Book Review - Modern Holiday

Hi everyone:

Can you believe that we're already in December? I think that the holiday season creeps up quicker each year and every year I'm determined to create at least one new Christmas quilted item. I'm not talking about a whole quilt, mind you; a table runner or a pillow would be just fine. 

I have many Christmas quilting books and magazines and enjoy adding to my collection. This year I have added two new books to my quilting library, one of which I'll be reviewing today: Modern Holiday : Deck the Halls with 18 Sewing Projects - Quilts, Stockings, Decorations and More by Amanda Murphy.

I met Amanda Murphy at International Quilt Festival in Houston this year and she was kind enough to spend some time talking to myself and Lee of Lala's Lovelys. I had recently acquired her Modern Holiday book so was especially pleased to talk with her. 

Modern Holiday by Amanda Murphy
Photo courtesy of C & T Publishing

There's a project for everyone in Amanda's book. She uses fresh, modern fabrics for the designs in Modern Holiday, which range from full-size quilts to wall hangings and table decorations. 

I love Advent calendars - we have two in our house that we put up every year - so I was pleased to see one in Modern Holiday. While we fill our Advent calendars with chocolate treats, I think I prefer the presents in Amanda's version. The yo-yo bows on the gifts are a nice embellishment which adds texture to the project.

Countdown to Christmas from Modern Holiday

Snowfall is a full-size pieced quilt which uses the connector corner technique to create an intricate design. I enjoy projects that use simple techniques to create complex designs and Snowfall "falls" into this category. The contemporary fabrics against the white background give this quilt a fresh, crisp appeal.

Snowfall from Modern Holiday
 

If you don't have the time to make a quilt, how about some seasonal pillows? These Snowflake Pillows are only one of the pillow patterns in Modern Holiday that can be used to decorate your home during the winter season. Amanda uses fusible web appliqué to create these quick designs.

Snowflake Pillows from Modern Holiday

One of the more complex patterns in Modern Holiday is Trimming the Tree with its quilty ornaments. I appreciate the fact that the ornaments were pieced and did not require specialty fabric to achieve their look. While this project might take a little longer to make, the result would definitely be worth it.

Trimming the Tree by Amanda Murphy

I liked the use of traditional blocks, such as Flying Geese and Hexagons, to create fresh new holiday designs. Complete instructions, colourful photos and a great variety of projects make Modern Holiday a "must buy" for your Christmas quilting library.

In my next post, I'll be reviewing the other holiday book that I had to add to my collection.