Stitched with Love: A Mother's Quilting Legacy; with CD-ROM [Illustrated] [Paperback] Review

Here are some excerpts from my review of this book. You can see the complete review on the Quilter's Review website.
"...'Stitched With Love' includes clear how-to instructions and recipes. Not only do you see photos of quilts, you see these cute quilts in rooms showing the other projects included in this book. The beautiful double-page photos by Mark Packo make you think you are looking at a decorating magazine instead of a quilting book...."
"Robyn's easy applique patterns look real nice in her vintage fabrics, but I would like to make the quilts in bright colors for baby shower gifts. She anticipated this by including a nursery brights palette along with a country colors palette and a contemporary fabrics palette.
"There's also a teaching video on the CD-ROM, in which Robyn shows her method of needle-turn applique step by step. The best part of this video is that each step is a separate mini-video, making it easy to repeatedly watch just the pieces on which you need clarification...."

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Product Description:
A designer shares her love of handwork and the traditions that have passed from grandmother and mother to daughter and granddaughter in this endearing family collection of country-style needlecraft projects.Gifts to make for weddings, babies, children, and holidays include quilts, pillows, and tablecloths. Bringing the collection right up to date, a CD-ROM is packaged with the book, offering printable patterns that can be customized easily to resize or recolor on a computer screen-plus a virtual step-by-step appliqu class given by the author.

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Quilts Among the Plain People (People's Place Booklet No. 4)) [Paperback] Review

No color, no patterns, no quilt specifics.Just general Amish-info.Mostly talks about present-day quilting for sales to tourists, polester batts and poly-cotton fabrics, as though more traditional quilts are just history.
If you're a quilter, spend a few dollars more to own intriguing and satisfying books --e.g, *****Amish Crib Quilts from the Midwest: 90 color photos which clearly show every great color combination and quilting pattern + dimension, date, fabric info, etc. Any quilt pictured can go straight to big-bed size w/ application of a little arithmetic.Also gives us a new appreciation of cotton chambrays & simple warm baby quilts.

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Product Description:
Discover why so many Amish and Mennonites, committed to a simple life, make beautiful quilts. This book looks at quilting in plain communities and the possible origins of quilt patterns popular among the Amish and Mennonites.

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336 Ten-Minute Quilt Blocks: to Foundation-Piece, Quick-Piece, NoSew Applique, Stamp, Stencil, Paint & Embellish [Paperback] Review

I purchased this book, sight unseen, because I am a collector of quilt block books. I love reviewing the books and planning my next project, this book, claiming to have '336' quilt blocks seemed to be ideal. Well, I was wrong. Dead Wrong.
The layout of this book is TERRIBLE. It features six eye-poppingly colorful blocks per page which most of which are not pieced, but are merely DRAWN. There are illustrations which claim to be patterns but there are no actual measurements included. Sure, this looks good....But...The reader is left wondering how to put it all together.
I think it is disingenuous NOT to show completed pieced blocks in a quilt block book or measurements. I probably will try to put a couple of the "Tree" blocks together, but I think it will be challenging.
Recommended: No. A good 'idea' book, but not for careful piecers, and certainly NOT easy to complete in 10 minutes!

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Product Description:
These 336 quilt blocks use the simplest techniques-many don't even require sewing. Try iron-on appliqué; stamped, stenciled, and painted designs; photo transferring; stitched foundation-piecing; or quick-pieced blocks. Embellish the block with potpourri, postage stamps, and keepsakes. Choose from dozens of patterns-flowers, hearts, animals, and more.


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Jelly Roll Quilts (Quilting) [Paperback] Review

If you need a quick quilt pattern, but one that's more than just squares sewn together, this is the book for you!

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Product Description:
Creating a quilt is so much easier than imagined with Jelly Roll strips. With a Jelly Roll of 2 1/2 inch fabric strips, a fun quilt can be made in much less time. This new book from House of White Birches is perfect for beginners or an experienced quilter who needs a quick and easy project. A cutting chart is included for each quilt. Skill level: Beginner. 16 pages, all color

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Quick Colorful Quilts [Paperback] Review

I like this book a lot.It's got great colors and pictures and patterns in it.Would recommend.

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Product Description:
This gloriously colorful book is packed with inspiration-and 15 projects for beginners (or more experienced quilters looking for a manageable weekend undertaking).
Veteran quiltmaker and teacher Rosemary Wilkinson, and her quilting friends, give all the information a beginner hopes for-from basic background (how to select fabrics with different tonal values, which hoops and frames work best, what equipment is essential, and so on) to each step through a quilt (proper cutting techniques, chain-piecing, adding borders, and more). The friendly pages are full of diagrams, eliminating all fear of confusion and uncertainty. And all fabric yardages are clearly stated.
The 15 projects are divided into three sections: "Fresh Colors," "Vivid Colors," and "Bright Colors." In keeping with the book's promise to be colorful, each quilt pattern includes four alternative color schemes to the fully completed, featured one. There is no end to the inspiration this irresistibly inviting book offers.
In addition, dozens of Tips and Notes from these quilting experts are scattered throughout the book, making this a treasure all quilters should have in their libraries.

