Quilting Books

I have been quilting for a while and have seen many a (children's) quilt book and none have come as close as this as being inspiring, well-put together and with such great instructions, that it's hard to make a mistake. I made the Doggie In Flight quilt for my son and he sooo treasures it, both sides of it. I am making the ladybug one and plan to make the camping one for my older boy. I've had this book a few years and whenever I feel blue and uninspired, I just pick Jennifer's book up and my day is brightened.

In addition, Jennifer has designed some awesome fabrics that really give a quilt that quality look. I sometimes lack confidence in my color and blending choices, but this book makes it "kid's play".

EVERY quilt is wonderful (usually not all in a quilt book, maybe 2 or 3 are great and the others so-so). Even if you don't have children it's a nice book to have because, well, someone is usually having a baby, or child's birthday, etc. Some of the quilts are more difficult than others, but the instructions are straight forward. Besides the featured projects the book has lots and lots of quilts as display and inspiration, so no, not all the quilts come with instructions, just the featured quilt projects. But it gives one the opportunity to look at color choices and a similar pattern if you like the quilt used as decor. The bonus is that there are many decorating ideas (for those who need it, like me).

Jennifer, you and your sister did a fantastic job. Please come out with another book, my boys are getting older!

I received this book from my sister who is helping me decorate the nursury for my baby due in September. I needed inspiration and found it here in this lovely and beautiful book. I hadn't thought of creating a room around a quilt, but that is the approach in this book. I chose to create a variation on the little red hen room as it suited the style of my home.

I found the directions for the quilt clear and the designer touches full of practial information. This is a great book full of great ideas. I recommend it highly!

This book is a darling, inspirational book on nursery decorating. It is based on designs with the baby quilt as the central focal point. There are lots of tips on room color and ideas on furniture to use, etc. I think the ideas may be challenging to create for people who don't sew or paint (aren't crafters), but the book is lovely and has a wonderful inspirational value which anyone decorating a nursery should enjoy. Jennifer Sampou designs fabric for Koffman, so look for her 100% cotton fabrics in quilting fabric stores! They are also lovely!

Pay special attention to the subtitle of this book. It is mainly a decorating book, including one quilt in each room. Sometimes there are no directions for the quilt. Jennifer has been designing fabrics I love for a long time. She is joined by her sister, a painter, for this project. There are some clever ideas and some where you will think, "Are they kidding?" The rooms are gorgeous, but frankly, my children would have reduced them to rubble in a few short weeks. Many of the ideas are adaptable to guest rooms or for incorporation into more practical environments. Some ideas are silly, but then we expect a certain amount of that from decorators and prefer to dream about that life where we might actually live in rooms like these.

Print photos, artwork, or any other images onto cotton with your desktop printer! It's totally safe for the printer, and it looks amazing. I couldn't believe the detail that comes out on the fabric. Think of it... you can scan or photocopy ancient Arabic tilework, rare Indian textile patterns, clip art, or a treasured photo -- and print it onto the fabric to be used in your next project. I had a CD of Chinese artwork that I printed onto the paper-backed fabric sheets and it was sooooo nice.

The projects Livia McRee designed for this book are gorgeous and some of them are pretty *crafty.* I especially like the wall-hanging mail holder with vintage stamp artwork and quilted pockets for envelopes, pencils, etc. The illustrated steps and easy to follow instructions help a lot, and there's beautiful free artwork inside for scanning. The animals for the baby-quilt are sooo cute!

Anyway, whether you fancy yourself the next Martha or you just want to make a little quilted picture frame, this book is packed with fun ideas. And the printable Instant Fabric is really amazing. The author also has a web site that features some more resources for the book as well as other kinds of projects at www.liviamcree.com. Enjoy!

I didn't think that the printer fabric would work--but it does. This book also supplies great art for scanning or color-copying. I especially liked the ADORABLE baby quilt animals. That's my next project!

Instant Fabric is a wonderful resourse for those of us who wish to start actually using our computer for what we do most. It is a practical place to start and has many wonderful ideas. Instant fabric acts as a springboard for the home artist! I had just begun to open the book and already could not wait to see the results of my work. This book will definately get alot of use. Buy your friends a copy because you won't want to share yours!

