Abstract art does not attempt to accurately depict visual reality, communicating instead through lines, shapes, colors, forms, and gestural marks. Although the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky is generally credited as the father of abstract art, Swedish painter Hilma af Klint produced her first abstract painting five years earlier–in 1906. Abstract art has continued to evolve and influence artists and designers today–including fabric and quilt designers.

If you appreciate an abstract, modern aesthetic, you will enjoy looking through the collection of contemporary quilt fabric and abstract quilt patterns that we have assembled at Missouri Star. 

Many batiks have abstract patterns–both in the underlying line designs and in the overdyed colors. Take a look at Santorini Batiks by Claudia Pfeil for Island Batik; these are available as abstract precut fabrics and yardage. You might also like Jean Wells’ Sticks N Stones Batiks abstract fabric by the yard for Island Batiks. Even if these particular collections go out of print, be assured that there will be other collections of batiks with abstract, modern DNA.

Kaffe Fassett–who creates for Free Spirit Fabrics–is a designer that we love for his bold, abstract fabric. His collections generally include both floral and geometric quilt fabric rendered in vivid colors. Kaffe Fassett prints are available both in yardage and abstract fabric precuts.

Jen Kingwell Designs has created a collection of modern quilt fabric called The Lookout for Moda Fabrics. Among the choices are a couple called The Lookout Lollies. These are interesting. They have very wide stripes that provide a sample of different coordinating prints. Imagine over-wide Jelly Roll strips sewn together. What you could do with a length of this fabric. Cut the strips apart and use them the way you would use a Jelly Roll? Cut the fabric and piece blocks in ways that make interesting patterns from the strips? Leave it whole? It would make a fun skirt! A bathrobe! How about a quirky tote bag, hand bag, or backpack? 

Paintbrush Studio is currently printing a collection called Abstract Collage. It is aptly named–a perfect example of abstract quilt fabrics. Do you prefer the Squiggly Lines, Packed Rectangles, or the Free Hand Geometric Shapes fabric in the collection?

Fabrics come and fabrics go. There are always some designs going out of print and new collections being released. If the fabrics we have mentioned here are no longer available, be assured that we will be hard at work to make the best available abstract fabrics and modern quilt patterns available to you at Missouri Star. Check back right here to see the current selection!