My View: Books I Admire; Books That Inspire; Books I Must Acquire

Is there really a need for more sewing, quilting, crafting, how-to and inspiration books? Don't we have something in our own libraries that we have amassed over the years to meet the need?

The answer is NO!

An artist, a quilter, a crafter, is always looking to the new and different. Even when using traditional patterns that our grandmothers and great grans loved, we like to introduce new fabrics or color combinations, new techniques or perhaps fit two or three or four traditional patterns together to create something new and innovative. And most of us need to see, have visual stimuli, a model from which to spring into our own unique creations.

Judy Sisneros took a simple idea, made some fabulous quilts, documented the steps and provided tips and put everything together in her book

"9-Patch Pizzazz: Fast, Fun and Finished in a Day."

The concept behind this sweet 48-page book published by C&T Publishing begins with those large scale prints that we can't resist. We buy a piece and then realize we have nothing to do with it.

Judy features these large scale prints whether Japanese Geishas or Lions of the Serengeti or parrots or hibiscus up close and personal. Around them she sets smaller patterns in a most sedate and traditional nine-patch grid. Yet, there is nothing traditional about Judy's use of fabrics and the choices she makes in color combinations and fabric designs.

The cover features her quilt Oriental Flight. The quilt is set on point and she uses a fabric print of flying birds. She draws on the oriental black, ocher, red, and green, tying all of the prints together with a repetition of the print designs. Because she chooses to use the birds in the upper half of the quilt, it takes on the look of a landscape or portrait quilt with a definite oriental flair.

When I first saw Judy's designs and technique, I thought this 'Fast, Fun and Finished in a Day' concept melds perfectly with the charity quilts we all want to make but never seem to have enough time to do something stunning as well as practical and do it all fast! Now you can make a quilt for every member of the family, every charity, AND use up those large scale fabrics that you love, but can't figure out how to use.

C&T Publishing offers the book in traditional softcover for $16. 95, or in downloadable e-book format at $11.99 and a third option of a bundle which includes both softcover and e-book.

Don't think Judy has simply offered one basic design. Noooo. There are several ways to feature these large scale fabrics and Judy has a few tricks and surprises up her sleeve when it comes to layouts as well as color choices. Her Flower Power quilt goes vertical and offers such an innovative mix of traditional design and fabric. And then there's the addition of applique in her Koi on Parade quilt. And I love what she does with parrots and tropical prints.....

According to Judy, "This style of quilt has been my most popular and easiest workshop. I call it the "potato chip" quilt, because you can't make just one!"

Often I look at books and think "I WISH I could quilt/sew/applique/create like that...." Then I walk away slowly not knowing how or where to begin such breath-taking and award winning quilts. That's why I'm nearly giddy over

"Quilter's Favorites: A Collection of 21 Timeless Projects for All Skill Levels. (Vol. 1)"

As I leafed through the book for the first time, it immediately gave me hope, inspired me to try several of the projects without hesitation. The traditional Court House Steps is alluring as the first project offered. Squares and rectangles in this classic Court House Steps layout of the Log Cabin block is made new and modern by the use of green and blue batiks. The step-by-step directions complete with photos and tips ensures success for the beginner.

Summer Fun, a project for the advanced beginner plays with triangles and color. The editors explain. "The Double Dutch block generates a lot of movement when you introduce a secondary color pattern, as in Summer Fun. The deep blue accentuates the inner pinwheels and heightens the illusion of spinning. A batik fabric in summery blues and greens inspred the palette."

Pleiades Pineapple, listed as 'challenging' teaches paper or interfacing foundation piecing. And the Bow Tie Medley, also 'challenging', is more than the traditional pattern -- it is origami!

So much basic information that moves the quilter forward building upon what is learned in each project. If you are looking for a book to start your library, or to keep close at hand for reference for a variety of instructions from an easy-peasy piecing technique for the wild goose pattern to some innovative color choices -- this is the book. Written by the C&T editors this 112 page book retails at $24.95 for the softcover version and $16.99 for the e-book. As with all C&T books, the colors are awesome, the layouts easy to follow with lots of white space, graphics and just enough text.

With each project the quilter gains new knowledge, tips, new techniques, and new resolve and skill to move to the next and next and next quilt.


If you are new to quilting or have a new quilter in your midst, this book would make an excellent resource or gift. Each project introduces some new aspect of quilt making.

And what's even better -- there is a Volume 2!

My View: Miniatures in Minutes by Terrie Sandelin

Miniatures in Minutes
by Terrie Sandelin
C&T Publishing $27.95
80 pages


What's not to like about this book "Miniatures in Minutes" by Terrie Sandelin? She offers 24 paper-pieced projects that are completed with a single foundation. Yes, these are traditional patterns and art quilters may think that's not their cup of tea. But what these tiny traditions offer is a small quilt venue in which one can dabble and experiment with color. And I freely admit that color choice is a big stumbling block for me.

I particularly like where the author uses the same pattern with different color choices and then shows why one is better than the other. For example she pieced one little quilt using numerous light fabrics set against dark. And she pieced the same pattern using one light fabric with a couple medium and a dark fabric. It is easy to see that the first sample doesn't work because there are too many areas of high contrast and the overall pattern gets lost. Plus the second sample, with the choice of a warm apricot color as well as white, caramel and dark brown fabrics really is more appealing to my taste.

