Quilting Books

The Best of Miniature Quilts is a wonderful book with many beautiful quilts and user friendly instructions provided for each. The photos are clear and depict these beautiful quilts in their full glory. Of course we must remember that smaller does not always mean quicker but you can fit a lot more in the same space!!

I loved the Miniature Quilt Pattern Magazine and miss it's publication.
This Book is a compilation of different miniature quilt patterns from the magazine. It is beautifully illustrated and easy with clear directions regarding the patterns.

I've already identified a couple of the quilts illustrated I want to make. That's how inspiring I found this book.

When I saw the frontpage I already fall in love with the book. I could not stop reading it. I read it 10 times after each other. I wanted to start with my next quilt as soon as possible.

I bought this book for a quilt class. The condition is great and has all the information I need.

I am a hopelessly hooked quilter and this is a WONDERFUL book. The many different settings are incredible, and although they look complex, like any really good quilting book, the break-down explanation makes you want to say, "why didn't I see that...." I think it would be inspsirational for a new quilter, to give them hope that they can do this stuff, and it's also great ideas for the more experienced quilter.

I enjoyed this quilt book. It is for the more experienced quilter. It had a lot of great ideas as to do with finishing off blocks. The pictures were excellent. Easy to follow directions.

There are so many beautiful scrap quilts in this book, all with the patterns and instructions, and two pictures of most of the quilts - flat and on the bed, which makes them easier to imagine real. They are all block quilts, wall and bed size, some more modern, some classics, some applique.

I love this book. There are many ideas you can gather of fantastic looking quilts. I have many 30s fabrics which I think would look fantastic on some of these quilt design. Just a very nice quilt design book you can have fun looking at.

Traditional patterns, and some new ideas, all making use of scraps you can't bear to part with, or fabric lengths you forgot about. I love that most projects show several color-ways to spark creative possibilities. And I very much love that the instructions offer both traditional methods and modern "speed" methods. If you're a scrappy quilt fan, this is an absolute must-have!

This is a very nice book. I like how easy it is to get the concepts.

Big-Block Magic is recently published, 2006, and comes at a great time. Just when my creative thoughts were wondering what to do for lap and king sized quilts, Ms. Johnson-Srebro provides the answer. This book gives seven patterns and each pattern has three sizes provided therein - lap, wall and queen/king sized!

Along with the "how to read" the charts section, each quilt pattern has a "No-Fail" tip with it. The Basics section is a good review for the long-time quilter or a good place to start for the newbie. In this section, there are also "No-fail" tips along with "My Favorite Things". I love this as you never have too many tips and even if you new the tip, it may present a slightly different approach and give you a new idea. And once you have created your lap, wall or queen/king quilt, each pattern has two quilting designs for you to give your quilt the final touch.

Each pattern has easy to follow graphics of each step needed to create the quilt. It is all color-coordinated--the yardage and cutting charts to the actual sewing steps so you know exactly what piece goes where.

There is even a pillowcase pattern in standard, queen and king and an accent pillow pattern with NO ZIPPER NEEDED to provide your quilt a coordinated extra. This is a very simple but elegant accent pillow and one that everyone should try at least one. Who knows? You may want to make several more once you see how easy it is to make accent pillows.

The final pages have a photo gallery and the very last page is a resource listing and information about the stencils. You get all of this for a very reasonable price. This is one book that should be in every quilter's collection.

The instructions are very easy to follow and she has included great tips to help make your quilts look sharp. The patterns are very attractive and up-to-date!

This is a fantasic applique book of baskets and forals for the advanced appliquer. Can't wait to see it come to life in fabric. Clear patterns with detaild directions. Not a book for beginners.

Try Emily's method for echo applique. Use this technique when you want to highlight a shape or pattern piece. You can stitch the narrowest little border using this technique. Great job, Emily.

This is a beautiful book with several patterns for detailed applique. The instructions are straight-forward and easy to understand. Several setting ideas are included. The flowers are beautifully detailed. This is the book I've been looking for! If you want to make a stunning quilt this is the book to buy.

This book is very user friendly and easy to follow.

Great Job

This book is a refreshing look at an often-overlooked nitch in the fabric world. Patti and Pam do an outstanding job of giving the reader a hands-on tour of what wool felt appliqué can do.

Top quality pictures and descriptive diagrams back the informative and easy to follow text. Whether you are new to the game or an old hand, this book has something for you. Put this one on your "Must Have" list!

Designs are very adaptable and the colors are instructive.
I've put aside several of the projects to do this summer when
I want a small item to work in my hands.

We have several sources of workable wool..... a mill nearby,
terrific thrift shops.

I also share project-worksessions with three teenaged grandgirls
and I suspect there will be many things they'll choose from this
book for their work too.

Choose from a range of designs and techniques to provide a professional finishing touch to a quilt in Bonnie K. Browning's Borders & Finishing Touches 2, a collection of ideas which uses an easy paper-folding technique to make all borders fit perfectly. Designs created by Browning use novelty bindings, scalloped edges and more to provide lovely quilt borders. Patterns, color photos, and suggestions for alternate uses of the bindings make for a 'must' for any quilter who wants to add polishing touches.

