Utility Quilting
Carolyn Forster
Landauer Publishing; $27.95

With all the interest in longarm quilting, it’s easy to forget lots of quilters are still hand quilting. And those new to quilting may be interested in giving it a try. Carolyn Forster takes the approach that utility quilting is the perfect solution for the modern quilter. Utility quilting uses bigger stitches and thicker thread. It makes the job go faster and the results are bolder. She offers 25 different quilting designs, 12 knots and stitches, and four finishing techniques that can be applied to any of the 11 projects in the book, or used on your own quilts. I liked the section on creating design templates, e.g., Baptist fan, and then how to mark the design on the quilt.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Modern Mix
Jessica Levitt
Stash Books; $21.95

When Jessica Levitt set out to write her book, she challenged herself to create projects that used both designer prints and solid colors. What sets the projects apart is that she uses a full range of colors. To me the modern quilt movement quilts seem crisp and fresh because of the white or lighter backgrounds. Many of Jessica’s quilts used dark backgrounds or dark accent pieces. For those unfamiliar with color, she includes a basic discussion of color theory and quiltmaking. The 16 projects range from full-sized quilts to a quilted camera case. As someone who has been quilting many years, it was also fun to see a string quilt.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Jelly Roll Quilt Magic
Kimberly Einmo
AQS Publishing; $26.95

No sign in sight for jelly roll and other precuts to disappear. If you haven’t jumped onto the bandwagon, this is a great book to start with. Kimberly”s engaging spirit shows up on each page as she guides you through creating sub-units to basic blocks to any of the 12 projects in the book, both pieced and appliqué. I found so many quilts to like in this book, and I think it’s because Kimberly has a wonderful color sense with so many of the quilts filled with light or sparkle. Extras include Kimberly’s Top Tips – love the one about dealing with fuzz from the Jelly Roll; tips for using leftovers, or “bitlits,” as she calls them; and ideas on how to host a Jelly Roll Round Robin. And, if the food theme still grabs you, Kimberly offers recipes to compliment optional quilt layouts on her website.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Sisterhood – A Quilting Tradition
Nancy Murty
C&T Publishing; $24.95

I’ll admit it was the title that got me. I am the eldest of five sisters, and unfortunately, I’ve not turned any into quilters, yet. Nancy Murty has one sister who quilts, as well as her mother. Her mother’s sister and daughter also quilt. Nancy wanted to not only share the quilting sisterhood of her family, but also what she has discovered in her own quilting journey. In addition, this fabric artist, fabric and pattern designer set out to encourage readers to find their own creative voice in quilting. The book includes 11 quilts, table runners and wall hangings. The pieces are traditional patchwork and applique pieces, and I found the coloration and scale to have a sophisticated look. I particularly liked “Family and Friends,” an applique quilt that incorporated photos into the border, and the patchwork “Heritage,” that seemed to have a glow.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Create Your Own Dream Feathers
Peggy Holt
AQS Publishing; $26.95

Feathers. Everyone appreciates the elaborate look of feathers across their quilt. Peggy Holt’s take on feathers goes a step further than the standard feather and it did come to her in a dream. The dream feather builds upon itself or another shape and is independent of a spine. They are not as formal as the standard feather, but they are just as elegant. In her book, Peggy covers three concepts: the standard feather, the dream feather and using base shapes to help unify your quilting designs. Once you have all the concepts, she shows you how to embellish them with furls and flourishes, borders and swags, folded paper applications, medallions, and butterflies and hearts. While Peggy is a longarmer, the designs can be used for domestic machine and hand quilters.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Fresh Fabric Treats
Moda Bake Shop Designers
Stash Books; $21.95

If you aren’t familiar with Moda Bake Shop, it’s an online bakery of sorts, filled with jelly rolls, honey buns and layer cakes. Of course, we’re talking about precuts. Moda has taken the reins on this idea with eight types of precuts, five named after baked goods. At the Bake Shop, you’ll encounter a number of chefs. These would be the Moda Fabrics designers. This book showcases a fun mix of 16 projects from those chefs. You’ll find a selection of seven quilts, several bags, a pillow, table runner and accessories. If you are looking for a project to use your precuts, you’ll find a recipe here.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

The Civil War Sewing Circle
Kathleen Tracy
Martingale & Co.; $24.99

Perfect for reproduction fabric lovers, The Civil War Sewing Circle offers 16 projects ranging from cot-sized quilts to small wall hangings and doll quilts to pincushions, aka “Tokens of Affection.” I particularly liked the wool appliqué sewing box. What sets the book apart is the inclusion of historical photos and excerpts from letters written to and from soldiers during the Civil War. It was so easy to get lost in the letters.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Beautiful Botanicals
Deborah Kemball
C&T Publishing; $29.95

Are you looking for a way to add more beautiful flowers into your life this time of year? I know for many of us the only place we see fresh flowers this time of year is at the florist. Deborah Kemball offers a wonderful way to bring more beauty into your life. Her book offers 14 sophisticated floral appliqué projects, varying in size from pillows to quilts. She includes templates for 45 different appliqué flowers, two butterflies and five borders. The book is also filed with wonderful tips to make your work a success, e.g., fussy-cutting fabrics for some of the flowers. You’ll enjoy mixing the various flowers to create your own individual project.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Book of Days
Maggie Bonanomi
Kansas City Star Quilts; $14.95

Since we are starting a new year, I thought Book of Days: Create Your Own Primitive Book Full of Days would be a fun suggestion to capture activities, insights or gratitude notes. Maggie Bonanomi teaches you how to create a basic 6″ by 9″ book using wool and chipboard for the covers and card stock for the pages. Each month uses four pages and you can add photos and appliqué. Once you have five pages done, you stitch them together into signatures. When you’ve finished five signatures, you stitch them together and add a wool binding. While Maggie’s book has a primitive look, yours can reflect your individual style.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Your Best Year Yet!

Jenny Ditzler

Grand Central Publishing; $13.95

One of my favorite planning resources is Your Best Year Yet! by Jinny S. Ditzler. I’ve been using this little book for years and recommend it widely. It offers a framework to define your personal values, identify the various roles you play and create goals for those roles. Here are some of Jinny’s questions plus a couple of my own:

1.    What did I accomplish?

2.    What were my biggest disappointments?

3.    What did I learn?

4.    How do I limit myself and how can I stop?

5.    What are my goals for next year?

6.    Where do I need to find education or support to get there?

7.    How can I make sure I achieve my top goals?

I find one of the most empowering aspects of Jinny’s system is the look at the successes of the year. It let’s you focus on your successes and not get weighed down by what didn’t work. It also lets you get off the treadmill of working on your business to see if you really are on course.

Here’s a quote from the book I particularly like: “We must prepare our soil before we’re ready to plant the seeds we want to grow in the new year.”