Modern with a Twist - Sawtooth Star

I'm part of the Modern with a Twist feature in the newest issue of Modern by the Yard.

Find the issue here.

The concept behind this feature is to take a traditional quilt block and make it modern. This issue features the Sawtooth Star block. I chose to use the Better Basics White & Black collection paired with solids. I used a great black and white dot print for the entire star to make it a "solid" shape. I chose lime green to add a pop of color, and black for the corners to create dimension.

Here's what the single block looks like in a quilt. The way that the black and lime sections come together creates a secondary design. 

Then I tried the same design using a variety of black and white prints. 

And finally, I branched out in colors, adding in teal, fuchsia and orange. I like this one best! 

Be sure to check out the entire issue! There are two other Sawtooth Star variations, several projects, and lots more fun.

One last thing: I created a block for Modern with a Twist once before (see it here), and it became my Rolling Waves pattern. Find the pattern here.

Revising the Monkey Wrench

For me, part of the fun of modern quilting is taking a more traditional block and finding ways to make it look more modern. That can happen through fabric choice, playing with scale, or even just going wonky with it (like my Wonky Spirals quilt pattern, which is a Log Cabin variation).

The Modern with a Twist feature in Benartex's e-zine, Modern by the Yard, involves that same concept. In the feature, three different designers create their own modern version of the Monkey Wrench, aka Snail's Trail block. (As an aside...I always thought of the Monkey Wrench as the same block as the Churn Dash, but it's also another name for the Snail's Trail.)

I decided to play with negative space and only fill in the "curls" on two adjoining sides of the block. I used the All About Color collection from Kanvas, which has these fantastic polka dots in it! 

Just for fun, I mocked up a quilt using my wave block. I used two color variations. I really like the graphic punch it creates! This quilt is going on the "have to make" list!

See the entire Modern by the Yard e-zine here, as well as back issues!