Skeeter Bug Quilts - New Pattern Coming Soon!
Mid Mod
Design is personal. A style that appeals to one person may be completely unrelatable to another. Some people gravitate strongly to only one style, while others appreciate and look for meaning in each style – sometimes they see it, and sometimes they don’t.
I’m definitely part of the latter group. I find comfort in the stability of traditional designs, but I also appreciate the circumstances that drove artists to communicate their discontent for the status quo, and their hopes for the future, evolving from the opulence of the rococo to the humanity of the realists. Understanding the terrors of the lost generation explained the paint splatters of Jackson Pollock, and then the relevance of the mid-century artists' return to simple forms and colours.
Autumn Rhythm (# 30), Jackson Pollock, 1950
Museum of Modern Art
Photo by F. Bertoia, June, 2011
As a child of the 60’s, I have an inert love of mid-century modern design, and the Mid Mod quilt is an expression of my appreciation of all things mid-century.
The Mid Mod quilt is incredibly versatile and easy enough for beginning quilters. The Skeeter Bug version uses bright colours paired with earthier tones for a mid-century vibe, but you can use any colour combination that appeals to you.
The Mid Mod pattern is composed of rows of half-square-triangles (HSTs). After the simple square patch, the HST is one of the primary foundation pieces for traditional and modern quilting. You can find tutorials for creating the HST here on the Skeeter Bug website.
For a simple, modern look, the Skeeter Bug Mid Mod quilt alternates the direction of the HSTs from one row to the next, but there are so many other options! After you’ve assembled your HSTs, lay them out, turning in different directions, grouping and ungrouping the colours to find a layout that appeals to you. This is easy to do using the Electric Quilt 8 software.
The Mid Mod quilt was finished with backing and binding in the same neutral grey fabric. A quilt facing instead of binding would also work well with this modern design. Check out the Skeeter Bug Quilts Tutorials for more information on quilt facing.
Mid Mod Quilt by Skeeter Bug Quilts
Designed using EQ8
If you’re just starting your quilting journey, or if you just need a little extra help calculating how much fabric you need, check out this free pattern for the Mid Mod quilt.
Please drop us a line if you use the pattern and find it helpful, or if you have questions!