The cover on this book doesn't do it justice. Although there are beautiful quilts inside, the really great pieces are the home decorating projects like the hanging mail holder -- and the artwork is provided inside!

The photographs inside are all full color and they're not shot straight on... they're more styled. The authors bio says she used to contribute to Handcraft Illustrated, I loved that magazine! She also has links to printer ink and other goodies on her site [www.liviamcree.com].

The printer fabric really works, you can print or photocopy anything onto the fabric. I can't recommend this book enough if you are looking for new and exciting ways to quilt!

This is a must for any cat or dog lover. I don't usually paper piece but I couldn't resist some of these designs for my animal loving family. 2 Cats on the fence sharing the moonlight made a great anniversary gift for my parents - was easy to do and turned out perfectly. The dachshunds are next on my list for my neice.

This book is one of the better ones that I own and will definitely be one of my 'favorites'. The designs have a lot of eye appeal and are refreshing. The patterns are easy to trace and because of its simplicity, very easy to enlarge or decrease in size. Because of this, customizing your project is a breeze. I just received it and have 'shared' it (but haven't let it out of my sight yet. :-) ) with my sister and couple of friends. They too have gotten excited over the fun, whimsical designs. Get the book...you won't be disappointed! Am look'g fwd to purchasing more books by Janet Kime in the near future. Aloha!

This book has detailed colored pictures of all projects, and patterns that INCLUDE the seam allowance (my 2 most important factors in buying a paper piecing book).

Each project lists all the pertinent information you might require (i.e. quilt size, block size, fabric requirements, fabric cutting sizes). There are lots of tips and how-to's throughout the book, and "personalization" ideas are included for a number of the projects. The projects themselves are absolutely adorable.

Only one project in the book looked like it might be on the difficult side (Hanging BasKats) - the rest looked like they would be doable by most people with a little bit of sewing experience.

The color project pictures are all at the front, separate from the pattern/instruction pages, so it's sometimes necessary to go to the front of the book when working. Each project does clearly state where the colored photo is, but it would have been nice to have the color project photo WITH the project.

I certainly look forward to buying more books from this author and fellow cat lover :).

I loved the way Janet Klime came up with cat quilts that are not cutesy or countrified, but rather some that are funky and even, in the case of the Siamese, sophisticated. The dog designs are great, too, but some of them do lean a little to the cute side. There are lots of different styles to choose from, so everyone is bound to find something that they like in this book. The designs are simple, unlike some paper pieced patterns with 33 pieces to a block. I completed a two-cat design called "tryst" (two cats with entwined tails) in about two hours with NO ripping out! I know that I will actually USE this book many times over, rather than just keeping it on my quilt book shelf. Have already purchased the fabric for the gorgeous Siamese!

I like Country. I have never seen a quilt book that has so many country designs in my life. I can't believe I fell into this great treasure. I can look at the wonderful quilts and believe I am right in the midst of the farm. I am a farmers wife and I am so amazed by the great detail of the man and the combine. If you ever grew up on a farm or are experiencing it for the first time this quilt will take you back to that time. As the sun is going down after a hard days work, wiping the sweat off his brow, enjoying the harvest of the day. You can almost smell the chaf of the wheat. I could just look at this quilt all day and remember myself enjoying the good old days and forgetting all else. The quilt has such great detail that it tells the whole story. I will enjoy making this quilt to reminisce about the days of summer on a farm. This designer has such great imagination and talent. I have enjoyed reading about the author and reading the story of her life through her quilts. That is what it is all about. You can express so much in these types of quilts. Great work.

After I read and looked through this outstanding quiltbook, I found that everytime I have a free minute, I'm sewing. My mom loves to sew and quilt, so we added a room just for quilting onto our house. Since this inspirational book came out, I've made many aplique and patchwork quilts(my mom even bought a quilter!). This book alone has changed the way we live. We relax more by taking time off to sew and quilt, it's made our home cozier and more colorful, and when we have company, we have something to show them! This woman is so talented it isn't even funny! I think if America was full of poeple like LaQuita and Howard Bynum, life would be carefree and so much more enjoyable. I thank God for making good poeple like them who will share with the world the things they love.

