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May -2005 Book Selection: Paintstiks on Fabric, Simple Techniques, Fantastic Results, by Shelly Stokes
Fast, Fun & Easy Fabric Bowls: 5 Reversible Shapes to Use and Display
By Linda Johansen (47 pages, C&T Publishing)
By using fabrics, stabilizer, and threads, Linda guides you through the process of making fabric bowls. They are so much fun to make that you'll find yourself wanting to make another and another and another. Great fun and highly recommended!
Thinking Outside the Block: Step by Step to Dynamic Quilts
By Sandi Cummings and Karen Flamme (96 pages, C&T Publishing)
Allow Sandi and Karen to help you stretch the ordinary quilt design into the extraordinary. By using a series of concepts, each building upon the next, you can transform traditional blocks into dynamic and artistic quilts. While the gallery of quilts offer plenty of inspiration, it's the clear explanations and illustrations, the no-rules approach, and continual "just try it" attitude that makes this book a winner.
Ricky Tims' Convergency Quilts, Mysterious, Magical, Easy, and Fun
By Ricky Tims (80 pages, C&T Publishing)
His concept is simple: take at least two feature fabrics, cut them into strips of specified widths, sew them together, cut them apart again and sew them into a quilt top. Yet the results are stunning. Beginners wanting to try something a bit more artistic will enjoy this book and more advanced quiltmakers will enjoy incorporating some of his concepts into their work.
Off-The-Shelf Fabric Painting: 30 Simple Recipes for Gourmet Results
By Sue Beevers (96 pages, C&T Publishing)
I've been painting and dyeing fabrics for nearly 15 years, and I wish this book was around when I started. It's loaded with ideas - everything from preparing your paints and simple techniques likes splatters and splashes, lines, basic textures, salting, and sunprinting to various print techniques (such as spong stamping, stenciling, and masking) and resist techniques. It includes a troubleshooting guide, too.
250 Continuous Line Quilting Designs for Hand, Machine & Long-Arm Quilters,
by Laura Lee Fritz (80 pages; C&T Publishing)
 After some ideas on what you can do with the designs—such as sizing, transferring, and hints for repeating images—this book is loaded with inspiring line drawings that can easily enhance any quilt top. Designs include home and garden, sewing notions, nature, sports themese, birds, animals, and fish motifs along with a selection of various textures. This book is destined to be a timeless treasure that quilters will refer to over and over for quilting ideas. Laura Lee is onto something very good with this book, and I suspect we’ll see more of her designs in the future.
Show Me How to Machine Quilt, a Fun, No-Mark Approach,
by Kathy Sandback (64 pages, C&T Publishing)
 Kathy’s friendly guide to no-mark machine quilting is perfect for beginners. She provides the basics on the quiltmaking process, offers trouble-shooting tips, a handful of projects, and 14 pages of “no-mark” quilting designs. Kathy encourages you to add spontaneity and fun to your machine quilting.
Laurel Burch Quilts Kindred Creatures, 12 Projects for Applique and maindbment
by Laurel Burch (95 pages; C&T Publishing)
Amazon: ASIN/1571201602
 This colorful book immediately draws you into Laurel Burch’s whimsical world of kindred creatures. There are patterns for folkloric flutter-byes, hearts filled with love rainbow friends, mythical dogs, feline fairies, and other fanciful creatures. Laurel walks you through a selection of techniques where she explains her appliqué process, painting and drawing tips, and stitching ideas. Full size pattern sheets are included. This book will help you to create your own festive Laurel-like quilts.
Strips ‘n Curves, A New Spin on Strip Piecing,
by Louisa L. Smith (96 pages; C&T Publishing)
Amazon: ASIN/1571201688
 The book is filled with sophisticated and stunning examples of quilts using Louisa’s technique of combining basic strip piecing with gentle curved shapes. At first glance, the quilts seem beyond the scope of a beginner. But, not so. While looking complicated, the quilts are actually straight-forward to construct. Louisa includes complete instructions, three projects, and addition design ideas. If you’re goal is to make some breathtaking quilts, take a look at this book.
Quilting Curves, An Innovative Technique for Machine-Piecing Curves with Incredible Ease
by Vikki Pignatelli (141 pages; The Quilt Digest Press)
Vikki shares an innovative way to construct curves perfect for machine quilters. Using her technique, which she calls “topstitch piecing,” you can create twisting curves and sharp points without the normal headaches associated with this type of work. She includes several complete patterns, information on three-dimensional effects, borders and bindings, free-motion stitching, and a detailed chapter on designing your own quilt top. This though-provoking, invigorating book is the next best thing to having a private workshop with Vikki.
Color Play: Easy Steps to Imaginative Color in Quilts
by Joen Wolfrom
Yummy Yellows. Gorgeous Greens. Blissful Blues. Rambunctious Reds. These are just some of juicy chapter headings for the 24 colors that Joen thoroughly explains and illustrates with computer-generated patterns, gorgeous quilts, and nature photographs. Learn about the diversity of color and how to create and control depth, luminosity, luster, shadow, highlights, and transparency in your work. A visual delight and timeless reference, I highly recommend this book.
