A Slice of Christmas from Piece O'Cake Designs [Paperback] Review

This is a beautiful book about appliqueing and their designs for Christmas.They cover everything from quilts, wall hangings to table runners, stockings and Christmas tree rounds.You can mix and match the ideas here and make everything you need for Christmas.
The nice parts are that the directions are complete for both hand piecing and machine (called fusible in the book) sewing & that most of the designs require small amounts (1/2 yard; 5/8 yard there) of fabric so if you have leftovers you can find places to use them here.Also nice is the ability to copy the designs for your own use.A nice present in itself.
The downside?You should be near a copier and have sharp scissors.
All in all, a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.It's a real joy to view and look at.I wish some of the designs were shown bigger in colour but it's a minor quibble.

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Product Description:
A celebration of Christmas with "Piece O'Cake Designs". There are seven Christmas projects, including applique quilts, stockings, tree skirts, and a table runner. Designs feature a retro '50s Santa, Christmas tree, and Santa sampler from past favourites "A Piece O'Cake Christmas" and "A Sampling of Santas", as well as a new poinsettia design. Quilters should also be able to mix and match patterns to create even more projects.

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Ruth B. McDowell's Piecing Workshop: Step-by-Step Visual Guide Indispensable Reference for Quilters Bonus Projects [Paperback] Review

Unfortunately I missed out on a live workshop with Ruth and sent my best buddy in my place instead. She LOVED it!!! Even though I tried to practice her techniques in her other books, I never quite 'got it'. I guess I'm just more of a 'show me what you do' kind of person.
This book changed all that and I made her sugar maple quilt quickly and easily and I'm thrilled with the outcome! Also, with her guidance on inset seams, I finished a difficult navajo quilt that had had me stumped because I couldn't get the seams set in just right. But with her latest book, it was like having this amazingly talented and wonderful lady right there with me! She is such inspiration, her quilts are outstanding and absolutely fabulous! Thanks Ruth, -can't wait for the next one!!!

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Product Description:
This step-by-step visual guide teaches 5 of Ruth's unique piecing techniques that virtually guarantee the ability to piece almost anything!

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Scrap Quilt Sensation [Paperback] Review

These are the same designs I've seen with regular calico and plain fabrics over and over again.The only difference are the batik fabrics.Maybe I've read too many quilting books in my day, but there's nothing fresh and exciting about these patterns.The projects are as follows:simple squares; squares and diamonds; Jacob's ladder; strictly triangles; triangle dynamics; galaxy of stars and scraps; dark stars; splashes of color; sampler quilt; cropped pinwheels; stars, pinwheels and color blocks; snail trail, and triptych wall hanging.

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Product Description:
*Using up fabric scraps is a priority for quilters and patchworkers
*Shares contemporary quilts based on traditional designs, a trend in the quilt-making world
Featuring master quilter Katharine Guerrier's unique contemporary twist on traditional designs, Scrap Quilt Sensation! includes eleven step-by-step projects that utilize scraps for stunning results. With advice on selecting the right fabrics from the quilting stash and how to combine them for the best effect, as well as guidance on how to experiment and create small-scale quilts for maximum inspiration, this guide will inspire quilters everywhere to take a second look at their stash bag and to start quilting.

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Points of View: Landscape Quilts to Stitch and Embellish (That Patchwork Place) [Paperback] Review

My love of fabric and landscapes can be satisfied with POINTS OF VIEW.This wonderful book walks you through the steps of how to create landscapes using fabrics in your stash.

The book begins with an explanation of how to look at fabric for things other than what is printed on it.For example, a fabric that has colorful fish on it can be cut so it looks like a wheat field on a rolling hill.You just need a viewfinder which is easy to make and the instructions for making and using it are included.A basic supply list allows you to have on hand all the things you need to make a landscape.And the first pattern starts with a basic landscape.

A materials list and instructions on how to create the landscape are well written with good graphics to show you what is explained.A template is included.Appliqué instructions --- needle turn, machine and fusible---are all covered.Technique Tips are found in colorful boxes throughout the book.

A section on how to color fabric, one on stitchery and one on mounting and framing your work are part of POINTS OF VIEW.The nine projects are all various sizes of wall hangings but you certainly could use one of them as a central panel and turn them into quilts.The book provides a great way to take one of your landscape photos and turn it into a fabric wall hanging.What a way to share your photos with family and friends.