Sincerely, Tumba B. Tractor

I FOUND THIS BOOK INSPIRATIONAL AND UPLIFTING. THE PICTURE WERE AMAZING AND THE DETAIL THAT WAS PUT INTO THE QUILTS WERE OUTSTANDING. I PERSONALLY LIKED THE PICTURE OF HER TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN. I BOUGHT EIGHT BOOKS, TWO FOR ME, AND SIX FOR MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I HAVE A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THESE TYPES OF BOOKS BECAUSE MY FAMILY AND I BOTH COME FROM AND LIVE IN A FARM SETTING. SO FAR I HAVE MADE SEVEN OF THE QUILTS INCLUDING TWO OF MY CHILDREN AND ONE FOR MY NIECE. IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND ARE WONDERING WHY I USED THE CHILD REVIEW, IT IS BECAUSE IT IS A LOT EASIER TO DO...

This quilting book was exceptional. It was very detailed and easy to understand. I was impressed with the variety of farm quilts. They showed great detail. I liked the variety of colors that were used. My daughter loves the Denim and Bow Tie Quilt. She plans on decorating her daughters room in some type of country theme and this is a great bedspread for a girl. The pockets add alot of character. The techniques of this book were well explained for the beginner to the more advanced quilter. This book will be a great book for your quilting collection.

I have been waiting for this book and like it even more than Gwen's Liberated Quilts. (and I love it!) Liberated String quilts focuses on process instead of patterns and draws on color photos of antique quilts made in this manner to inspire more modern versions of string quilt process. I have made samples of Gwen's process and it is fun to make a quilt this way. If you have recently been bit by the scrappy quilt bug--you will be particularly thrilled with this book. Some of the types of quilts covered in this book are: string bars, pinwheel strings, strings and stars, Amish string, chevron sting bars, slanted bars, string tulip block, string baskets.
The color plates of the quilts are clear and detailed and you could tell a lot about these quilts' construction by them.
Gwen writes her directions and discussions with enthusiasm and clarity. I took her string quilt class a few years ago, and her books really do reflect her great quilting personality as well as offer good directions for string process quilts.

As a big fan of "Liberated Quiltmaking", I waited with great anticipation for the release of "Liberated String Quilts"...and I certainly have not been disappointed. While the book itself follows a more common structure than its predecessor, it is still full of liberating ideas sure to inspire creativity. It certainly has given me ideas to apply to my current stack of projects on the go. I have added it to the stack of books I keep close by for easy reference and applaud Ms. Marston's latest contribution.

This is another "got to have" by Gwen Marston. It was like I was looking at the quilts my grandmother made when I was growing up. These quilts are not only easy, but they give you the inspiration to create.
I have two other books by Gwen. Some things I love about her books . . . she has great respect for the quilters that came before us, her books are fun to read, easy to understand - and they ignite the creativity that we all possess. I'm on my second reading of this book,(I'm in the process of trying to decide which quilt I want to try first.)
I think the thing that has made the most impact on me from reading her books is "Who made up the rules?" We make our own "rules", quilt the way we want to quilt, use fabric we love - and the result is something we love doing.

Get this book as a special gift for yourself. And if you look at the many examples, you'll probably find one of your grandmother's quilts between the covers of this book. Bottom line is you'll have a great time - both reading and quilting!

I am a big fan of Gwen Marston. She is totally irreverant when it comes to quilters' rules. However you shouldn't think that she has no rules at all. If you purchase this book believing it's all just a piece of cake you'd be wrong. Making the basic "string" fabric is extremely simple, then you follow her patterns for making the blocks using this fabric. A couple of her blocks even have set-in seams which are not all that easy. A bit of quiltmaking expertise is required. But then there are the blocks like Amish Rectangular String, Arkansas Traveler, and Slanted Bars which are very simple and go together quickly. I'd recommend this book for anyone who wants a break from the Mariners Compass, Texas Star, and paper piecing quilts you've been working on. It's different! And that's not a bad thing.

This is an indispensable book to the long arm machine quilter. It is jam packed with information about LAMs so if you add it to your personal library and it will be referred to again and again. There is information on care, maintenance, troubleshooting, how to improve your work, what to look for in a machine, tons of tips and she also touches on technique here and there although it isn't a how to book. Look elsewhere for actual patterns.

