Book Review - In the Studio with Angela Walters

This book has been out for a few years but I just bought it recently.

Although I have been machine quilting for MANY years (almost 20!) I still collect books that give me inspiration for quilting my quilt. I am pleased that this part of the 'make a quilt' process has had more attention in the last few years and it is easier to see how quilts are quilted in these type of books. I don't have to squint at pictures of quilts in other books to see how they were quilted!

I HATE that statement....'Quilt as desired.'  How do you know WHAT you desire? How do you know what you can DO? That is why I include information about quilting ideas in every pattern I publish. I often try to suggest a couple of options so the person who makes the quilt can be successful when they finish the quilt, just as my instructions are detailed so they can make the quilt top.

Angela's book includes 10 modern quilt projects but it is the QUILTING ideas that I find most intriguing. You don't need a longarm quilting machine to use the techniques in the book.

She talks about how the quilting can add movement, depth, dimension, focus and contrast in your quilt. These are many of the characteristics that we have in mind when we choose fabrics for our quilts. To me, that says that the quilting is an INTEGRAL part of the quilt. Therefore it should be as exciting to us as making the QUILT TOP!

Is it exciting to you.....or does it scare you?

Here's my take on that. I'm sure you were scared when you made your first quilt top. Did you choose the right fabric, are your seams accurate, did I mis-cut something? But you persevered and learned new things with every project you made.

It is the SAME with machine quilting. You WILL start out scared, you WILL have doubts but you can only GET BETTER if you do more!

And this book (and many others) will give you ideas for lots of quilt to come!

I particularly like seeing how Angela plans her quilting by sketching her quilting plan in a sketchbook. This technique allows you to see what the quilting will look like, and more importantly, HOW you will need to stitch it.  It gives you a bit of practice if you remember to sketch without lifting your pencil!

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for Quilting Inspiration!

This is a STASH book and it is available for purchase HERE.

One Wonderful Curve - Book Review

I have been meaning to tell you about this great book for a few months but time seems to get away from me. One Wonderful Curve is the 2nd book by the wonderful designers from Sew Kind of Wonderful.

These are contemporary quilts and each one uses the Quick Curve Ruler designed by sisters Jenny, Helen and Sherilyn.  I have taught several workshops using this ruler and the QCR Mini ruler and students learned how to cut the perfect curves and sew perfect blocks very easily. I love tools that can be used over and over again - and the Quick Curve Ruler fits my requirement well.

This book has patterns for 12 quilts and each one is very appealing.  This is not a book where you'll like just one or 2 designs.  I'm sure you will want to make them all!

The Techniques section is well-illustrated, showing how to cut and then sew the curves. Close-up photographs are very helpful in this section.

Projects range in size and complexity. The first project, Summer Citrus Runner, is easy for quilters who are new to the technique and for anyone wanting a quick project.

There are wall-size projects and full bed-size projects in the book.


My personal favourite is Moroccan Vibe Quilt. I have a collection of fabrics I bought in Hawaii last February and just need a couple more to find and then I can get started on this quilt.

One other thing I LOVE about the book is the photography. I can really SEE how each project was quilted.  A bonus at the back of the book are Quilting Suggestions to help with this part of your project too.

Although I wasn't able to attend Spring Quilt Market this year I found this photo of the Sew Kind of Wonderful booth taken by Quilters Newsletter Magazine.

I'll be watching for new patterns for quilts displayed here!

You can buy the book (and a wide range of patterns)

directly from the gals at Sew Kind of Wonderful.

Book Review - Contemporary Curved Quilts

If you've been following my project posts for a while you will notice that I have been working with the Quick Curve Ruler® since last October. This is the invention of sisters Jenny Pedigo and Helen Robinson of Sew Kind of Wonderful. 

Today I'd like to tell you about their first book, Contemporary Curved Quilts. The book includes a well illustrated 'Techniques' section at the beginning of the book. The step by step instructions show you how to cut the curves with the ruler and your rotary cutter. Then they show you how to machine piece the curves without pinning. The result is the pieced curve shape that is used for the 8 projects included in the book.

The first project (Crazy Eights Pillow) is a small project, perfect for giving the technique a try. The following projects build on your skills and include a Table Runner, full-size quilts and a wall hanging. 

All the projects are beautifully photographed and I love how you can see the amazing quilting for each project too.

Several of these projects are on my 'to do' list including the Tulip Festival Quilt.

The book is available here.

Book Review - Freemotion Quilting Idea Book

I think a lot of quilters are like me - we enjoy learning! Even if we think we have all the answers, we can't resist seeing how other quilters approach an aspect of what we do.

For this reason I recently added the free-motion Quilting Idea Book by Amanda Murphy to my library. I have been free-motion quilting for many years but it is nice to see new books with more quilting ideas.

