Issue Three New Year’s Resolutions
that you’ll actually keep!
Get into shape….
14 QAYG
pixels, geese, HSTs
with Jera Brandvig
and more!
Meet Kate make
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14 inspiring
Spain 1
projects issue two
contents projects
make
subdivision
space invaders
Kathy Thorncraft
Sarah Boyle
rainbow cross
there’s a square in there
Sandi Sawa Hazlewood
Erin McPartland
not so contrary wife
wonky dresden
Kelly Gleeson
Louise Orth
shards
shooting stars
Alyce Blyth
Kristy Lea
coasting along
centre of the universe
Jera Brandvig
Angie Wilson
timeline
aurora part three
Jane Kelly
Alyce Blythe
bricks and stones
library bags
Jessica Vetor
Brooke
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issue two regular pages
features terra australis
from the editor
jera brandvig
meet the makers
new year’s resolutions
maths and methods
gaining a competitive edge
domestic quilting goddess
kate spain
ask the makers
charm along
library
quilt market trends
next issue
angie wilson chronic quilting general project directions
Please read all instructions before starting a project. Recommended fabrics are 100% cotton, quilting quality. Requirements are based on 44” wide. All directions assume the use of a ¼” seam. General sewing supplies of sewing machine, threads, rotary cutter, mat, rulers, scissors etc are assumed and are not listed. Other specific tools required will be listed. We have more detailed directions for various techniques, in the General Techniques resource section on our website: makemodern.com.au
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meet the makers
Anne Beier
Alyce Blyth
Sarah Boyle
Jera Brandvig
@hudsonvalleyquilts
@blossomheartquilts
@bluebirdcreates
@quiltingintherain
Blog
blog
blog
blog
Kelly Gleeson Melissa Gottliebsen blog
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Jane Kelly
Kristy Lea
@msmidge
@wherejanecreates
@quietplay
blog
blog
blog
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meet the makers
Erin McPartland
Lou Orth
@onceuponadonkey
@imstudiolou
blog
blog
Sandi Sawa Hazlewood
S-J Rice blog
@craftyplanner blog
Kathy Thorncraft
make
Jessica Vetor
Angie Wilson
@iamacraftykat
@jessicaquilter
@gnomeangel
blog
blog
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practicalities
new year’s
resolutions
for quilters
ut in the real world, some of the most commonly broken New Year’s resolutions include losing weight and saving money. In the quilting world, we have a few of our own that seem to get broken before you know it – like finishing all the UFOs and WIPs, or not buying any fabric.
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Just like in other areas of your life, it’s the most extreme resolutions that slip away the fastest. That’s why we’ve thought long and hard to come up with some resolutions that’ll make you grow as a quilter and stretch your creative muscle, while being easier to actually keep.
1. Only buy fabric you love. This mantra isn’t as strict as a full-on fabric diet, but it does keep you in check. Rather than buying things just because they’re on sale, you’re visiting a new shop, or it’s the line everyone is talking about, instead . Really really love. Treat your stash as a carefully buy fabric you curated collection that reflects your impeccable tastes. The upsides: your stash will fill up with absolute favourites, and you will buy less. There are no downsides.
2. Learn something new. Before you make this resolution, you need to be specific. Do you want to try English paper piecing? Screenprinting? Hand appliqué? Art quilting? Think about one thing you’ve always wanted to try ‘one day’ and make this the year you’ll be doing it. Then make a plan – from gathering materials to finding how-to-guides to setting a start date. Then do it.
3. Finish some WIPs Some people love to start and finish projects in a linear fashion. The rest of us ebb and flow, moving from one project to the next, sometimes leaving a trail of WIPs in our wake. While we are not saying you shouldn’t have any WIPs, remember that too many can be overwhelming. If your WIPs are out of control, then make a plan to finish some, without being too strict about it. Let yourself start new things in between, but make it a goal to at least reduce your UFO count.
4. Keep a design book Resolve to design more. Whether or not you consider yourself a quilt designer or not, you will stretch your creative muscle if you start looking around you for quilty inspiration. It’s everywhere, from clothing to nature to man-made objects. Sketch your ideas, and before you know it you’ll be coming up with original creations.
