Quick Weekend Quilts
Debbie Mumm
Leisure Arts; $29.95

We are officially into meteorological fall. Doesn’t that mean longer nights and lazier weekends? If so, then Quick Weekend Quilts might be for you. Debbie Mumm offers a selection of 45 projects ranging in size from kitchen accessories to full-sized quilts. She also indicates if the project is a one-day or three-and-a-half-day project. What makes the book unique is Debbie’s approaching to planning your project. She outlines what your tasks are for each morning, afternoon and evening so you can accomplish the project on the weekend. It includes a nice range of projects with both traditional and modern looks.

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 Patchwork
Elizabeth Hartman
Stash Books; $24.95

This follow-up to Elizabeth Hartman’s first book, The Practical Guide to Patchwork, is a winner. Her book features 12 original bold and modern quilt designs geared for the intermediate quilters. In addition to the initial quilt, Elizabeth offers two additional colorways for each design. She also provides instructions for a complementary pieced back for each quilt. I found so many quilts to like in the collection and was particularly taken with “Neighborhood.” Using a log cabin construction method, she fussy cuts the center panel to feature a bird then builds around it, in the end creating houses. She includes some extra tips in the general instructions, including making a design wall and organizing your 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.

Easy Grid Quilts
Karen G. FIsher
AQS Publishing; $24.95

Most traditional quilts are grid-based. Karen Fisher took the basic grid and began an exploration with mathematical progressions, e.g., 1″ squares surrounded by 2″ squares surrounded by 3″ squares and so on. Then she started looking at how she could change other grid-based blocks. The result is 14 different projects done in five simple grid formats. The options are really endless when you combine fabric scale, color and contrast in the quilts.

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 Sketchbook Challenge
Sue Bleiweiss
Potter Craft; $21.99

Do you have a blank sketchbook, i.e., one you bought with the good intention of using for sketching, only it’s still on the shelf and still blank? I’ll cop to that one. The blank book can seem daunting. With help from Sue Bleiweiss, you’ll soon be on your way to filling your sketchbook and adding a new tool to your artist’s toolbox. Subtitled Techniques, Prompts, and Inspiration for Achieving Your Creative Goals, Sue’s book came about after she started the Sketchbook Challenge to keep her own resolution to be more consistent with her own sketchbook. She invited a group of artists to join her, and soon others began participating on their own. By the end of the first month her website had more than 43,000 visitors. The challenge was a yearly project, and the book is set up to offer you 12 themes to challenge yourself. Each theme also includes a look at the sketches of two of the artists participating and a spotlight on a particular technique. Even the book shape with its smaller size and rounded corners is encouraging. So, take Sue’s challenge and expand your creativity. You’ll love your results.

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.

No Sewing Until You Quilt It
Ann R. Holmes
AQS Publishing; $24.95

Long-time stained glass artist Ann Holmes turned to quilting in 1999 when she wanted to recreate some of her original designs into fabric without incorporating the lead line. What resulted is her No Sewing Until You Quilt It technique that incorporates fusible interfacing and glue-basted turned down edges to her appliqué pieces prior to any quilting. What she ends up with is the nice smooth edge of a turned appliqué edge. The book includes complete instructions for learning the technique followed by seven projects of increasing complexity. The accompanying CD includes patterns, an additional gallery with one of Ann’s stained glass pieces, and a discussion on inspiration.

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.

Quilt Blocks From Around the World
Debra Gabel
C&T Publishing; $21.95

Following up on the success of her first book, Quilt Blocks Across America, Debra takes you on a world tour, well, at least to 50 international cities. The finished six-inch square blocks can be used in a variety of applications, from small wall hangings to a sampler quilt of your travels. The book includes a CD so you can enlarge all the patterns, and almost all the gallery pieces are made at a large size. In fact Debra recommends enlarging 200%. You’ll also learn Debra’s Translucent Patterning technique that allows you to trace each piece and see color, positioning and overlap in one block.

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.

Hexa-go-go
Tacha Bruecher
Stash Books; $23.95

Everything old is new again, and English paper piecing is seeing a resurgence. I love author, Tacha Bruecher’s take on it. She says, “Hexagons are so wonderfully portable – quilting’s answer to knitting! She starts you off with with detailed instructions on creating your paper templates, making the hexagons, and hand stitching them together. Once you’ve got the basics and a stack of hexagons, you’re ready to make any of the projects in the book. She offers you 18 projects ranging from a lovely rosette needle book to full-sized quilts. The projects are fun and I especially liked the “Stars and Stripes Quilt,” perfect for celebrating American holidays. If you decide to give hexagons a whirl, watch out. I hear they are addictive.

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.

Appliqué & Embroidery Fundamentals
Janice Vaine
Landauer Publishing; $27.95

With 45 years of sewing and needlework experience, Jan Vaine starts you in the classroom where she teaches you her Perfect Placement Appliqué method followed by lessons on the appliqué stitch, reverse appliqué and a variety of stitches. The instructions are complete and the illustrations are very large, a plus. The bulk of the book includes the letters of the alphabet each encircled by a floral wreath. Jan’s goal is for you to learn new embroidery and embellishment techniques as you work your way through the alphabet. She then offers 18 additional stitches and six additional projects for using the skills you’ve learned. I appreciated the supplies shopping list at the beginning of the book, too.

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.

Exploring Dimensional Quilt Art
C. June Barnes
Interweave; $26.95

Since I talked about challenging your thinking, that’s what June Barnes does in this book. Most quilt art is two-dimensional. She urges you to create more dimension in your work. Some of what you’ll learn are folding techniques, stacking, curling, pleating and gathering. She includes some fascinating quilted pieces. I can’t call them quilts, because they are not flat. These include crescent-shaped pieces, prisms, cylinders and orbs. The book includes a gallery of work by fellow British quilters and textile artists. June attributes the increase in dimensional work by quilt artists to the introduction of categories such as that of Quilt Creations at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham. She also includes a section on finding inspiration and a list of verb command prompts, such as squash it, make it obvious and be unrealistic. A great reference for expanding your art.

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.

Curves to Quilt
compiled by House of White Birches
Leisure Arts; $24.95

The cover of this book caught my eye with its brightly colored “Oh Lollypop” appliquéd circles on patchwork. The book includes a mix of 14 projects in brights and not-so-brights, contemporary and traditional quilts, wall hangings and table runners. In addition to the cover quilt, I really liked the “Green Leaves Runner” with its curved edges and subtle shading.

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.