This author also warmed my heart with her honesty. "I'm your average, workaday kind of quilter. I make quilts that I love and that my family and friends appreciate.... That's enough for me."

She wants precision without "turning myself into knots" and she found the technique in the Fold and Sew method, which she first encountered through Anita Grossman Solomon's "Make It Simpler" books. Solomon's method was geared toward 6-inch blocks and taught paper piecing with multiple sections all on a single foundation. Sandelin adapted the concept for complete miniature quilts rather than one block.

She also had me nodding in agreement when she explained the attraction of miniature quilt making. "Many times, I hadn't really wanted to make a big quit. Perhaps I wanted a seasonal quilt for display or to play with some wonderful fabric that had leaped out and grabbed me. I learned that a lot of times, making a miniature satisfied my creative urge, and I had the pleasure of a finished quilt."

Sandelin also shows various uses for miniatures, not only as wall decor or doll quilts, but also as central motifs for notebook covers (or scrapbook covers) and tote bags.

The author doesn't identify levels of difficulty, but rather estimates how long it will take to cut the fabric, prepare the foundation, sew the foundation and remove the paper for each quilt design. And most of the patterns in the book can be made in LESS THAN EIGHT HOURS.

The tools needed are pretty basic and most quilters will have them already. Clover Mini iron, Roxanne Glue-Baste-It, a light box, fabric grips, freezer paper, and a printer copier may be a few items not already in your equipment cache. But should be. She recommends and even brow beats a little in her recommendation of translucent vellum and since this book is all about foundation piecing -- I'd listen to her recommendations.

This is a very thorough book and gives step by step directions and includes a pullout section with the foundation patterns already printed, easy way to copy and get started right away. Of course once you learn this method, it could be adapted to larger quilts, or portions of larger quilts. The fold and sew demonstration section really makes this technique easy to grasp.

C&T Publishing always makes such delightful books with color photos, enough white space to make them easy to read and enjoy. And quality paper and finished product.

MY VIEW: Review of C&T Print Books

In honor of complete disclosure, let me confess that I am an armchair quilter. Like an armchair quarterback I can sit on the sidelines and observe others successes, failures, near misses, and award winners. I'm much handier at looking through the books, watching videos and television programs, and mentally listing all of the quilts I'd like to make. It may be the perfectionist in me, knowing that once I cut the fabric, the quilt will never measure up to the one I envisioned. Most of the time I admire quilts with wonder, usually an "I wonder how they did that?"

Jan Krantz's video (previously reviewed) gave me insight and confidence that I can actually create what she demonstrated. Three books, released in August, 2008, by C&T Publishing, caught my interest and gave me confidence.

Nothing would please me more than to combine my love of minutia, memoir, and computer with quilting. Krista Camacho Halligan's book Photo-Fabric Play ($16.95) gives me directions for a variety of projects from blocks and shadowboxes to the usual assortment of wall hangings and quilts. She takes time to explain required equipment and then how to use it to accomplish the required tasks. Her projects feature children or are for their use or their decor, but with imagination and creativity could easily be adapted to other members of the family or to display antique possessions or copies of them.

Since I'm not a scrapbooker with a cache of rubber stamps and embellishments, I need to purchase the materials for each project. Scrapbookers might be better prepared. The wall hanging and quilt designs featured basic easy-to-accomplish layouts and patterns with the focus on how to use the photos and embellishments rather than design art quilts. Once one incorporates her directions into a quilt, the design can easily be altered to the makers' taste.

Mary Mashuta's Foolproof Machine Quilting ($20.95) surprised me. I've been a fan of free motion machine quilters. In awe, I worshipped the trapunto and intricate designs often featured on award winning quilts. My own experience were little experiments with pillows and I treated the quilting as regular sewing with the feed dogs up. It worked, but I hadn't seen anyone advocating this type of machine quilting for competitive projects and set it aside. Mashuta's book encourages such quilting and shows how truly lovely it can be. She carefully encourages and explains the use of walking foot attachment and adds the use of paper cut patterns to eliminate the need for markings. I particularly appreciated the terms 'foolproof' and 'No Math!" declarations.

No, this is not the equivalent of free motion quilting, but for a fraidy cat like me and one who appreciates a short-learning curve, this gives me hope that I can indulge in machine quilting and have instant success.

The third book, Applique Jubilee, ($26.95) from the editors and contributors of McCall's Quilting provides 16 projects with hand, machine and fusible applique. I can see my purist ancestors pursing their lips and shaking their heads in horror that I would not only give up hand quilting for machine, but would now resort to raw edge and fusible applique. Getting past these purist attitudes, I admit, give me pause, but I so want to put my visions into cloth and I'm not getting younger, so quicker, more accurate, less tedious methods certainly attract me. I will admit that this book didn't offer anything I hadn't seen before. But it is a nice group of simple patterns for all seasons. For someone just venturing into applique, this might be just the book. A good gift for a new quilter perhaps.

As always with C&T Publishing's books, they are beautifully made -- lovely strong colorful covers, clear directions, lots of photos balanced with white space and helpful hints. The authors offer authority and insight and most of all encouragement that makes me feel that I can create what they include in their books.

Now, time to get out of the armchair and into the game. Stay tuned -- will my first project be applique? A pieced star? Or some machine quilting? Hmmmm. So many possibilities.