The Gentle Art Of Quiltmaking

Create totally unique quilts for family and friends Stunning inspirational photography throughout Discover how to quilt and design with confidence The Gentle Art of Quilt-Making is a charming, inspirational and practical collection of 15 quilts for would-be quilters by leading author Jane Brocket. There’s a Russian Shawl Quilt, inspired by traditional motifs of Russian folk art, a Floral Frocks Quilt inspired by summer dresses, flower gardens and herbaceous borders and a Suits and Ties Quilt reusing sober woollen suiting contrasting with extravagant silk ties designed in an Irish Chain. Finally, a practical section covers all the knowledge you’ll need – from chainpiecing, hand-quilting and sandwiching to binding, storage and caring for your quilt. Armed with the design tools, you can embark on your quilting journey and begin creating your own personal masterpiece.

With an emphasis on Jane Brocket's 'gentle' approach to craft, this book celebrates the simple act and very enjoyable pleasures of stitching. In a collection of more than 40 projects, Jane will show you how to make simple, stylish, and eye-catching pieces for your home. Whatever you choose to make, from quilts and samplers to needlepoint pin cushions and stitched greetings cards, Jane's unique take on stitching will ensure that the creative process is as enjoyable as seeing the finished object. The author's text and photographs outline her inspiration for each project, and includes her top tips on the best places to find fabrics, ribbon, buttons and everything else you need to create beautiful, gentle stitching. With techniques as varied as Japanese Sashiko, kantha quilting, traditional cross stitch and modern day 'crinoline ladies’, there is something here for every keen stitcher. Word count: 50,000

Create beautiful landscape quilts using strips and scraps with these 15 lovely projects! In Lovely Landscape Quilts, Cathy Geier walks you through the process of creating amazing landscape quilts using simple techniques that anyone can try. Learn how to find inspiration and choose you fabrics, how to design and lay out your quilt, and how to use angles to create skies, water, hills and mountains. Learn tricks for embellishing your quilts with applique, marker and fabric to create shadows and highlights that will give your landscape quilts depth and perspective. Finally, learn the tips for finishing and quilting before trying any of the 15 beautiful projects designed by Cathy.

Secrets for quilting success are presented through a variety of techniques, exercises, and insider tips to inspire novice quilters and experienced textile artists to make genuine works of art. Simplifying the basic fundamentals of art and teaching the underlying principles of the visual language, this guide explores texture, shape, line, color, and value with examples and hands-on exercises. Essential principles--such as focal point, balance, repetition, scale, and space--are paired with creativity exercises while guest essays, guest artwork, and inspiring artwork from the author allow readers to analyze how other artists utilize key artistic elements or principles and see how to successfully use these elements in their own work. Both a personal creativity coach and a guide for a hobbyist or professional artist, this reference clarifies quilting goals and takes the craft to the next level through design and composition.

An exciting new title from the leading quilt author, Quilt Me! celebrates Jane Brocket’s liberated, joyous, colourful approach to quilting using wonderful fabrics and simple shapes and patterns to create stunning effects. Taking ‘inspirational fabrics’ as its starting point, the book explores not only the designs available in cotton, made-for-the-market quilt/patchwork fabrics, but also moves into a new realm of alternative fabrics that can be used to make beautiful, practical, usable quilts. It is as if a quilt-maker has walked into the haberdasher’s of her dreams and has explored the many possibilities that traditional fabrics offer, fabrics such as ticking, linen, gingham, tweed, tartan, suiting, shirting, velvet, silk and calico. With clear instructions for a fantastic variety of quilts, Quilt Me! recreates the excitement, known to all quilters, of rummaging through a new stash of fabrics. The author describes the joy to be found in a wonderful colour scheme, design or pattern, as well as the aesthetic and practical advantages of making the most of what we find in traditional fabric shops and in our textile heritage, finding alternatives to quilt cottons, and casting a new eye over fabrics made for other purposes such as clothes, curtains, upholstery and interior decoration.

As a best-selling author and teacher, Katie draws on her two passions-art studies and art quilts-to create abstract quilts that are inspired by still life compositions. In this book you'll learn how you can assemble a still life arrangement from your favorite items at home and transform it into an art quilt, even if you've never considered yourself to be an artist. With Katie by your side, you will succeed!

