Tuesday
June 6th
2006

Off the Bookshelf—A Perfect Union

A Perfect Union…,
by Darlene Christopherson

A Perfect Union of Patchwork and Applique is one of those books that’s a great reference, and worth far more than first glance would suggest. Darlene combines patchwork and applique blocks in creative perfection, and fills the book with explicit instructions and guides to help you create your own “perfect union” quilt. Instructions are included for 18 applique blocks and 26 variations of three traditional pieced blocks, including machine and hand piecing directions, as well as sashing and border options. The applique patterns are truly beautiful, Read the rest of this entry »

Favorite Things: Infinite Feathers Quilting Design Book and Template

Infinite Feathers,
by Anita Shackelford

If you’re interested in feather quilting, you won’t want to miss this one! Anita Shackelford takes you on a feather odyssey in Infinite Feathers: Quilt Designs, and introduces you to her indispensable companion tool, the Infinite Feathers Quilting Design Template. Feather quilting seems to be the hallmark of really intricate and detailed heirloom quilts, and it can be rather intimidating to consider quilting feathers whether by hand or machine, not to mention drawing your own feather designs. Anita makes it an easy, step-by-step

Infinite Feathers Quilting Design Template

process with her detailed instructions and creative ideas for using the Feather Template to draw your own designs to fit any space on your quilt. There are also lots of ready to use designs included in the back of the book. I’ve used Anita’s designs, methods and template on three of my large quilts, FeatherGlow, Material Marquetry and Stars In My Hand, as well as other smaller projects.

Off the Bookshelf—Color Confidence for Quilters

Color Confidence For Quilters,
by Jinny Beyer

After posting Choosing Fabrics for the Next Quilt, it seems an appropriate time for a review of Color Confidence for Quilters by Jinny Beyer. I actually took the class from Jinny in 1996 in Lyon, France at the Quilt Expo. She was really great. Don’t worry if you can’t get to the workshop in person though, because her book is extremely thorough. As I mentioned in my previous post about choosing fabrics, I was already choosing fabrics and colors in much the same way she does before I took her class or read her book. However, after absorbing her method, Read the rest of this entry »