes about improvisational piecing. The monochrome quilt in shades of red is stunning. Otherwise, these quilts seemed to lack the graphic impact I expect of modern quilts. Sometimes less is less...

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had ideas about quilts with big patterns and usually solid colors. It was as if there was only one block on an entire large quilt. Beautiful visual displays. Also beautiful color combinations. Baby quilts were shown with pastels; bright colors would be better for those little humans.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love sewing with solids and quilting and so was excited to see this book. I don't know that I'll actually make any of these quilts but I enjoyed looking at them!

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

mehhhhh.... nice to look through, but there wasn't a ton in here that i really want to make, ever. strip quilts and improv piecing aren't really my bag!

[Mary Rohrbeck]

Easy, fast modern quilts. Excellent samples of how to quilt a modern quilt.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful quilts, great illustrations, clear directions...a fresh take on quilting

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book...very inspiring!