The Modern Medallion Workbook

Medallion quilts are a traditional style that has been wholeheartedly embraced by the modern quilting movement. Most such quilts consist of a central focal block surrounded by a series of symmetrical borders, giving an appearance of a framed picture. This collection, curated by two well-known quilt bloggers, gives full instructions for piecing 11 different medallion quilts, with styles ranging from traditional-made-modern (Erica Jackman’s Oviedo Medallion) to minimalist (Christina Lane’s Graphical Modern Medallion). The quilt designs are beautiful, but what’s most impressive about this collection is the variety of techniques included-everything from hand stitching to curved piecing to improvisational piecing to applique makes an appearance. A coloring sheet is provided for each design, allowing quilters to plan their color scheme and audition fabrics. VERDICT It’s rare to find a quilting book that is both trendy and widely appealing. There are projects in this collection that will suit diverse tastes, and the customizable nature of medallion quilts guarantee quilters of a variety of skill levels the opportunity to challenge themselves creatively. Library Journal, March 2015 “The Modern Medallion Workbook” (C&T Publishing), by Janice Zeller Ryan and Beth Vassalo, also shares intricate patterns for applique quilting. The 11 modern patterns, by 11 expert quilters, range from basic to advanced. “It was a lightbulb moment for me when I realized that the definition of a medallion quilt is just a quilt made up of borders surrounding a center medallion nowhere in that definition does it state that they have to be equal, perfect or matched,” writes Vassalo. – Jennifer Forker ABC News, 12/29/15

Janice Zeller Ryan holds an MFA in costume design from Carnegie Mellon University. The birth of her children (prompting her first baby quilt) took her in a new direction, where she discovered her love of quilting. She lives in Los Angeles. betteroffthread.com Beth Vassalo was inspired to learn sewing after watching her daughter create dress-up clothes from paper and tape. Beth learned the basics of sewing with the help of books and online sources. A few years later, she discovered quilting and has been making quilts ever since. She lives in Washington, D.C. plumandjune.blogspot.com