MBR: The Needlecraft Shelf
Midwest Book Review
Quilts For Ice Cream Lovers
Janet Jones Worley
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
1574329251, $21.95 www.aqsquilt.com
In "Quilts For Ice Cream Lovers", quilting expert Janet Jones Worley
showcases ten full-size quilting projects, plus seven smaller
projects, designed to enable even the most novice needlecrafter to
produce simply beautiful pieces that would serve as perfect gifts or
as home decor embellishments. Each do-it-yourself projects is superbly
illustrated with careful and methodical, step-by-step directions that
take the aspiring through ever stage of the quilt's construction.
Thoroughly 'user friendly', Janet Worley's "Quilts For Ice Cream
Lovers" is an impressive and confidently recommended addition to any
dedicated needlecrafter's quilting project reference collection.
Shibori For Textile Artists
Janice Gunner
Kodansha America, Inc.
575 Lexington Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10022
1568363664, $27.95 www.kodanshaamercia.com 1-800-451-7556
Janice Gunner (Vice President of The Quilters Guild of the British
Isle) has been teaching patchwork, quilting and shibori for the past
30 years. Now in "Shibori For Textile Artists", she draws upon her
considerable experience and impressive expertise to introduce
needlecrafters and fabric artists to the Japanese technique known as
'shibori' (from the Japanese word meaning 'to squeeze or wring'), a
practice of dying gathered or bound fabric to produce vivid patterns.
Enhanced with more than one hundred colorful illustrations
accompanying step-by-step instructions on how to create beautiful,
unique, unpredictable shibori effects, "Shibori For Textile Artists"
is a complete introductory manual that will have a very special appeal
and utility for quilters, embroiderers, and textile artists wanting to
master the techniques of shibori in projects of their own. Featuring
the historical and cultural background of shibori, and covering
techniques involving tied-resist, wrapped-resist, clamp-resist, folded-
resist, and pleated-resist, as well as immersion, space, and indigo
dying, "Shibori For Textile Artists" will prove a highly prized and
appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, and
academic library Needlecraft and Fabric Arts reference collections.
Kake-Jiku
Kumiko Sudo
Breckling Press
283 Michigan Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126
1933308117, $29.95 www.brecklingpress.com 1-800-951-7836
In "Kake-Jiju: Images Of Japan In Applique Fabric Origami And
Sashiko", Japanese fiber artist and acclaimed needlecrafter Kumiko
Sudo offers a superbly illustrated and thoroughly impressive
collection of 15 decorative quilt wall-hangings inspired by the
elegant hand-painted scrolls that have adorned entryways and alcoves
in Japanese homes. Their purpose (in addition to being stunning works
of art) is to greet each new season and bestow good luck upon the
members of the household. Kumiko Sudo's selections reflect her
intuitive sense of both color and design with each of the decorative
wall-hangings being constructed using her unique brand of Japanese
applique. The 'needlecrafter friendly' projects range from being
embellished with fabric-origami flowers to those which are enhanced
with lovely sashiko stitching. Sudo's own watercolor paintings divide
the chapters, while the step-by-step directions are illustrated with
photography, color drawings, and full-size reusable templates. "Kake-
Jiku" is a unique and enthusiastically recommended addition to a
dedicated needlecrafter's reference shelf.
Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com
Loraine Manwaring and Susan Nelsen's ALL BUTTONED UP: 12 QUILTS FROM
THE BUTTON BOX (1564777065, $24.95) tells how to use buttons to add
interest and dimensions to quilts. Two sisters used their
grandmother's button collection for ideas and here provide plenty of
tips to adding buttons to everything from wall hangings to lap quilts.
Buttons may even be decorated for added attraction. Kathleen Tracy's
PRAIRIE CHILDREN AND THEIR QUILTS (1564776867, $24.95) offers some
fourteen small 'prairie quilt' projects which feature antique styles
and designs of the 19th century. Vintage photos and diary entries from
pioneer children accompany this unusual crafts guide to producing
vintage-looking items from modern resources. Lynn Roddy Brown's SIMPLE
STRATEGIES FOR SCRAP QUILTS (1564776859, $24.95) tells how to cut,
swap, and mix and match fabrics to produce unique scrap quilts. Fat
quarters and strips can make lovely finished results: here are the
tips on color matching, values, design pairing and construction which
tell how to effectively blend scraps for pleasing results. Elaine
Eskesen's SILK KNITS: 20 DESIGNS IN FABULOUS FIBERS (1564776907,
$27.95) tells how to use the textures and colors of silk and silk-
blend yarns to maximum advantage. These yarns hold great potential and
can create polished results not available with other types of knits -
and even beginners can work with them. The color photos, easy projects
and author introductions to each project make for an appealing
collection indeed. Cathy Wierzbicki's TWOSEY-FOURSEY QUILTS: GREAT
DESIGNS FROM 2-INCH AND 4-INCH CUTS (1564776883, $26.95) tells how to
use quick cutting techniques and fast sewing to simplify common
patchwork shapes. Begin with strips and put together the classic
quilter's blocks using new methods with over twenty projects here
reinforcing the idea. Color examples throughout reinforce each step of
the process. Janet Kime's THE BORDER WORKBOOK: EASY-SPEED PIECED AND
FOUNDATION-PIECED BORDERS (156477693X, $24.95) appears in its 10th
anniversary edition to pack in nearly thirty border designs in
different sizes, along with instructions for calculating sizes. From
different designs to rotary cutting, this book's been substantially
updated and is a 'must' for quilters who would put together eye-
catching borders with a minimum of effort. DeElda Wittmack's APPLIQUE
AT PLAY; 19 SPORTS BLOCKS TO MIX AND MATCH (1564776980, $19.95) is all
about sports fans: make a quilt for all kinds of sports using the
sports-themed block ideas here. Nineteen blocks in six quick projects
lend to themes and playful mixing and are accompanied by ideas for
putting the themes together, adding and subtracting designs, finishing
projects, and varying ideas. All are top picks for any quilter's
library of project ideas and techniques.
Martingale & Company
20245 - 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com
Marcia L. Layton's CALENDAR KIDS: HANDPRINT QUILTS THROUGH THE YEAR
(1564777022, $24.95) tells how to turn kids' quilts into keepsakes
using large block patterns and projects which invite kids to learn
quilting. Some fourteen such projects feature 'stamping' kids' hands
on fabric with fabric paints, then using rickrack and other
embellishments to liven them up. The combination of the familiar 'hand
stamping' project with a quilting idea makes this perfect for parent/
child interactions. Tammy Kelly's SNOWBALL QUILTS: COOL DESIGNS FROM
AN EASY BLOCK (1564776964, $21.95) provides eight lovely quilts, from
small to large wall and bed sizes, which use easy block patterns for
construction. From fabric selection and materials to finished results,
SNOWBALL QUILTS is packed with ideas. Heather Mulder Peterson's
FAVORITE QUILTS FROM ANKA'S TREASURES (1564777146, $29.95) pairs a
popular designer's inspirations with a grandmother's sewing legacy,
blending old-time patterns and ideas with modern twists. The result is
a fine blend of patchwork and fusible machine applique which can reach
quilts at any level of skill - and a treasure trove of step-by-step
projects based on family tradition. All are top picks for not only
quilters, but any library holding strong in quilting projects.
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Midwest Book Review
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