Connection. Community.  It's the energy created between people when they feel seen, heard and valued. We make connections through family, work and shared passions, creating communities that transcend age, race, religion, gender, and background. Those of us who make quilts know this to be true - our community is a patchwork of people who share their work, their knowledge and their friendship. It's a scrappy community filled with vitality and color... a Sisterhood of Scraps.

Sisterhood of Scraps by Lissa Alexander - 12 Brilliant Quilts from 7 Fantastic Designers. 

Lissa - you probably know her as ModaLissa - is a prolific scrap-quilt maker whose quilts have been published in every major quilt magazine.  She's also Moda's Director of Marketing, the author of the best-selling Oh, Scrap! and a supporter/mentor of many well-known quilters.  Her "sisterhood" of quilting started when she made her first quilt - with her sister. 

As she writes in Sisterhood... To me, the whole idea of a sisterhood means sharing ideas and stories, and enjoying the process together (for the record, brothers can join in too).

This is Christmas All Year - designed and made by Lissa, quilted by Maggi Honeyman.

There are twelve spectacular quilts in the Sisterhood of Scraps book, six by Lissa and six by friends in her sisterhood.  Laurie Simpson of Minick & Simpson, Sandy Klop of American Jane, Sheryl Johnson of Temecular Quilt Co., Kim Brackett - best-selling author, Barbara Brackman - renowned quilt historian, and Susan Ache - a best-selling author who loves scrap quilts. 

For each of her quilting sister-designers, Lissa chose a theme or patchwork shape that they would both use in their own way to make two quilts that were related but still different. 

Friendship Starter - designed and pieced by Lissa, quilted by Maggi.  The theme?  Squares.

This is Lissa's Little Light of Mine.  It's a beautiful showcase for her mastery of scrap quilting, mixing fabrics from Reproduction collections with those by "modern vintage" designers - this quilt has fabrics by Kansas Troubles, 3 Sisters, Fig Tree & Co., Barbara Brackman, Minick & Simpson and Howard Marcus.  And a few others.  (That's the beauty and appeal of scrap quilts, isn't it?)

Every quilt in the book comes with a story, about the maker and how the quilt came about.  Stories... they're as much a part of every quilt as the fabric and thread.  It's another reason we connect, every one of us loves a good story.

Pot O' Gold - designed by Lissa, pieced by Sarah Huechteman and quilted by Maggi.

There is also a mini version of this ZigZag quilt made with tiny scraps in shades of orange and low-volume prints.  So twelve-and-a-half quilts in the book.  We're only sharing a few but if you visit