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Designing Explorations for the Creative Quilter

80 pp, paperback,  C&T Publishing
Katie Pasquinin Masopust’s latest book is a winner.

I have all of Katie’s books, going back to her Mandala-creation days, probably some 20 years ago.  Although I only know Katie from seeing her on occasion at shows, I know her through her work and books.  As her style grew over the years, so did mine.  However, she was always leaps and bounds ahead of my abilities and her work always inspired me.

Her latest book is a doorway into her latest approach to quilt design.  While the results of her designs are often translated into exquisite works, the instruction she shares genuinely encourages readers and quilt makers of any level to understand the concepts and apply them to their own work.
Taking the time to do the lessons can result in original work that can push you as an artist.

In the beginning of the book, Katies goes through tools and supplies, composition,  and color.  The “meat” of the book is methods of exploring design approaches through using paper, paint, and eventually fabric, should you want to convert a design exercise into a quilt.  The explorations include shapes, lines, details, repetition, blind painting, watercolor painting, watercolor vignettes, linear reflections, palette knife painting, and the freeze frame.

While there is a section on quilt construction, it’s  brief.  The designs you create, however, can be translated into whatever style you’re comfortable working in (for example, fusing).

Design Explorations gives you the tools to learn principales of design and apply them to your quilt making, regardless what technique you prefer.  if you have any interest at all in learning pushing yourself as an “art” quilt maker, get this book.

“To bring an idea to image you need first to have an idea.  Cultivating and enhancing your awareness of yourself and your world are essential.  Finding the things that make your heart sing and the ideas that rouse your passion is part of the journey of creativity.”

So starts Laura Cater-Woods’ new self-published book, “Idea to Image: Tempting Your Muse – a Guided Studio Workbook.” This 42 page book is not a how-to book, but rather a guide book, designed to be “dipped in and out of, begin at any point and tracked backwards.”  It gently directs you to follow your unique journey to see what makes your creativity tick.  She encourages the use of a journal, or multiple journals, to record snippets of ideas, big and small.  She explains design elements and principals while encouraging your awareness of them.  She flows into learning to be in the moment, if even only for certain periods during the day.  A variety of exercises are included.  The book includes several photos of Laura’s soothing and beautiful work, which seems to echo the calm and quiet encouragement to slow down and take in the world around you.  It also includes quotes — food for additional thought.

“The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks, and then starting the first one.” – Mark Twain

Personally … my muse is often stubborn, and it needs a good kick in the pants to show some life.  Then again, I often need a good kick to chill.  To relax.  To slow down.  I’ve admired Laura’s work for a long time, and I like curling up in my favorite LaZBoy chair to read and absorb her words and to look at her soothing work.  The chair happens to be in my office, and happens to face my computers, ever on and temping me to come over and work just a bit more.  Laura’s book is now on top of one of my journals near my favorite chair.  At the end of the day, I’m on my chair, putting my feet up on my other favorite chair, and I’m paging through her book.  Then I’m reflecting, sketching, writing, and, can it be?  Relaxing?  Experiencing a semi-state of happy?   Good job, Laura!

Visit Laura’s site to purchase the book.  While there, sign up for her free newsletter.

I’ve added reviews of several books that directly relate to journaling, in paper and in fabric. While there are certainly other titles, these will get you started. I also added information about Ruth Issett’s Print, Pattern & Colour. It’s a beautiful book, filled with gorgeous color and a wide array of ideas for creating original print designs on paper and fabric. Visit What’s New Review for more information.