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vintage 2 modern
not
so contrary wife
by Kelly Gleeson designed by Jane Kelly and Kristy Lea
f you were alive in the ‘70s or ‘80s, you no doubt remember the bright, over-the-top bed sheets that were so popular at the time. Whether your parents were the stylish type who had brown paisley sheets, or you slept under Holly Hobbie every night as a little girl, vintage sheets bring back memories of a simpler time.
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Many people love to collect vintage sheets at op shops, so much so that they’re becoming much harder to find. But the other down-side of using real vintage sheets in your sewing projects is that the fabric quality isn’t always consistent and sometimes the sheets are quite worn. That’s why we were so excited when designer Emma Jean Jansen created her newest collection, . These are the patterns we all remember, in vibrant hues and crisp cotton. They’re perfect in this quilt – the classic block, Contrary Wife, in a large scale shows off the fabric and brings back fond memories.
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pre-cut perfect
bricks and
stones
by Jessica Vetor
f you’ve ever wondered what to do with those adorable mini-charm packs you can’t resist when you stop by your local quilt shop – here’s the answer. This super-cute mini quilt uses mini charms for maximum impact.
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meet the maker
angie wilson gnome angel
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ometimes, it’s the older women in our families who set us on our quilty paths, with mothers, grandmothers and aunts being a constant source of inspiration. For Angie Wilson, her grandmother’s gift of a sewing machine set her on a path that would define her life. “I had a bit of a rocky start to quilting. I flunked sewing in Home Economics when I was in High School so my love of sewing really didn’t exist until 2010 when my Nana sent me her sewing machine that she no longer wanted,” Angie tells. “I have no idea why she sent it to me, but it’s one of the best things anyone has ever done for me.” With a sewing machine in her possession, Angie headed to her local quilt shop to buy fabric for a new bag, and you know what happens next…. “While I was there I saw quilts hanging and decided I’d like to give it a go. I purchased a really simple quilt pattern and fabrics that I liked and went home and made a quilt top.” Angie had this first quilt long-armed and gifted it to her mother, then signed up to a class at a local shop. “My sewing skills were non-existent and the class teacher really didn’t know what to do with me and so after advising me that quilting might not be for me I stopped the class.” Thankfully, Nana came to the rescue again and before Angie could quit quilting, she asked for a quilt. “How could I deny the woman who’d given me my machine? So I made another quilt top and took it back to the longarmer who advised that I should probably take a beginners quilt class if I was going to keep making quilts. She recommended a class she thought would be better for me.” Fortunately, this class experience was much better. “I took a beginners class where the teacher was patient and knew how to deal with my heavy handed clumsy sewing and over exuberance and she really showed me that if I stuck with it I could make quilts.”
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pixel this
space invaders by Sarah Boyle
ack in a time before computer generated graphics looked like actual movies, we had legends like to keep us occupied for hours. Sarah pays homage to gaming history with this clever pixel quilt.
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a good foundation
shooting stars by Kristy Lea
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ur resident paper-piecing addict is at it again, with this divine variation on the classic star theme. In bright colours and with delightful fussy cut prints, this quilt would make any little girl very happy.