Free-Style Quilts: A "No Rules" Approach
by Susan E. Carlson
 Using Susan's easy-to-understand "no-rules approach," the premise for creating a fabric collage is simple: Cut fabric the size and shape you want, tack it in place with glue, keep adding fabrics until you have the desired image, and machine quilt. The results are spectacular. Susan shares a gallery of her underwater landscapes, fish, and portraits, an inspiring student gallery, three different patterns for you to try, and a chapter detailing how Susan went from an idea to a finished quilt. If you're yearning to break free and create collaged quilts, this book will show you the way.
The Quilted Garden, Design & Make Nature-Inspired Quilts
by Jane A. Sassaman
 This captivating book is a delightful experience into the artistic world of Jane Sassaman who writes, "In working with colorful fabrics cut into dramatic shapes, I attempt to express the energy and mystery of our amazing universe . . . I want to dazzle the viewer, to snap them out of a mundane routine, and remind them that they are a part of a bigger comic picture." Dazzle the viewer she does with a gallery of over 60 striking quilts that boldly celebrate garden flowers and plants and with descriptions of what inspires her and how she claims and nutures her creativity. But this book does more than dazzle; it instructs. Jane not only discusses design, but she offers exercises in simplifying what you see, conscious arrangements, stylizing, and adding depth and interest to your design; she includes two projects that detail raw-edge or turned-edge applique and surface embroidery by machine; and Jane walks you through the steps of a formal quilt project. This impressive book is a grand addition to your quilting library.
Quilt Studio: Innovative Techniques for Confident and Creative Quiltmaking and Design
by Pauline Burbidge
 This terrific full-color book is the next best thing to having an extended period of study with master quiltermaker Paul Burbidge in her Scottish Borders' studio. Part One explains the techniques that Pauline uses in her work. She offers "workshops" in piecing, applique, quilting, and fabric dyeing and painting designed to help you master essential skills. Part Two focuses on design and is divided into project workshops that includes strip piecing, color and image collecting, geometric 3-D design, pattern and repeated block, paper collage and fabric collage, and works in progress. There is also a fascinating interview of Pauline by Penny McMorris. This impressive book is so crammed with information that I suspect you will pull it from your shelves to peruse, as I do, on days when you're looking for inspiration.
For ordering information,
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Pieced Flowers
by Ruth B. McDowell
This attractive book features illustrations, photos, and patterns for lovely pieced flower designs such as a rose, daisy, iris, morning glory, day lily, and hollyhock. Instructions for piecing curved seams, inset seams, z-seams, y-seams, freeze paper techniques are included.
Floral Stitches: An Illustrated Guide to Floral Stitchery
by Judith Baker Montano
 Judith details how to stitch over fifty elegant floral designs in this lavishly illustrated, warm and welcoming book. She includes a collection of botanical shapes, alphabets and monograms, and crazy-quilt combinations. Judith discusses color, mixed mediums (such as adding paint to your fabric background), and framing ideas. The fitting finale is a collection of exceptional stitcheries, sketches, and stories in Free-Form Embroidery, a chapter that is sure to inspire. This is a lovely book on its own and a wonderful companion to Judith's Elegant Stitches.
The Art of Classic Quitmaking
By, Harriet Hargrave and Sharyn Craig
 Harriet Hargrave and Sharyn Craig are both exceptional quiltmakers and gifted teachers. This full-color book pools their collective skills into a quilting reference that every traditional quiltmaker should own. It features more than 80 quilts and includes generous step-by-step instructions with exceptional illustrations that thoroughly teaches the art of quiltmaking. You'll find information on selecting, collecting, and caring for fabric; work area and storage ideas; sewing machine and other equipment info; pattern drafting; designing borders and quilts; yardage calculations; cutting techniques (including how to cut an assortment of shapes using a rotary cutter); piecing techniques; and much more. You'll also find an abundance of helpful tips and insight. There is so much useful knowledge and so many beautiful projects packed into its pages that any quiltmaker, no matter what level of experience, will treasure this book.
Quilts from Europe
By, Gül Laporte
With one glance, I was pulled in and fascinated by this unique book that features 14 contemporary European quiltmakers. Each quiltmaker is profiled and a gallery of work is displayed. In addition, each quiltmaker shares a project that details interesting techniques and insights as to how other quilts were constructed. The layout of the book is stunning--beautiful, rich color and crisp, clear photographs. It's a joy to look at as well as to read. Quilts from Europe is a wonderful addition to any quiltmaker's library.
RX for Quilters, Stitcher Friendly Advice for Every Body
By, Susan Delaney Mech, M.D.
 Although this book is directed at quilters, any person doing any type of repetitive activity can benefit from the wealth of sensible advice offered in this little gem of a book. The tone is friendly, not preachy. The advice sound, not off-the-wall or a struggle to implement. The book's information is wide in scope--covering everything from back, neck, and eye health to time management, healthy eating, and simple exercise--and its presentation is in an easy-to-follow format. My favorite piece of advice from Dr. Susan Delaney Mech is taking a 10 minute break every hour--it's good for your body and can make you 25% more
productive. My advice is to get this book for yourself and for those you care about.
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