Amanda's book didn't disappoint. The first thing I love about it is the spiral binding so the book will lie flat near my sewing machine.

The book includes basic machine quilting tips that are also a  good refresher for those of us with more experience. There is a pattern for the table runner pictured on the cover of the book and Amanda shows several ways to quilt the runner, with reference to the designs included in the 'Designs' section of the book.

I think the 'Designs' and 'Blocks' sections are the best sections of the book. A wide range of quilting ideas are presented for many traditional blocks.  Quilters can use these ideas just as they are or they can jumpstart your creativity for your own particular quilt.

Later in this blog post you will see how I  used some of the design ideas in a table runner.

The book is a Stash Book, an imprint of C&T Publishing.

C&T has just announced the companion APP for the book too!  I bought it right away - I wanted to see how some of the material in the book would be presented.  Here is the first screen that you see when you open the APP:

And this screen shows one of the Allover Design Tutorials. This one is for 'Paisley'. You can see the Design Steps (what you see in my picture) PLUS there is an animation of the stitching PLUS there is a video with Amanda showing you how to stitch the design.

There is also a Video Library. Amanda shows topics like Getting Started, Loops Designs, Small Fills and more.

I used some of the information in the book when I finished the quilting for my Chic Flowers table runner. 

I used the 'Paisley' design in the dark blue portion of the blocks and stippling in the centres of the blocks.  

I adapted one of Amanda's ideas for quilting Flying Geese blocks for the flower 'petals.

This is a great book to add to your quilting library.

My Latest Quilt

My friend, Anne, bought a very interesting book when we were in Houston for International Quilt Festival in early November, Making Quilts....the Promise of Joy by Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession

Inside you will find 22 contemporary quilt patterns based on traditional designs which are blended with modern influences. There are three pattern style collections:

• Optical Illusion
• Tradition with a Twist
• Folk Art Inspiration

I loved the Red Square quilt ....

and decided to make my own version.

Can you see how the rows of print fabrics 'travel' around the quilt beginning in the center?  Look closely.....there is a square in the middle with a single rose and a turquoise and yellow plaid square below it. One of my recent 'travels' was my Quilting Cruise to the Caribbean in 2012. I had been looking for a design to use with the fabrics I bought on that trip.

I bought several fabrics in Fort Lauderdale at the shops I visited with students before the cruise but didn't find many fabrics in the ports.  There was one sewing shop in Curacao that specialized in 'fashion' fabrics and supplies for Bernina sewing machines. Only a few cotton fabrics were in the store, including the two madras plaids that I used in place of the white in the original quilt. I also gathered fabrics from my stash that would work well with the small assortment.

Here are some of the blocks piled on my ironing board, all ready for pressing. I found the madras was quite thin and unstable so I starched each block with Mary Ellen's Best Press before squaring them to size.
 

My design wall was 'just' big enough to arrange the blocks. It took a couple of tries until I got it just how I wanted it. My quilt is a very busy version of the original but it is a nice way to remember the fantastic cruise.

Next job, of course, is the quilting.  Not sure what I'll do. I've been wanting to quilt a Baptist Fan design on a quilt for a long time. Perhaps I'll try it on this one.

I am looking for a name for this quilt - any suggestions?  Leave me a comment.

Read more about the book on Kathy's blog.

The book is available online here.

One thing to note about the book........Anne's copy is written in French - with boxes on each page with the English translation.  The link here is for the book written in English.

Book Review - Radiant Landscapes, Gloria Loughman

I am a long-time fan of Gloria Loughman's work.  I was fortunate to take a workshop with her a couple of years ago (sponsored by the Victoria Quilters' Guild).  The piece I started in that workshop was based on her first book, Luminous Landscapes.

In her latest release, Radiant Landscapes, Gloria takes a closer look at light in landscape quilts and shows you how she draws the viewer into her new work using an adaptation of her 'tile process'. She talks about how light sets the mood for the piece; the use of light in her work creates amazing depth.

This discussion of light held my interest immediately. I definitely understood its importance as I adapted a photograph to create my Looking West quilt in the workshop.  Here is the photograph my husband took and the quilt I made.  Finding a way to capture the light in the photograph was a challenge but Gloria had great suggestions and I'm very pleased with the final piece.

Looking West by Daphne Greig



A feature in all Gloria's books is superb photography. She uses landscape photographs to illustrate her text in the chapter about design. This is an excellent reference for both beginners and more experienced quilters. And the chapters on colour, dyeing and painting will help you find just the right fabrics to bring your piece to life..

Construction of the tiled areas and foreground imagery are covered in detail as are a variety of finishing techniques. The book also includes 4 projects so you can experiment with the method right away and then go on to creating your own design. 

If you are yearning to add light to your landscape quilts, this book would make an excellent addition to your library.  It is available as an e-book and as a printed version.

Publisher is C&T Publishing, ISBN 978-1-60705-631-7