If you are looking for a good reference for techniques and also for some great patterns for borders, this is the book for you. Also, if you want to make that great Windmill Log Cabin as shown on the opening of Simply Quilts, Bonnie has included all of the instructions to make this quilt. I liked the border patterns especially ... some of them are borders from prizewinning quilters like Linda Roy's Best of Show quilt, Spice of Life, and Gladi Porsche's beautiful appliqued border in Keeping Autumn with Me. Bonnie has designed some new borders too. I'm glad to have it in my library.

Every project lurks around in my sewing room till it is completely finished. I was inspired to complete several more of my quilts after seeing the methods used in this book. Very thorough and great pictures.

Very nice applique patterns and instructions,color suggestions, and helpful tips. Many tiny pieces, so I recommend this for the skilled applique artist.

For all quilters who love cats as well this is a great book. The applique techniques are easy and the results are a quilt with lovable cats on it.

I love this book...The patterns are fun, and I love Carol's applique and ideas ...If you like doing cats, then this is one of the books that you should own..

Having decided from the beginning that each quilt should have a cat on it somewhere, I ordered this book to see examples of how people in the past have represented cats on quilts. The liveliness of representation of cats is quite amazing, with many of the quilts managing to capture the way a cat looks and behaves - no mean feat, you only have to look at available cat fabrics to see how rare this is.
This is a small book, with each page containing detail from one quilt and I'd recommend it strongly to anyone interested in seeing in close-up detail how cats have been pictured on old quilts. I think it's a wonderful book.

This is a FANTASTIC book. The quilts that the author chose to include are unique, one-of-a-kind pieces and often display a wonderful sense of humor. (Take, for instance, the quilt which features blocks with the head and front paws of a kitty, and the disappearing hind end of a mouse escaping from the kitty.) The excerpts from different writings about cats are understated and thoughtful, and the author provides a great mini-history of textiles in America. This book moved me into high gear in my own quilting and is an ongoing source of keen pleasure. If you don't quilt, if you just like cats, you'll love the book because of its folk-art depictions of cats; if you like cats AND quilting, this book will make you feel like someone let you loose in the catnip patch.

This sweet book would make a nice gift - it is full of whimsical and unusual examples of cat motifs on American country quilts. Many cat-related books are a bit saccharine for my taste but this is a refreshing and delightful change of pace

In this book, Mda reveals the life of a mixed race family in the Kilvert Community in the U.S.-as narrated by Toloki, the professional mourner from Africa. The change of settings from present day and its linkage to the past is what makes the book interesting- and of course Mda brings in some subtle humour which always comes at the right time. Enjoyed the story and would recommend it for a book club.

I had not read of Ways of Dying or heard of Zakes Mda before reading the Essence article that featured Cion as the October 2007 book of the month. Based on the article's synopsis, I knew it was a book I wanted to read, so I ordered it immediately - in doing so, I have no regrets - what an insightful, creative, and often humorous read!

Cion follows the travels of Toloki, a professional mourner (which in itself is an unusual profession), as he ventures to Southeastern Ohio (Appalachian country). It is in this rural, impoverished setting and through Toloki's eyes that American pop culture, politics, and other "isms," such as racism, colorism, sexism, etc. are explored. A Halloween prank-gone-bad leads Toloki to form an unusual friendship with a local, rather eccentric family. His host family is self-described as WIN (White-Indian-Negro) and it is with them that the complexities of racial identity, prejudice, and stereotypes emerge.

Mda uses his creativity and playwriting skills to construct scenes that evoke crystal clear images and crafty dialogue/arguments to cover aspects of African American history (a wonderfully imagined Underground Railroad escape is presented as a sub-plot) and its far-reaching impact on Americans today. Toloki's observations and internal thoughts/commentaries are oftentimes laugh-out-loud funny and laced with truth and heartfelt honesty. This book is definitely in my 2007 Top 10 list - I have already ordered his earlier works and look forward to the reading experience.

Reviewed by Phyllis
October 6, 2007
APOOO BookClub
Nubian Circle Book Club

South African novelist Zakes Mda has always been a master of place. It is exotic locations, places steeped in history, tradition, and quite possibly, magic, that inspire his literary muse. His previous novels have all been set in his native South Africa, but his newest work, Cion, is placed firmly in the American heartland, in Appalachian Ohio, specifically the city of Athens and the nearby hamlet of Kilvert.

Mda transports Toloki, a professional mourner first introduced in Ways of Dying to Athens, where a chance encounter with a young man from Kilvert during Athens's world-famous Halloween celebration changes Toloki's perspective on life and the many ways of mourning. Toloki discovers the heart and soul of the impoverished Kilvert community and the mixed race (White/African/Native American) people who live there.

I live only a few miles from Kilvert and can attest to the authenticity and accuracy of Mda's observations of the colorful people and places in Appalachian Ohio. They are beautifully rendered and evocative of a past that no longer exists except in memory and hopeful for a future not yet realized.

Cion is a wonderfully poetic, moving and entertaining novel. Don't miss this one!



John Kachuba
Author: Ghosthunters: On the Trail of Mediums, Dowsers, Spirit Seekers, and Other Investigators of America's Paranormal World