Mid Century Modern Quilt Patterns or Book
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Springfield, IL
Posts: 226
Mid Century Modern Quilt Patterns or Book
Hi Quilting Friends,
Our daughter LOVES mid century modern which to me means shapes and lines and maybe even flowers. When I google many different names for mid century modern quilt patterns all I get are big companies selling duvet covers and bedspreads. I would like to make her a quilt and need a pattern or pattern book. Any suggestions of where I can look? I have tried eBay, quilt museums, book stores and libraries. I am betting that I am using the wrong search words. Thanks for your suggestions.
Our daughter LOVES mid century modern which to me means shapes and lines and maybe even flowers. When I google many different names for mid century modern quilt patterns all I get are big companies selling duvet covers and bedspreads. I would like to make her a quilt and need a pattern or pattern book. Any suggestions of where I can look? I have tried eBay, quilt museums, book stores and libraries. I am betting that I am using the wrong search words. Thanks for your suggestions.
#2
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 9,559
"Mid century modern" refers to design and style in the 50's (approximately). Think of 50's style furniture, architecture, etc. However, quilts in the 50's were more along the lines of what we consider to be "traditional" today.
I'll bet what she's after is what we would call modern quilting. Clean lines, lots of empty space, etc. Here are some examples:
https://theplaidportico.com/2016/05/...andenburger-2/
https://www.13spools.com/blog/2014/0...oks-paper.html
https://londonmqg.wordpress.com/2012...susanne-woods/
Sometimes you can take a traditional pattern and make it "modern" by blowing it up huge, adding a lot of white space, or changing color placement from what we would traditionally use.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/103231016434932150/
https://www.amyscreativeside.com/201...techno-flakes/
http://jehnnyandtheboys.blogspot.com...-finished.html
Maybe show these to your daughter and see if this is what she's envisioning? Hope this helps!
I'll bet what she's after is what we would call modern quilting. Clean lines, lots of empty space, etc. Here are some examples:
https://theplaidportico.com/2016/05/...andenburger-2/
https://www.13spools.com/blog/2014/0...oks-paper.html
https://londonmqg.wordpress.com/2012...susanne-woods/
Sometimes you can take a traditional pattern and make it "modern" by blowing it up huge, adding a lot of white space, or changing color placement from what we would traditionally use.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/103231016434932150/
https://www.amyscreativeside.com/201...techno-flakes/
http://jehnnyandtheboys.blogspot.com...-finished.html
Maybe show these to your daughter and see if this is what she's envisioning? Hope this helps!
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 5,007
Try Elizabeth Hartman's patterns. I also have a dau that loves MCM and I'm using one of her patterns,"Fancy Forest," for my dau's Christmas gift quilt.
https://elizabethhartman.com/
~ C
https://elizabethhartman.com/
~ C
#5
Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: River City, Orygun
Posts: 86
The term "mid-century modern" drives me nuts. I'm old enough to remember when we called the style "modern." It's the "younger" crowd who coined the phrase not that long ago. It's like they discovered something us old timers have recognized for years. I prefer "retro" as a description of the style.
That being said, the style of the time was a change to simplicity and minimalism. A lot of quilt patterns we call modern would fit the bill. A lot of Amish quilts could also be considered MCM with a change of color. One of the big change at that time was a changed to color and texture. For example- if one took a simple 9 patch, or HST, or 60 degree triangle quilt in a simple layout, but changed the colors to something acceptable in the design of the times, it would look as MCM as you can get. As much as design, colors and textures did as much for "nailing" the style as anything else.
That being said, the style of the time was a change to simplicity and minimalism. A lot of quilt patterns we call modern would fit the bill. A lot of Amish quilts could also be considered MCM with a change of color. One of the big change at that time was a changed to color and texture. For example- if one took a simple 9 patch, or HST, or 60 degree triangle quilt in a simple layout, but changed the colors to something acceptable in the design of the times, it would look as MCM as you can get. As much as design, colors and textures did as much for "nailing" the style as anything else.
#6
Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 31
Another option for you might be a Frank Lloyd Wright window quilt. There are a few to choose from here http://animasquilts.com/index.php?ma...dex&cPath=2_15. I purchased the Dana House quilt and bought the fabric but I haven't started it yet. Frank Lloyd Wright architecture reminds me of mid-century modern.
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
Check out Jennifer Dick, Latifah Shaafar, Jacquie Gering for modern quilt designs. Also google QuiltCon, that is the Modern Quilt Guild's annual show. Lots of solid colors; improv piecing, no borders, negative space, alternate grids, minimalism, I've recently gotten "into" modern quilts and having a great time with them.
#9
Super Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,256
Mid-century modern is to me the perfect description of Denyse Schmidt fabrics and patterns.
http://dsquilts.com/
http://dsquilts.com/