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The United States Patchwork Pattern Book [Paperback] Review

I purchased this book to assist me in making better quilt blocks. However, I was very disappointed that block measurements were NOT given. Block patterns were supposed to be transferred to fabric, but did not include the measurements of each section. This was frustrating if you are a careful piecer and want to make sure each block is the correct size and don't like to trace. Instead, the piecer is forced to trace every section, which isn't practical for larger-sized quilts.
The lack of block dimensions made this book frustrating for me.I would recommend it only for people who like to trace, and don't mind the extra chore of photocopying the patterns, adding seam allowances etcetera before getting started.

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Product Description:
Only complete collection available of one of best-known quilt series ever-Hearth & Home's States-of-the-Union series; reprints all 48 quilt blocks of the 1907 series, plus those for Alaska and Hawaii from related series.


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Jelly Roll Quilts & More [Illustrated] [Paperback] Review

This book offers a different approach than many of those currently out there on the market, and I found it to be a refreshing change. It reads a little bit like a blog & goes in a similar (but not identical) personal/chatty direction that a famously exuberant male quilter used in his magazine. But it's all Kimberly Einmo. Her unique voice comes across loud and clear. There are tons of us out here who really respond to that. Even my totally nonquilter, non-artistic-in-any-way-shape-or-form sister was impressed. She said that looking through the book gave her more of a sense of what I go through to assemble a quilt, but in a way that made sense even to her. And she liked the recipe for Nuts & Bolts!

I think many quilters are looking for this type of approach to quilting, and Ms. Einmo is "a right person at the right time" to help the process along. If I were a brand new quilter (I'm probably "intermediate"), I would not be intimidated by the book. I'd be encouraged to try some of the quilts, feeling that, as the author says in her introduction, that I had a friend who knew what she was doing right by my side as I worked.

The book appeals to more experienced quilters as well. I'd be willing to bet those quilters will love the quilt designs and be able to find tips that will make their quilting life easier and their quilty outlook refreshed. The fact that the quilt designs don't look "dumbed down" because they employ pre-cuts is huge. I can see an experienced quilter enjoying the simplicity of using pre-cuts, but also enjoying the fact that the resulting quilts don't LOOK simplistic.

Although you don't need to use the tools recommended by the author (a triangle/flying geese ruler and a ruler designed especially for pre-cuts), they are very helpful, making the subcuts so much easier.One of the other many thoughtful touches is that directions are also provided for those who want to use fabric from their stash instead of (or in addition to) the pre-cuts.

Useful book, fresh approach, great tips, very nice designs and impeccable, well thought out directions.Buy it and enjoy!

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Product Description:
Turn those enticing fabric bundles into a baker's dozen of fun, fast, fabulous quilts! Love the quilts but don't have just the right precut fabric pack? Kimberly provides alternate yardage requirements for every quilt. Beginner's paradise! Kimberly cleverly combines basic units to create one-of-a-kind designs that may look complex but are easy to assemble. These dynamic quilts are perfect for quilters of all skill levels and are easily adaptable for weekend projects. As your very own personal quilting coach, Kimberly's signature 'Try This!' sections offer creative ideas, design suggestions, humorous stories, anecdotes, and tasty recipes. She'll share all sorts of fast and efficient piecing techniques guaranteed to improve your accuracy while saving you time and fabric!

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Layer Cake, Jelly Roll & Charm Quilts [Paperback] Review

I just got the book in the mail, sat down and went through it and I love almost every pattern!! The patterns are origial, bright, and most of them are easy to intermediate. I have the first book and while I like it, I can see already that this book will get used more. If aready started on the flower quilt made with two charm packs.

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Product Description:
Jelly Roll, Layer Cake and Charm Quilts provides seventeen beautiful projects that show you how to get the most from pre-cut fabric bundles. The projects range from smaller lap quilts to full-sized bed quilts and each is made from one jelly roll, layer cake or charm pack (or a combination), making the quilts quick and economical. Using the latest fabrics, the authors provide a main quilt and an alternative color way for added versatility. Simple step-by-step instructions and illustrations make creating quilts from bundles fun and easy, regardless of your skill level.

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Jelly Roll Quilts [Paperback] Review

I'm an experienced quilter, and teach new quilters, so I'm always on the lookout for a book I can confidently recommend.The patterns are easy to follow, but unless you know what you are doing, you're going to run into trouble.So far, I've only tried the Garden Trellis pattern.I followed the instructions to sew the tube, and came to the point where I had to cut the triangles.The instructions were very explicit on lining the template up on the seams, but did not point out that the triangle template needed to be lined up 1/4" down the tube, not at the end or your blocks would come out too small....something I should have known to do, but totally missed it my first time around.Also something a beginner would have no clue about.

None of the patterns give fabric requirements for backing fabric. Unless you know how to calculate the yardage for the backing, and how to piece a backing, a beginner will be extremely frustrated.Backing is totally missing from the General Techniques section in the back of the book.

My recommendation.....Go for it!....but be very mindful of the minute details, and DON'T FORGET TO BUY THE BACKING!!!

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Product Description:
Jelly rolls are the new fat quarter bundle! They consist of 2 ½ inch strips of color-coordinated fabric, rolled up to create a solid disk and tied with a ribbon. Jelly Roll Quilts is the first book to show quilters the best ways to use these desirable, laborsaving fabric packs. The author shows how to make 15 quilts; each perfectly suited to the color-coordinated jelly rolls and includes variations in color, style and size for each project. Jelly roll quilts are suitable for quilters of all skill levels, especially those quilters with a passion for a variety of fabrics. With names like Bars of Gold and Blue Lagoon, the quilts demonstrated in Jelly Roll Quilts are on the cutting edge of the craft.

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