Rachel Hyde - Myshelf.com

Boost your quilting skills with this innovative book and see how some of today's top designers work. Learn seven new techniques and use the enclosed patterns to make sixteen beautiful modern quilts.

There is a lot in here and it is all rather entertaining to read, a bit like a magazine in places. As well as the projects we get in insight into the way twelve designers work and how they put their ideas together, a change from having a book with one author. Each project introduces a designer with a short bio, a few pictures of their work and step-by-step instructions on how to make the item. Make quilts while learning how to do raw edge, turned edge, reverse, bias tape, free form as well as the basic type of appliqué, all of which are described in staged photographs. Learning new techniques is easiest when you are making an actual item and the chatty style of the instructions makes it seem fun and more accessible. All the pieces in here are modern; colorful innovative quilts that have a true "designer" look to them and are sure to appeal to people who think traditional quilts look rather… traditional. Not that this is all edgy; expect lush florals and plenty of nature-inspired pieces such as the squirrel block and lovely broderie perse floral ring. Even non-quilters can find ideas that have all sorts of other applications, and I enjoyed the freer way of working than many more conventional quilting books. A book to make you think outside the box.

---

Fabrications

Issue 61

There are lots of good ideas in this book for using a variety of fabrics in appliqué. It covers many alternative techniques including padded, Broderie Perse and three dimensional appliqué. Well illustrated with several photographs of examples and a quilt gallery of Eileen's work, there are also good 'how-to' instructions. Eileen concentrates on flora and fauna so if that's your love too, then this is the book to help you become more creative and extend your boundaries. We just love the appliqué designs in this book here at Fabrications. I can feel a quilt coming on...