The Mod Mountains quilt pattern is now available! Click here. An online community sew along will start April 10. If you're curious what an SQ sew along looks like, check the Sew Along tab under the Blog section. The sew along schedule and prizes will be posted early next week right before the sew along.
Mod Mountains made its first debut at QuilCon 2016. Look at sweet innocent 30 year old Suzy...
2016 was my first time entering QuiltCon and also my first time winning an award – 3rd place in the Hand Sewing category. Technically, it was my only time winning an award at QuiltCon. The problem with winning an award the first time you try something is you think everybody must win awards and it's not a difficult thing to do.
Well, I haven't won a QuiltCon award since, so now I look back with more pride. Way to go, Little Suzy!
A lot has changed since 2016...I cut my hair! I also had a baby 😉
Trending patterns!
But one thing has stayed exactly the same – my love for this quilt pattern. Its versatility and flexibility has allowed it to grow with me as I have changed and evolved as an artist. It's perfect for that fat quarter bundle you've been hoarding or a deep dive into your fabric scraps. This blue and yellow version was made using both scraps and fat quarters.
Montana Inspired Mod Mountains Quilt
About six years ago one of my best friends moved to Missoula, Montana. For me, the only silver lining to her moving so far away was that Montana is a beautiful place to visit. Over the years I've visited and dreams of those mountains, colors and textures are never far from my mind.
Montana is one of the few places I've visited that still has a wild wilderness feel about it. I saw lots of trucks, cowboy hats and even a moose! I SAW A MOOSE! Apparently your reaction to seeing a moose should be to back away slowly. Well, where's the fun in that? Of course I just whipped out my cell phone and took photos. It completely freaked everyone out. But I was in wild Montana! I had lost all fear!!
Big Sky Country showed me first hand the beauty of a sunset overtaking a blue sky and mountains as far as the eye could see. I tried as best as I could to capture that in these fabrics.
My pattern tester, Jessica Rush came up with this brilliant cutting technique in case you do not have a triangle ruler or if you aren't keen on using templates. See below!
Mod Mountains Sewing Tips
Triangles. Triangles contain bias edges that stretch and corners that can fray and get eaten up in your sewing machine if you're not careful. The pattern includes cutting diagrams for each size and during the Mod Mountains sew along I'll record a video on templates and cutting. In the mean time, there is a blog post and video on cutting templates for the Bayside quilt that will help.
With all that said, you can do it. You can sew triangles successfully and come out on the other side a smarter and more skilled quilter. Ready? Let's go.
Montana Mod Mountains Fabric
As I mentioned before, this pattern is a wonderful scrap-buster to help use up smaller pieces of fabric that you can't bring yourself to throw away. Since I did that with this quilt, I'm not totally sure what some of these fabrics are, but I'll do my best.
If you are interested in a FQ bundle inspired by this palette, check out Cottoneer. Andrea, the owner, has curated a beautiful bundle of fabric.
- Kona Solid Terracotta
- Cotton + Steel Rifle Paper Co. Menagerie Jungle Fabric
- Kaffe Fassett Stripe Shot Cotton (this one is pretty old and hard to find, unfortunately)
- Essex Yarn-Dyed Homespun in Orangeade
- Cotton and Flax Scattered Dots
- Essex Yarn-Dyed Homespun in Paris Blue
- Essex Yarn-Dyed Homespun in Taupe
- Essex Yarn-Dyed Homespun in Roasted Pecan
- (Backing) Essex Yarn-Dyed Classic Wovens Grid in Tan
I started this quilt when I was about 35 weeks pregnant and by 37 weeks, bending down to baste was hard. My sweet husband saw the struggle and decided to play the knight in shining armor by helping out. Of course Scrap needed to help too.
I wanted this quilt to be puffy, warm and extra cozy since after finishing it I planned to ship it to my Montana friend. Quilters Dream wool was the only batting that would do.
Fun fact: the next two pictures were taken the day before I was admitted to the hospital to have my baby boy! At the time I had no idea that my timeline would be sped up and I'd have a c-section at 37 and a half weeks, so I actually came home from the hospital to this exact scene at my sewing machine. You can read all about my whirlwind birth story here.
After weeks of pure, glorious baby snuggles, I finally pulled this quilt out from my machine and posed my little cub on this wild wilderness quilt. I think he blends in well.