“With its diverse selection of fabrics and designs, A Quilting Life is a fine pick for any quilter looking to produce family-oriented keepsake results.” —The Needlecraft Shelf Bring the handmade tradition home with these charming quilts and home accessories. Inspired by a grandmother who loved to sew for her family, quilter and blogger Sherri McConnell gives traditional patterns like hexagons, stars, snowballs, and Dresden Plates a new look featuring fabrics by some of today’s most popular designers. Nineteen cozy projects include pillows, tote bags, table runners, and larger quilts—quick and easy designs that make great gifts. “Sherri’s book is a treasure! It’s full of fun and straight-forward patterns for quilts, table toppers, pillows, bags and more—all the goodies to make a cozy home.” —Thimbleanna “Would you like the opportunity to make tomorrow’s heirlooms in today’s vast selection of prints? . . . If so, this could be the reference book that will get you started. There are 19 projects, mainly focusing on handmade household items but including some larger quilts too.” —Fabrications Quilting for You “Beautiful inspiration if you are a seasoned quilter, but also a great resource with clear and in some cases, simple patterns for newbies as well.” —Diary of a Quilter “Color photos of finished needlework projects accompany step-by-step diagrams and assembly patterns, while at-a-glance sidebars covering materials and cutting allow needleworkers to gauge the complexity of each project.” —The Needlecraft Shelf

This collection of poems that tell the story of the quilt-making community in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, is now available as a Dragonfly paperback. For generations, the women of Gee’s Bend have made quilts to keep a family warm, as a pastime accompanied by sharing and singing, or to memorialize loved ones. Today, the same quilts hang on museum walls as modern masterpieces of color and design. Inspired by these quilts and the women who made them, award-winning author Patricia C. McKissack traveled to Alabama to learn their stories. The lyrical rite-of-passage narrative that is the result of her journey seamlessly weaves together the familial, cultural, spiritual, and historical strands of life in this community.

Jennifer Chiaverini's bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series continues with The Winding Ways Quilt, in which the arrival of newcomers into the circle of quilters heralds unexpected journeys down pathways near and far. Quilters have flocked to Elm Creek Manor to learn from Master Quilter Sylvia Compson and her expert colleagues. There's Sarah, Sylvia's onetime apprentice who's paired her quilting accomplishments with a mind for running the business of Elm Creek Quilts; Agnes, who has a gift for appliqué; Gwen, who stitches innovative art quilts; Diane, a whiz at the technicalities of quick-piecing; and Bonnie, with her encyclopedic knowledge of folk art patterns. But with Judy and Summer, two other founding members of the Elm Creek Quilters, departing to pursue other opportunities, will the new teachers be able to fill in the gaps created by the loss of their expertise—and more important, their friendship? "When I think of all the different paths I could have followed in my life, all the twists and turns that could have led me anywhere," muses incoming teacher Gretchen, "it's something of a miracle that I ended up here, surrounded by loving friends." But what of friends departed? As Sylvia contemplates a tribute to the partnership of the Elm Creek Quilters, she is reminded of a traditional quilt pattern whose curved pieces symbolize a journey. Winding Ways, a mosaic of overlapping circles and intertwining curves, would capture the spirit of their friendship at the moment of its transformation. Will Sylvia's choice inspire the founding members to remember that each is a unique part of a magnificent whole? Will the newcomers find ways to contribute, and to earn their place? The Winding Ways Quilt considers the complicated, often hidden meanings of presence and absence, and what change can mean for those who have come to rely upon one another.

How to get from "start" to "art" Make treasured art quilts from bits of cloth, stitched motifs, and painted details. Dip your toes into the world of art quilting with mixed-media techniques, practice exercises, checklists, and work-along projects presented using 8 design guides. This visual, step-by-step guide will help you unlock your own artistic vision as you quilt in a series, finish small art pieces, and incorporate meaningful symbols into your work. • Tap into your creative muse! Art quilt inspiration, techniques, and checklists presented in 8 easy-to-use design guides • Uncomplicated, visual guide to fabric collage with practice pieces to help you gain expertise • Tell your own artistic story with colors, materials, and beloved symbols