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designer profile
kate spain ere’s a funny story. When Kate Spain agreed to an interview with us, I was rather giddy with excitement. So much so that I kept telling my husband about it, over and over again. And it turns out, there are many ways you can emphasise the two syllables in Kate’s name to make it sound different. Eventually, he turned to me and said, “It doesn’t matter how many different ways you say it, I still don’t know what you’re talking about.” But in his defence, his opinion on my fabric collection is that there is too much of it, so he might be the one who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
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Kate Spain needs no such introduction to quilters. She is a favourite designer of many quilters, and her prints hold great appeal for both modern and traditional quilters alike. Her use of bold colour and her beautiful prints make her fabrics a great addition to any stash. Whether you like to make quilts from single ranges, or let your whole stash play together, Kate’s fabrics work equally well. She’s been designing for Moda since 2009, when the range of fresh, modern fabrics was a much more limited selection, so it’s little surprise that many makers embraced her fabrics when she first came along. Kate had 15 years of experience in design before getting into fabric design. “I studied graphic design at Rhode Island School of Design and graduated from there in 1993. After college, I worked at Simon & Schuster Publishing designing and art directing children's books. From there, I worked on designing Hello Kitty products for a children's accessory company in NYC. This is where I learned how to create patterns in repeat, and became somewhat obsessed with the process!” she explains. From there, a chance conversation with a quilting relative led to her signing to design for Moda. Kate explains: “In 2008, after exhibiting at a surface/textiles trade show in New York City, I launched my first web site. One of my quilting-addicted relatives saw it and thought some of the designs would be perfect for quilting fabrics. She told me I ‘should try to work with Moda’. I chuckle now to think about the fact that I had no idea who Moda was! But I took a shot-in-the-dark and my (then) agent sent a pile of patterns to Cheryl Freydberg, the design director at Moda Fabrics. It wasn't until a couple months later that I got the wonderful news and we began working together! I feel so incredibly grateful to be working with such an amazing company.”
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ask the makers
quilty resolutions ach issue, we ask our contributors a very important question about some aspect of quilting. Regardless of how long we’ve been quilting and sewing, there is always something to learn or a tip to make or do something slightly differently. So this issue we asked our makers to share their quilty New Year’s resolutions. We’re sure some of these may resonate with you!
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Jane of Where Jane Creates & MM Editor “This year, I need to master improv curved piecing – it’s something I’ve never quite got around to and I need to do it to finish a WIP I’ve had languishing for far too long. Also, it’ll add more versatility to my improv skill set, and that’s always a good thing.”
Kristy of Quiet Play & MM Creative Director “Once I was a monogamist quilter but not anymore. So I’d like to tackle my WiP pile and get back to just one or two projects at a time. Stop laughing, Jane.”
Lara, MM Business Manager “My resolution for 2015 is to make all of the handmade baby things that I have planned (before bub is born), finish at least 3 of my WIPs and make the promised quilts for some special little people in my life. However, above all, I pledge to stop feeling the quilty-guilts when I take time out to spend with family instead of tackling my lost list of WIPs.”
Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts “Next year, I will make quilts purely for the reason of expressing our life as it is now. Modern art quilting, if you will!”
Angie of Gnome Angel “My 2015 is going to be all about accuracy, technique and colour (and most likely chocolate - lots of chocolate!). I’ve always wanted to make a Hawaiian quilt and I’m determined to make 2015 the year I actually do it (well, at least start it so I can add it to my WIP pile).”
Jera of Quilting in the Rain “My quilty New Years resolution is to get my crafting space organized.”
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Sandi of Crafty Planner “My New Year's resolutions list is long! I would like to learn and/or become more technically proficient in a sewing skill. To accomplish this goal, I have a list of skills (e.g. zipper insertion, curves, applique, etc) and will challenge myself to spend one month on that sewing skill. My efforts will be chronicled on my blog.”
Erin of Once Upon a Donkey “My quilty New Year’s resolution is to finish my donkey quilt!”
Sarah of Bluebird Creates “My quilty New Years resolution is use more of my stash and finish off some UFO’s!!! I’d also like to take a machine quilting class one day.”
Jessica of Jessica Quilter "My quilting New Year's resolutions would be to finally cut into some of the fabric collections I have been hoarding! I am making 2015 my "Put It To Use" year!”
Melissa of Ms Midge “My New Year's Resolution quilty wise is to take more time. Take more time before purchasing fabric, before starting a quilt and whilst making a quilt! Often I make hasty decisions, I want to slow down!”
Kathy of I Am Crafty Kat “2015 is going to be the year of the curve for me! I am determined overcome my fear of curves and do a circle quilt using the piec-lique method from Sharon Schamber.”
Lou of I’m Studio Lou “I'd love to finally try some free motion quilting. I love the creativity you see in free motion designs. I've got the foot for my machine, I just need to take the plunge and give it a go!”
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