My parents were in town during this photoshoot so I made them slide in front of the camera for a few family photos.
This pattern will be available in a couple days, so start gathering your fat quarters and scraps! Tell us in the comments what fabrics you're excited to use!
Hiya! So excited for this! I know it’s only two days away, but wanting to order some fabric. Will 1/4 yard cuts work as well?
They will! 1/4 yd. cuts are perfect. And I’m so excited that you’re excited!!
So so excited! Can you tell me fabric requirements to start my pull? Can’t wait to get started!
Looking forward to the pattern!
Hi sweet quilting friend. Sleep depravation is totally a thing as a new mom. I am so not a proof reader by any means. but in you post on Mod Mountains, one of your pictures of the quilt is labeled Modern Fans….your baby is beautiful and I love sewing your patterns!!!!
I just caught that! haha! 😉
So excited!! This will be my first QAL 😳😆
I love that this is inspired by Montana because that’s where I live! Looking forward to making this quilt. 🙂
I’m excited that this release day is here! I really hope you get a nap in today! Whew! What a push to do all this with a weeone at the same time! {When my 1st born was 2 1/2 weeks old, I started a work-at-home accounting job… it was a total mess!} You are already a pro at all you finished up these last few days. Hoping to join the QAL… I have so many irons in the fire currently! LOL! ♥
I can’t find fabric yardage requirements anywhere (maybe I’m just not looking hard enough!), how much of the background fabric is needed for a twin size and a throw size? I’m thinking of joining the QAL but I can only justify it if I can mostly pull from my stash, haha 😀
I totally forgot to upload that to the listing. Oops! Doing it now…
Thank you! You’ve got the whole sleep deprivation thing going on, new babies are no joke!! 🙂
Are fabric requirements posted anywhere? I like to know what they are before I purchase to see if it works with my stash
Yes, they are posted at the bottom of the page on the shop listing – https://suzyquilts.com/shop/mod-mountains-quilt-pattern-download/
Missoula is my fav place, so far, live 4 hrs due S in ID, it’s our monthly shopping stop! Are any of your patterns paper available? Love to do the QAL, no printer here…we’re way off the grid, electronics limited.
Hey Marty! Yes, I do have some printed patterns. You can find them in various online shops, but I know fabricworm.com carries all of them. All new patterns are only available in digital format. I do that because my patterns are getting longer and longer with added illustrations, cutting charts and diagrams, which make them really expensive to print.
For this pattern specifically, you don’t need to print the templates if you use the cutting technique above with a simple straight ruler.
This will be my first quilt along. Very excited about joining.
Love this pattern – I’m tempted to join the QAL as my first time doing one.
Also is there a pattern for the predominantly blue and white HST quilt folded on the chair in the background of that last photo? Thanks and love your blog.
That actually is the baby version of the Mod Mountains quilt. You can see more pics of it laid out in this post.
I’m so sorry, I didn’t do a good job with my question. The blue and white quilt I’m asking about is in the photo that says “Get This Free Bows and Arrows Quilt Pattern.” It’s draped over the chair in the background to the left.
That’s my Lake Michigan in Denim quilt. There’s no pattern because it’s made using a LOT of half square triangles. You can read more about that quilt here – https://suzyquilts.com/lake-michigan-in-denim-quilt/
Do you have the “color your own” page for the queen-sized? Feeling scared about going so big without a plan 😬. Thanks!!
I can upload that for you now! https://suzyquilts.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Mod-Mountains-Queen-Layout.pdf
That’s so awesome! Thank you!! 👍🏼
So excited to make this. I wonder if you live in the West Loop in Chicago. This so looks like my old loft in the West Loop.
What is the recommended thickness of batting inside the quilt? I didn’t see anything in the instructions.
That’s completely up to you and what you prefer. If you would like more information on batting, here’s a batting post – https://suzyquilts.com/how-to-choose-the-right-quilt-batting/
Hi Suzy!
I’m new to the quilting world, but I decided to make this design and I’m loving it!!
I’m about to get to the quilting portion and I’m nervous about doing a straight line. I really like some of the sample photos you have on this blog post of the white and blue quilt. Did you opt to freehand those lines? The width of the lines appear to be everchanging.
Oh yes. I call those my “organic” lines, which is code for “I’m not going to take the time to measure and mark anything and if I go a little wavy that’s cool too.” haha! I did hand quilt first so I knew where not to machine quilt.