This is a great book for the beginner Long Arm quilter or people who don't have a long arm machine but are thinking of buying one. Even if you have been quilting for years, there is always something more to learn. Great details on maintaining machines but also on different quilting styles. I loved this book and hopes Carol writes another one. (although this book has every thing)

You've seen the long-arm machine ads in your favorite quilting magazines. What could be more helpful to finish that never-ending stack of quilt tops that you've been happily producing than your own long-arm quilting machine? Wait a minute! Before you rush out and buy the first long-arm machine that you come across, you need to read "Long-Arm Machine Quilting" by Carol A. Thelen.

Ms. Thelen is an accomplished long-arm machine quilter with a degree in mechanical engineering to boot. She shares her vast knowledge of long-arm machine quilting in this wonderful resource.

The book assumes no prior knowledge of quilting machines. The first chapter begins with an explanation of the quilting system followed by an introduction to the seven major manufacturers of long-arm quilting machines. Information is also included about optional electronics such as the Intellistitch I/S-2K controller and the Statler Stitcher. The chapter ends with comparison chart of features so that you can see how each machine stacks up against the others. This chapter alone makes this an incredible value for those who are looking for the right machine to fit their quilting needs.

The next three chapters take you through the functions of a long-arm machine, the tools and accessories that you will need to get started, and the supplies such as needles, thread, and batting. This is followed by a wonderful chapter that will help you choose your backing fabric and plan your quilting design.

Chapter Six is where you'll find how to load your quilt onto the machine, thread the machine, bring up your bobbin thread, rip out stitches, and much more. The following chapters explore the options that you have for long-arm machine quilting including quilting with pantographs and other patterns, freehand and semi-freehand quilting ,and specialty techniques such as embellishments, couching, bobbin drawing, wholecloth quilts, chenille, and t-shirt quilts.

The final two chapters deal with the care and maintenance of your machine and troubleshooting hints for common problems such as broken needles, thread problems, motor jams, and more. The book concludes with a large list of long-arm machine quilting suppliers complete with phone numbers, email addresses, and website addresses.

If you are thinking about purchasing a long-arm machine and don't know where to start, this is a must-read for you! If you already own a long-arm machine and want to learn more about your machine, this is a great resource to have at hand.

This book is awesome! It is packed with SO much information. Carol covers everything. She answers questions I didn't even know I had until I read the answer! She tells you what you NEED to get started, useful items you may want to purchase and what items are best to not purchase until you have more experience. She has saved me a ton of money just with those suggestions. This book is WELL worth the money and one you will refer to time and time again.

For a novice quilter like me, The Lover's Knot was a happy discovery. The latest trend in the "cozy" mystery genre is to write a series of books based on a particular career or hobby. There are mystery novels set in the world of knitting, scrapbooking, cross-stitch, bridge and dogwalking, with some of the best of these reviewed at StoryCircle Book Reviews. I love them all, but this was the first quilting mystery I've read. It was a welcome treat.

The story begins when Nell Fitzgerald, a young layout artist for a Manhattan publishing house, has her heart broken by a fiancé with cold feet. She heads for the Hudson Valley town of Archer's Rest, New York to seek the comfort of her grandmother, Eleanor, owner of the Someday Quilts shop. The lovers' knot of the title is the pattern on the quilt Eleanor has made for her granddaughter's wedding. In a very short time, Nell falls in love with the town and the art of quilting.

Meanwhile, her fiancé Ryan tries to win her back and becomes a suspect in the murder of Marc, a local handyman known for his flirting. A fistfight occurs, a child's paternity is questioned, someone greases the shop stairs with quilter's hand cream and a load of money is found hidden in the shop. The women of the Friday Night Quilt Club, Barney the golden retriever and the handsome widowed police chief round out the cast of characters. (Barney has his own stash of five small quilts with dog fabrics or appliquéd bones lining his bed!)There is enough going on in this story to keep you guessing until the very end.

