Modern Patchwork: 12 Quilts to Take You Beyond the Basics

by Elizabeth Hartman

Ready for the next level of creative patchwork? Expand your skills with new designs and techniques from the best-selling author of The Practical Guide to Patchwork, Elizabeth Hartman. She s back with brand new quilts bring her innovative style into your home. Projects are bold, bright, graphic, and designed to give modern quilters new challenges. Learn new skills like curved seam piecing and create your best modern quilt yet. Each project shows additional colorways have fun with all your favorite fabrics. Make your next modern quilt even more sophisticated and beautiful; something you will use and cherish for years to come.

Genres: Quilting, Crafts, Nonfiction, Sewing, Reference

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you have read The Practical Guide to Patchwork: New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker, 12 Quilt Projects Elizabeth Hartman's first book, you will have all the basics you need to begin quilting and to progress to an intermediate level. Once you feel you are at an intermediate level, than I would strongly encourage you to check out Modern Patchwork: 12 Quilts to Take You Beyond the Basics. The title could not be more accurate for this book, it will take you beyond the basics.

One of the most important things about Elizabeth's books (and the key thing that sets her apart from others) is that with each pattern she includes a design for the quilt backing. If you have spent anytime reading beginner quilting books you will see that most often the patterns only include directions from the quilt top, leaving you with no clue what to do on the back. Even now, as an intermediate quilter, I am sometimes stumped on what to do on the backs of my quilts. Also with each pattern, she includes alternate ideas for fabric options, which can really help you step out and make the quilt your own.

The 12 Projects in this book all use different techniques so you will learn a ton! I love this book and can't wait to make all of the projects. You can read my full review with photos of project at my blog Pile O' Fabric

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a library book that I will renew as many times as possible because there is at least one pattern, Roller Rink, that I want to make. It's a simple strip piecing pattern with the colors reversed on every other block creating a great sense of movement.

For each quilt the author offers two alternative color schemes.

Hartman also makes a coordinated, pieced quilt backing for each quilt.

Compared to many other modern quilt books, this book has more of a variety of patterns: simple strip piecing that looks complex, diamonds, schoolhouse blocks, oval applique and more.

[Cheya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love so many of Elizabeth Hartman's quilts. One day while browsing the internet I saw a quilt that I really liked and when I tracked it down I discovered it came from this book. It's a lap quilt titled Neighborhood. It features fuzzy-cut birds in birdhouses. So cute! I thought it would be great in my living room because I could use some of the plum color I want to use as an accent color.

I picked out a few other patterns from the book that I would like to make either as a quilt or pillow cover. I like Metropolis, Roller Rink, and Xylophone and/or Escape Artist for a throw pillow.

I really liked that Hartman included instructions for each quilt back that was pieced. The backs are every bit as fun as the fronts. Another nice feature of this book is that she shows alternate color schemes for each quilt.

As much as I love all the traditional quilt patterns (and I do love them), I also really like modern quilts.

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only quilt I liked was the birdhouse quilt, and I really liked it- the fabric, the construction, the colors. I like that there is a template for the roof line, but I wouldn't be afraid to improvise it and make each one different!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such clean lines and inspiring use of colors and patterns. Great instructions and challenging projects.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

a range of different modern styles and ways to adjust the patterns - with step by step instructions and ideas on possible color patterns.

[Pinar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elizabeth Hartman'ın ilk kitabı, başlangıç için kolay 12 modern kırkyama örneği var. Yazarın gelişimini görmek açısından enteresan oldu benim için.

[KellyS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Hartman was the one who started my quilting obsession. I came across her blog over three years ago and I have been faithfully following it ever since. I loved her first book, A Practical Guide to Patchwork, and was anxiously awaiting the release of her second, Modern Patchwork. It was definitely worth the wait! Modern Patchwork picks up where The Practical Guide leaves off, giving the reader more advanced piecing and quilting techniques. If you are just beginning to sew, I recommend starting with the Practical Guide to Patchwork, but Elizabeth's straight-forward directions are easy for the beginner to understand also. What I love the most about Modern Patchwork is the gorgeous pictures, the alternate quilt ideas, the pictures and directions for the quilt back, and the numerous diagrams to help piece together blocks. I only wish that the pull-out patterns in the back could somehow be incorporated into the book, but that is the only tiny issue I have with this quilt book.I did find out that you can buy "Peel & Stick Add-On Filing Pockets" to store the patterns in once they are removed from the book, I definitely recommend that! This book is geared toward the confident-beginner quilter, and a must in any modern quilter's library!

[Amorette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent sequel to Ms. Hartman's first book, The Practical Guide to Patchwork. It has many of the same elements for layout and projects- some easier, simple piecing progressing to more challenging work and different skill sets. Luckily for us, she also kept the alternate fabric suggestions at the end of each project along with example photos. This little touch really makes the difference for me; I love to see what else can be done, because often the first time I see a pattern I don't like it, but love it in different fabrics. These alternates are a stroke of genius. The other genius bit is instructions for completing the back, in case you don't want just a whole piece plain-jane backing. Plenty of the backs would make a great quilt on their own! I found at least 5 projects in here I would love to do immediately, and several more I put on my longer term to-do list.

[Lorri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have struggled to understand the excitement about the modern quilt movement. When I opened this book, I begin to see how I could grow to like the patterns and adapt them to the fabrics that appeal to me. Hartman's patterns are striking and a bit challenging and I loved her descriptions of why she chose the fabric she did. Each pattern has directions for a related backing - in many cases I'd be hard pressed to say which I liked more.

Yes, I will be heading to my bookstore to buy my own copy.

[Dree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern quilts with some clever construction. I took a class summer 2012 with Elizabeth, featuring 2 of these Quilts: Owl Eyes and Looptastic. She is a great teacher--knowledgeable, kind, flexible, and generous.

[Mary Rohrbeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

there are 12 several quilt ideas presented in this book. I liked several but would probably actually only make a couple of them due to the fact that some were just too technically challenging to be fun and visually not worth the effort.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book to go beyond Hartman's first book, with more designs for inspiration. It's really Hartman's writing style (clear, even, and engaging) that make her books stand out among the quickly growing modern quilting movement.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may never make any of the quilts in this book (although I want to) but I sure enjoyed looking at them!

[Jocelynne Broderick]

Love love love! Great projects!

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

746.46 Ha

pg 23 interesting use of scraps

pg 25 bell pull pattern

pg 41 modern birdhouse pattern

pg 71 ovoid pattern I like

pg 135 machine top stitching ideas for Ann's quilt

[Seana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too many curves and tiny pieces, would try my patience.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost all ideas in this book are worth using. Excellent use of colors.

[Kristel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very nice book with a few patterns I hope someday to get around to making.