August Featured Maker and Pattern: Slice Is Right by Ben Millett
We hope you all are enjoying this journey as much as we are! Wasn’t Suzy’s Kris Kross pattern great last month? We’ve got so many more collaborations, patterns, and organizations to share with you, and we can’t wait any longer to reveal our designer and pattern for August — meet Ben Millett!
Ben’s featured quilt pattern, our August pattern of the month, is Slice Is Right. For the month of August, Ben will be donating 50% of the proceeds from the pattern to American Veterans for Equal Rights. For this month’s interview, we chatted with Ben about his collaboration with Modern Service Quilts.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your quilting journey?
Quilting became my creative outlet outside my work at an agriculture company in Des Moines, Iowa. I enjoyed designing and piecing quilt tops but was frustrated that my quilting lines were wobbly. Around this same time, I realized I was not as straight as I'd been convinced to be. "Not So Straight" became a tongue-in-cheek rallying cry (and, for a time, my brand name) as I quilted, reminding both myself and others of who I am.
I take a modern approach with my quilted projects, preferring to work with solids in saturated colors (unless I have green prints on hand). My projects are meant for everyday use and display -- sometimes both at the same time. I am grateful my husband and son let me retreat to the craft room for hours on end to bring my projects to fruition.
Why did you want to collaborate with Modern Service Quilts?
With family members who have served in the wars in Korea and Vietnam and in other places during non-war times, I’ve had an interest in supporting veterans but hadn't found a good way to do so. Being able to use one of my patterns to help that cause was really appealing.
Do you have your own personal connection to the military, service members, or the tradition of making honor quilts?
My grandfather played clarinet in the Army band. One of my favorite memories is going with him to an Army band concert. He didn't talk with us about his time in Korea, but knowing that he served there gave extra meaning to Veterans Day for us.
This month, we’re highlighting your Slice Is Right quilt pattern. Why do you think this particular design lends itself well to becoming a modern honor quilt?
With five colors in the pattern, Slice Is Right is set up to be impactful with white and two shades of reds and blues. The arrangement of colors and the arrow that results from the angled cuts hearken to ribbons and medals given to members of the military in recognition of their service.
Do you have any other patterns you think could work well as honor quilts?
I've mocked up my patterns with different patriotic colors and found that Warp Speed and Wild Geese That Fly also work really well. (Spoiler: Our mid-month post will include mockups of some of Ben’s other patterns!)
Do you have any tips for making a quilt pattern appropriate for an honor quilt?
I love to work with solids, and they lend themselves really well to modernizing quilt patterns. The right combination of bold, saturated reds and blues can turn just about any pattern into a modern honor quilt.
You’ve chosen to support American Veterans for Equal Rights with your Slice Is Right pattern sales this month. What led you to choose that particular charity?
The military does not have a great history of its treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. As we've seen even in the last few years, Transgender individuals may suddenly find themselves removed from service and face uncertain futures, unsure whether their service will be not only allowed, but welcomed. I want to provide support to this organization that exists to ensure "full and equal rights and equitable treatment for all present and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, especially the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender current and prior military personnel."
Ben, we’re so glad to have you on board, and thank you for sharing this wonderful pattern with our makers! Head to Ben’s shop to purchase your own copy of the Slice Is Right pattern this month. We can’t wait to see the stunning quilts you all make.
If you need information on donating your finished quilt to a veteran, check out this page.
We’ll be back mid-month with more information on the sample quilt we made using Ben’s pattern and some fun mockups Ben made of a few of his other patterns that would make great honor quilts. Until then, be sure to follow us on Instagram for lots more photos and information and sign up for our email newsletter below. You can follow Ben on Instagram at @benmillett.