Quilting jargon like UFOs (Unfinished Objects), stash and fat quarter (twenty-two inches by eighteen instead of a quarter yard) are scattered through the book like fabric scraps on a cutting table. O'Donohue is an avid quilter herself and former producer of the HGTV program "Simply Quilts." She's also skillful in piecing together the ordinary things that can make life difficult: mother-daughter clashes, the death of a spouse, and the shaky steps to recovery after rejection by a lover. She cleverly leaves a few of the personal issues unresolved, so that the reader wonders what the main characters are doing after the novel ends.

I've read a lot of "cozies." They are the books I'm most likely to pick up at the end of a long day or take with me on vacation. The Lover's Knot went in my travel bag on a recent weekend, and was as much fun to read as I hoped it would be. I look forward to my next visit to Archers Rest and the women of Someday Quilts.

by Linda Wisniewski
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

As an amateur quilter I found myslef longing to be part of a quilting circle. I could connect with the characters and had fun trying to unravel the mystery. All you will need is a rainy day, a cup of tea and you will not put the book down until it was finished. I hope there are more books to follow!

What a fun read...started it Saturday night and finished Sunday night! Can't wait to see what Nell is up to next...

Twenty something Manhattan based publisher Nell Fitzgerald is stunned when her fiancé Ryan informs her he is not ready to marry. Upset, she decides to leave town to visit her grandma Eleanor Cassidy in Archer's Rest to help her elderly relative recover from a nasty fall and somewhat based on the lovely wedding quilt her grandmother and Friday Night Quilt Club made for her.

Eleanor, who owns Someday Quilts, hires local handyman Marc Reed to expand her store. He outrageously flirts with the newcomer and Nell enjoys his attention. Ryan arrives and ends up brawling with Marc over Nell. Soon after their fight, someone scissors Marc to death at Someday Quilts. Local police chief widower Jesse Dewalt investigates knowing many of the townsfolk hared the womanizing Marc and is aware of the brawl with Ryan, who wants Nell back. Instead she tries to prove his innocence one stitch at a time.

This is an engaging Hudson River Valley amateur sleuth that will remind cozy fans of authors like Maggie Sefton. Although Nell has no experience and no cause to investigate placing herself in danger, she makes for a fine detective. Lighthearted fun as the relationship triangle (to include Jesse not Marc) supersedes the mystery.

Harriet Klausner

This book has clear instructions and good illustrations. Each block is well photographed so that the detail of piecing and quilting can be easily seen. The completed sampler quilt is shown in 20 different colour/fabric combinations which is really great for those who may have trouble visualising how colours will look together. Different piecing methods are used for each block but I believe that all could be completed in whichever method you prefer if the basics of piecing are understood. Included in the book is the usual "How To" section on tools required, choosing fabric, preparation, cutting, marking, batting, quilting, finishing etc, etc. These points are not laboured as there are plenty of other reference books around which cover much the same information. A nice book for beginners and experienced quilters alike.

I have joined a Quilting Club a few miles from the village, and have a lovely day working with a group of like-minded people. Most of them are far more experienced than I, but this new hobby has absorbed me. The Tutor is using Lynne Edwards' book as the basis of the course she is offering. I started off with small projects, but now I feel ready to tackle the Sampler Quilt. I have read the book and drooled over the pictures of Samplers and can't wait to start at the next session. Lynne Edwards explains everything so clearly and carefully, and her tips on achieving a good finish are excellent. My copy was offered as "As New" and it is in pristine condition. I was very pleased with my purchase, particularly as it had a hard cover.

One very satisfied customer!

