100 Modern Blocks – A book Review

As a busy momma (and wife and all the other hats we wear as adults) I’m always on the lookout for quick and easy projects. Projects that I can work on in small chunks of time and will not take over my office space for 6 months.

You know those projects? While I may have a few hours today to work on a quilt, I may not get another break to work on it until next week.

I am an avid stalker of “quilt top in 1 hour” patterns and “quilt in a weekend” projects. (Side Note: I have an easy quilt pattern that fits just that description! Click here)

Those quickies great if you just want to get something done but I think you miss out on refining your skills with the easy/quick stuff. If you do have the time, a more complex pattern is a challenge for your mind, your skills and your patience in some cases!

I’ve found a way to mix both simple and complex… Sound too good to be true? ha… maybe in the world of physics, but not for the world of quilting… yee of little faith! I never disappoint when I make a promise, don’t you know?

So have you seen the book “100 Modern Quilting Blocks” or “City Sampler” and wondered what the deal was? Is it worth it? I’m here to tell you that it totally is!

The above image is from http://www.Tulapink.com

First of all… It’s Tula Pink. I mean that right there should tell you that you’re in for something pretty awesome. If you are not familiar with Tula Pink…. allow me to introduce you to a world of so much magic and splendor you’ll be smiling for days! I mean how can you not be so excitedly happy looking at this picture? It’s amazing.

If you’re tired of spinning your wheels without feeling like you’re getting anywhere with quilting… check out her book. Just like the title says, the book consists of 100 Modern quilt blocks. It lays out everything you need to make each one and superb instructions. (side note: don’t just dump all your cut pieces into one pile and assume you’ll be able to sort them out later. Just trust me on this one…)

Each of these bite-sized block projects can be completed in a short amount of time. It depends on your sewing skills but I usually take roughly about an hour from cutting to completion. Easy peasy and totally feel fulfilled at the end! Some are simple while others are more complex. But when all of them combine….. wowza! what a lovely large quilt!

You can either start with a big dreamy vision or you can just work with one block at a time. It’s is perfect for those nights when you just want to declutter your scaps.

And this has nothing to do with the quilting templates but as an avid writer myself, I feel as though this book is like reading a conversation journal from a dear friend. She’s speaking to me, asking my opinion and encouraging me to go on this quilting journey with her. She encourages writing in the margins, crossing out blocks you don’t like and making notes.

“This is your quilt”.

She encourages doing whatever you feel like. Make 100 of the same block? You go for it. Do something entirely different with the 100 blocks in the end? Yep.

From the first page introduction: “Tula Pink’s city sampler is a collaboration between you and me. I am the platform and you are the speaker, so stand on my shoulders and tell the future who you are and why you make.”

*Sigh* is she not just the greatest? I love this quote.

If you decide to buy the book (and you totally should… or ask for it for your birthday… or Mothers Day or Christmas or because its Tuesday or whatever) You can get the book on Amazon here!

*This post contains affiliate links. That just means that if you buy a product using a link on my site, I get a very small commission of the sale at NO extra cost to you. Thank you for helping me keep my site up and running and so we can continue to share a wonderful quilting community!*