June Featured Maker and Pattern: Abridged by Kristy Daum of St. Louis Folk Victorian
As spring turns to summer, so May turns to June, which means it’s time for our latest designer and pattern reveal. We’re thrilled to announce our designer for June is Kristy Daum of St. Louis Folk Victorian!
Kristy’s featured quilt pattern, our June pattern of the month, is Abridged. For the month of June, Kristy will be donating 100% of the proceeds from the pattern to NAMVETS, the National Association of Minority Veterans of America. For this month’s interview, we chatted with Kristy about her collaboration with Modern Service Quilts. Read on!
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your quilting journey?
I’ve been sewing since I was a child and quilting for almost as long. As the founder and a past president of the St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild, I love to educate others about the modern quilting aesthetic and bring quilting to a new audience. I’m also the owner/designer of St. Louis Folk Victorian, a growing quilt-pattern design brand. My work has been featured in books and magazines and across social media.
Why did you want to collaborate with Modern Service Quilts?
Lilo approached me in 2018, soon after she quilted an honor quilt I made for my dad (which later became the Abridged pattern), as she felt strongly that it was a modern take on the more traditional service quilts made to honor veterans. She asked if I would be interested in collaborating with her to build “something” around the concept. Many ideas came and went, but finally Modern Service Quilts was born. While any quilt made with love is worthy of being an honor quilt, MSQ’s intention is to provide modern alternatives to the more traditional styles and symbols that are often used, while raising awareness and funds for underrepresented veterans’ organizations.
Do you have your own personal connection to the military, service members, or the tradition of making honor quilts?
My maternal great-grandfather served in the Spanish-American War, both my grandfathers served in the Navy, and my dad served in the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War. We are a family that has always honored the sacrifice veterans and their families have made. We learned as children to always give thanks to those in uniform, donate to veterans’ organizations, and learn how to respect the American flag, and it was common for us to visit Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, located a few miles away, to pay our respects throughout the year. Yet, it wasn’t until my dad’s quilt in 2018 that I made my first honor quilt, and now I’ve pieced several on behalf of Modern Service Quilts.
This month, we’re highlighting your Abridged quilt pattern. Why do you think this particular design lends itself well to becoming a modern honor quilt?
When I polled my dad on what he wanted as an honor quilt, he immediately threw out anything that was an obvious representation of an American flag, as he felt it was dishonorable. So using the traditional palette, I instead created 50 segments representing the 50 states, spread across a field of blue. While a patriotic concept, it is abstract enough to be used as a service quilt but also simple enough for quilters of all skill levels to dip their toes into making quilts for veterans in their family or community.
Do you have any other patterns you think could work well as honor quilts?
I believe strongly that any quilt could be an honor quilt if it is made with love and given to a service member or their family. As MSQ has shown over the months, it’s all about interpretation. With that in mind, I think my STAR’D, FLOOR PLAN, or even MODERN D9P designs could all be good candidates.
Do you have any tips for making a quilt pattern appropriate for an honor quilt?
It doesn’t have to be about using the traditional red, white, and blue color palette, although that is always acceptable. If you know the recipient, it’s best to use colors or prints they will appreciate or that will fit with their aesthetic, as it’s more likely that the quilt will be displayed or used in their home.
You’ve chosen to support NAMVETS, the National Association of Minority Veterans of America, with your Abridged pattern sales this month. What led you to choose that particular charity?
100% of my Abridged pattern sales this month will be going to NAMVETS because they provide support and advocacy for minority and women veterans, a cause in which I believe.
Is there anything else relevant to this project/collaboration you would like to share?
Having been a part of Modern Service Quilts since the beginning, I have been blown away by the outpouring of support and desire to give back to our veterans.
We are so lucky to have Kristy on the MSQ team and so glad she’s sharing this wonderful pattern with our makers! Head to Kristy’s shop to purchase your own copy of the Abridged pattern this month. And don’t forget to share your work by tagging Modern Service Quilts (@modernservicequilts, #modernservicequilts) and Kristy on social media (@kristydaum, #kristydaumpatterns, and #abridgedquilt). 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 Kristy’s pattern. Until then, be sure to follow us on Instagram for lots more photos and information and sign up for our email newsletter below.
