Hexagons, Diamonds, Triangles and More, Kelly Ashton, 2014
This is a skill-based book on how to make visually striking projects featuring 60-degree shapes, including hexagons, diamonds, and equilateral triangles. This comprehensive guide offers progressive skill-building instruction, plus problem-solving tips for common pitfalls. It’s been great for thinking about how to combine my EPP 6 pointed stars.
Improvising Tradition:18 Quilted projects Using Strips, Slices, and Strata, Alexandra Ledgerwood, 2014
This one caught my eye because of its curvy design for the table runner. I’m making some for a gift at the moment and this appealed to me. Three basic improv piecing techniques are featured: strip sets, piecing improvised strata, and slice and insert, and these are then married with traditional quilting designs such as log cabins, coin and bar quilts. Very clear instructions and a good use of colour in the designs. It would be good for someone starting out in improv.
The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters: A Guide to Creating, Quilting, and Living Courageously, Sherri Lynn Wood, 2015
I was lucky enough to buy this book and to do a workshop with Sherri at Quiltcon in February. I really like the approach Sherri uses in this book. When I first started quilting a couple of years ago I soon discovered that cutting and piecing precise small blocks was not to my liking or my forte! Sherri Lynn presents a flexible approach to quilting that breaks free of these old paradigms. Instead of traditional instructions, she presents 10 frameworks (or scores) that create a guiding, but not limiting, structure. I am still working my way through her ideas and am keen to try some curved bias strips. I lover her use of colour. If you are into improv this would be a good book for you.
Quilting With A Modern Slant – people patterns, and techniques inspiring the Modern Quilt Community, Rachel May, 2014
This recent publication is a fabulous resource if you are interested in modern quilting. It contains interviews with more than 70 quilters and images of their work . It also lists their blog /website address plus a few tips and tutorials. Another useful resource is the great bibliography of Quilt and Textile History and Contemporary Quilting books. All in all a must for the bookshelf of any modern quilter. You can get it from Amazon or The Book Depository or ask your library to buy it!
37 Sketches, Gwen Marston, 2011.
Another great book from Gwen with a beautiful design and stunning images of a series of small quilts which she called sketches which she uses to explore design ideas , working out techniques and for learning and developing ideas for future work. Each image is accompanied by a short description of the techniques or the main idea. I love it and enjoy just looking at the wonderful use of colour and technique.
Quilt Love, Cassandra Ellis, Penguin Book, 2012
This book is a little different from the usual contemporary patchwork book as it does not rely on traditional patterns. It takes a free-form approach using scraps and recycled fabric to make something beautiful. There are 20 projects based around the themes of Big Events, Love, Friendship, and Memories. Each project has a short introduction and an explanation of the design concept as well as piecing and cutting directions and a making-up diagram. You will enjoy this if you love collecting unusual and recycled fabrics and want some inspiration for how to use them. You can check it out here.
1,2,3 Quilt – Shape Up Your Skills with 24 Stylish Projects, Ellen Luckett Baker, 2013
As someone who is relatively new to Quilting this has been a good resource. It is organized by quilting shapes—squares, triangles, hexagons, circles, flowers, stars, and diamonds which has helped me to understand the basics of working with different blocks. It is very well illustrated with hand drawings and full-page colour photographs. The instructions are very easy to follow with a clear layout and the font is dark enough and large enough to read – something that many books lack. I would certainly recommend it for anyone who is learning to quilt. Plus it has one of my favourite quilts in it The Lopsided Squares Quilt which I first saw on Pinterest and one of the inspirations for the mixed neutral block borders on my improv squares quilt.
colour cloth and catnaps 