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Product Description:
Step into your own gorgeous landscape scenes by using the incredible texture, color, and pattern that fabric provides. No tricky technical techniques here--simplicity is the goal in these artful, small-scale representations of nature's scenery.
*Nine step-by-step projects feature easy elements that focus on fabric--the "paint" for your textile landscapes
*Embellish scenes with beads, embroidery, applique, fabric paints, watercolor pencils, and more
*Includes full-sized patterns, plus advice on mounting and framing

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Quilts from Nature [Paperback] Review

I was thrilled to find Joan Colvin's book, Quilts from Nature, through Amazon.com. It really is a one of a kind book that is no longer being published done by an amazing artist who is now deceased. Joan takes you step by step through her thought processes as well as the construction of these amazing works of art, allowing you to either follow in her footsteps or veer off on your own path.

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Japanese Country Quilting: Sashiko Patterns and Projects for Beginners [Paperback] Review

Traditional Japanese country clothes were quilted for warmth. The quilting patterns on the natural indigo dyed hemp or cotton are called sashiko and often take the form of repeating, geometric patterns.
Karen Matsunaga gives a nice background into the daily life of her Japanese family, and also the history of some of the traditional patterns.
The book has five complete projects, plus sashiko stitching pattern. The patterns are printed on grids, with helpful directional lines to show the direction in which the stitching should take place. Recommended for anyone starting out in sashiko quilting

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Product Description:
The perfect introduction to a Japanese sewing craft. Step-by-step instructions for stitching patterns inspired by natural motifs, including 60 traditional patterns, and suggestions for basic sewing projects.

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Amish Wall Quilts: 15 Brilliant and Beautiful Quilts (That Patchwork Place) [Paperback] Review

Rachel Pellman is a Mennonite dealer in amish quilts and she gives a very dutiful account of the Amish lifestyle as a n introduction.She then goes into the quilts breaking them up into geographic location and laying out the colour, piecework patterns and then quilting motifs for you to make an authentic Amish legacy wall-hanging quillt.
I have another one of Pellman's books and the big difference here is one of course the size, most are 47x47 inches and two the use of colour.Most of Pellman's books are black and white but this one is in full colour which is rather funny because once you see these quilts in colour you realise why the cheaper black and white can be used.But still seeing the colour spectrum as the Amish use it is very helpful and cannot be discounted.It's a good reference there just on the colour motifs and how to build or identify an Authentic Amish quilt (Center diamond should be in what colours and what quilting style for example).
Because everything is in the authentic mode, Pellman does not mention anything about machine piecing or quilting, but then you should have Hargreave's book, the definitive source, so you'll never have to care.The instructions are fine, I used them to make 2 quilts, but in the end it's rather plain being Amish all the time (remember no patterns :-).
Still it seems to be comprehensive and answer all of your questions except that I think it should have had some of the quilts as samples so we could see how the various pieces do fit together and look.It's a workmanlike book, not very inspired.

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Product Description:
Have you always loved the striking beauty of Amish quilts but couldn't find the time to make one? Unlike any other book out today, Amish Wall Quilts shows you how to make authentic replicas of Amish quilts on a reduced scale. Historian and quilter Rachel Thomas Pellman--a noted expert and author of many books on the Amish--shares her first-hand knowledge in this collection of glorious designs you can enjoy in today's modern settings.
· Choose from 15 projects that capture the stunning patterns and vibrant, solid colors historically used by the Amish
· Discover the distinct quiltmaking characteristics in three Amish communities, such as the free use of color in the Midwest and the emphasis on elaborate quilting in Lancaster County
· Learn fascinating details about Amish culture, language, dress, education, and the ways in which Amish women use quilting as a source of creative expression
Make your next quilt a vivid tribute to the true spirit of the Amish.

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Visual Coloring: A Foolproof Approach to Color-Rich Quilts [Paperback] Review

This is well produced book with lots of colour photos illustrating Joen's excellent colour sense. It is rather limited in scope, however.
After the introductory chapters on the usual analyses of good design features (fairly brief), the rest of the book illustrates basically one point. That is, you can analyse all the range of colour and value in a source photo to produce a quilt that resonates with the same colours and balance of contrast. Some of the quilts are stunning, particularly one of a bull, using mainly browns. It was seeing that in the 'excerpt'on amazon, that made me buy the book.

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Product Description:
Color expert Joen Wolfrom takes the mystery out of choosing just-right colors and fabrics with her visual coloring technique.

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Simple Stenciling-Dramatic Quilts: 85 Full-Size Stencil Patterns, 6 Projects [Paperback] Review

I was very pleased with the product and the delivery time. I will continue to shop Amazon.
Thanks.

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Product Description:
Customize the full-size scalable stencil patterns with paints and items from nature for use in simple pieced quilts and wearables - fun for all ages!

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