I had received a copy of Lynne Edwards first sampler quilt book and was inspired to make a sampler quilt for the friend who gave me the book. When I decided to make another sampler quilt,I was looking for some new ideas and was delighted to see that Ms. Edwards had put out another sampler quilt book, the "New Sampler Quilt Book". I was even more delighted when the book arrived and I began work on my sampler patchwork. The blocks are a little more intricate in the new book but do not require extensive sewing experience. Ms. Edwards has a very clear style of writing and explaining the "how to" part of each patchwork piece. There is a chapter devoted to each sampler piece covered in the book, as well as chapters that cover some basic fabric cutting and quilt finishing techniques. Because of Ms. Edwards clear explanations and obvious sewing skills, these extra chapters are worthy reading.
The sampler piece chapters open with a beautiful color picture of the sampler patch, an interesting short history of the patch, and then leads into construction methods that include clear diagrams of the piecing methods. This book is a "must" for every quilter's library because the patchwork construction methods are not limited to one style of piecing; the methods used include hand and machine foundation piecing as well as freezer paper applique, which gives the reader a chance to practice different techniques following clear, concise, instructions.
Another wonderful feature of Ms. Edward's books are the pictures of completed sampler quilts of other quilters who took a class with Ms. Edwards for the purpose of completing a sampler quilt. Both books follow this format, which allows the reader to see how the patchwork looks in different color schemes and with different borders.
I have purchased other patchwork collections; however, these are merely outlines of the patches and pieces used. Ms. Edwards expertise in reviewing pieceword construction methods make her books well worth purchasing.

There are several things that sets this book apart from other quilt sampler books. First, and most important is that the instructions for each block are provided individually, as opposed to general instructions provided in the front section of the book. The instructions are quite detailed, clear, precise and specific to each block. It is the next best thing to having an instructor in the room with you. Second, there are many variations of the quilts and blocks provided throughout the book, one more beautiful than the next. Third, the actual blocks are quite interesting and would be appropriate for any level of quilter. I believe that the novice and experienced quilter will benefit from and enjoy this book equally. Personally, I am a much better quilter for having used this book.

This is a great book on how to machine quilt. I am a novice and have a lot to learn and this book has proved to be very helpful.

I loved this book. It was simple to read and apply the directions. I am a machine quilter and much of what was offered I was already familiar with, but my familiarity was gained through much trial and error. I would have saved myself a lot of time to have this book at the start of my efforts in machine quilting. The photos are very clear, the projects are way simple and I learned some new tricks, such as the way to make a "light" table by stretching a piece of Plexiglass over two chairs with a light underneath. I especially like how Alex freely admitted that she was afraid of machine quilting but finally just did it. So many quilters I know are in her old shoes! Thank you, Alex!

I have been wanting to learn more about machine quilting my own quilts. I borrowed a copy of this book and it was very interesting and gave me some great ideas. Of course I had to buy my own copy. I found it to be easy to understand and fun to read too. I can't wait to put the things I learned into practice

This book is the clear concise machine quilting book I've been looking for. The chapters are laid out in an approachable manner and the information conveyed in clear text. You'll have all the tools you need to get started, trouble shoot and complete your project. And projects.. there's several delightful projects in the book ranging from the simple to the complex.. something for everyone.

Hunger for more information, Alex graciously included information on other books and resources. We can count on Alex Anderson to continue to provide us with the information we need to get started and keep quilting. She's a real professional. I congratulate her on her continued success.

This book is a complete guide for quilters who want to try all kinds of special threads for embellishing their quilts. It is so simple that it can be used for beginners following the exercices. It is also good for teachers who encourage traditional quilters to try to make real Artquilts.

I checked the book out at the library and found it very informative. I've been toying with the idea of embellishing my quilts and wall hangings with decorative thread. I did not know where to start. So many questions! This book answered all my questions about materials and technique. I now feel confident to purchase the threads and experiment with them through her easy to follow exercises. My best friend wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas, I told her to give me this book! I can't wait to get started!

This book is set up with lessons on using various threads on little quilt "sandwiches" with galleries of work spaced between them for further example and inspiration. It is the perfect way for one unable or unwilling to attend classes to gain an introductory knowledge of this technique. The lessons are very straight-forward and to the point, making this book a pleasure to just plow through. It concentrates primarily on the thread, not the various feet or attachments, applique or other embellishment techniques. It is, as it states, all about quilting with decorative threads and is excellent. The authors briefly introduce the setting up of the machine, the equipment required (surprisingly little) and off the reader goes. With each lesson one gains more and more confidence in the technique and medium. They teach the use of various threads, films and braids, how to transfer designs, plying, couching and more. In the back there are charts of the various threads and how they should be used in the machine and a short listing of resources. Very practical, informative, fun book to have.

You will never imagine how many ideas you can apply with decorative threads on your project. The book is simple and into point. I can't wait to start my first experience with those wonderful threads!