Modern Designs for Classic Quilts-- Book Review and Give Away

Today, I am so pleased to introduce you to a new book about my favorite type of modern quilts: those based on traditional quilt patterns. Modern Designs for Classic Quilts is destined to become a classic itself, with it's beautiful illustrations, easy to follow directions and exciting design layouts!

The table of contents provides a sneak peek into the wealth of great information and teaching techniques that this lovely book contains. Each quilt is labeled with a difficulty level from beginner to advanced, is accompanied by easy to follow illustrations and highlighted with extra hints from the authors, Kelly Biscopink and Andie Johnson.

There are more than a couple of quilts within these pages that I am dying to make, including this stunner called Effie's Web. 

 I've had a spider web quilt on my Quilt Bucket List for quite awhile now and Andie's instructions look clever and easy to follow. Andie and I have been blogging friends for several years now, first "meeting" through a block swap we both belonged to. Through the wonders of email, she has become a dear 'invisible' friend to me and one that I hope to meet in person someday soon. 

 Kelly's quilt, Must Stash, is a wonderful way to highlight all of your favorite stash fabrics in one delicious quilt. I love Kelly's tip for preparation: "Consider making a box or drawer in your sewing room specifically for this quilt.Every time you buy a new fabric you really love, cut a diamond and throw it in the box. Soon you'll have a precut quilt featuring your favorite fabrics all ready to go together." Isn't that a great idea!

 What could be more classic than a log cabin quilt? But wait! This "Urban Cabin" is not like your grandmother's quilt! Another one for my bucket list, for sure!

 And then there's this gorgeous and original layout for the traditional dresden block. What a fresh and unique design. These gals are geniuses!  Many quilts also feature a mini project as well, like this adorable offset pillow pattern.

 Wanting to really "try out" the book before I reviewed it for this blog tour, I decided to create a small project using one of the patterns. This simple and fun little quilt called "Les Elefants et Hippos  (Andie speaks French!)  was fast and easy to put together. Because there  are lots of seams that need to come together just so, it's labeled, rightfully so,as an intermediate level project. (Most of the projects in the book are intermediate level.)

 Like the famous disappearing 9-patch design, this pattern involves creating simple 4 patches and then cutting them apart with a rotary cutter and ruler to create a more complicated and sophisticated block.

Instead of the suggested 4 novelty prints plus a neutral graphic print, I chose to use shades of aqua solid fabric coupled with a grey background print called Mod Century, by Moda.

 I made nine blocks, rather than the sixteen in Andie's original quilt and had the cutting and piecing all finished in an afternoon and evening.

 My idea was to try to create a 'paint dipped' look using fabrics that I had on hand: a collection by Connecting Threads. When I didn't have the one really light aqua to achieve the ombre fade I was going for, I just soaked one of the fabrics in a little bleach water for a while till it was the tint I wanted.

 I may end up adding a little border of another fun Mod Century fabric to make the top a bit larger before I quilt it.

This picture makes me think that I might need to seriously consider making a wooden barn quilt to hang over the door of our little garden shed. I wonder what my hubby would think of that!

I know that any one of you would enjoy Modern Designs for Classic Quilts as much as I do. Andie and Kelly have generously donated a copy to give away to one lucky reader. I'm including a fat quarter of the Mod Century fabric from my little quilt. To enter the give away, please leave me a comment telling me one of your favorite traditional quilt block designs.
To be eligible, please make sure that you have an email address available. I'll draw a winner on Sunday evening, November 25. 

For more book reviews and give aways, check out the blog hop below:
This giveaway is closed.

Tuesday, Nov. 6             (Lindsay, CraftBuds)

Wed., Nov. 7                 (Jill, Darling Jill Quilts)

Thursday, Nov. 8           (Faith, Fresh Lemons)

Friday, Nov. 9               (Generation Q)

Saturday, Nov. 10         (Angela, Quilting is my Therapy)

Sunday, Nov. 11            (Shannon, Stitch Craft Create)

Monday, Nov. 12           (Laurie, Scarlet Fig)

Tuesday, Nov. 13          (Kaysie, KZJo’s Studio)  

Wed., Nov. 14               (Jessica, A Little Gray)

Thursday, Nov. 15         (Mary, The Tulip Patch)

Friday, Nov. 16             (Deborah, Whipstitch)

Saturday, Nov. 17         (Lindsay, The Cottage Mama)

Sunday, Nov. 18           (Jenny, Sew Kind of Wonderful)

Monday, Nov. 19          (Carla, LollyQuiltz)

Tuesday, Nov. 20         (Thomas, Thomas Knauer Sews)

Wed., Nov. 21              (Brenda, Pink Castle Fabrics)

Thursday, Nov. 22        (Lindsay & Liz Rea, CraftBuds, Inspire Me Grey)

Friday, Nov. 23             (Sarah, The Last Piece)
Saturday, Nov. 24         (Cara: Cara Quilts, Andie: AndieJohnsonSews, Kelly: Stitchy Quilt Stuff)