All About Quilting from A to Z: A book review

All about Quilting from A to Z is an informative guide to quilting, with a dictionary/encyclopedia layout. Quilting topics are very easy to find with this format.

After the User's Guide, there are full-page, full-color photographs of well known quilters and their homes/studios. The next section displays a collection of classic quilts--album, Amish, charm, crazy, mariner's compass, medallion, postage stamp, sampler, story, string, strip, and whole cloth. This is followed by illustrations of 60 quilt blocks, everything from Dresden Plate to Spools to Whirlygig, and how to use colors and lay them out. Fabrics are discussed, tools are shown, and basic quilting techniques are demonstrated.

The rest of All about Quilting is in alphabetical format. Topics included range from applique, to basting and binding, to foundation piecing, to labeling, to yo-yos and zigzag sets. There are obviously dozens of topics in between, but it is obviously not feasible to list them all here. Rest assured that whatever topic you are looking for, this book most likely covers it.

For those who appreciate current, up-to-date reference books with lots of full-color photographs and illustrations to provide further explanation, All about Quilting will be a book to consider owning. Also, for those who appreciate an alphabetical approach to a discussion of quilting topics, All about Quilting also meets this criteria. Further, the book offers lots of helpful written explanation on all topics presented. Especially to be appreciated are the pages which offer a glimpse into the lives of professional quilters.

Happy Hour - Relax and Enjoy: Picture This quilt

If you have ever had the opportunity to make a quilt from a pattern created by Terry Atkinson, you know what a joy it is to work with her patterns. I'd decided a few months ago to take a class at my LQS which featured the Happy Hour: Relax and Enjoy quilt booklet, and the Picture This quilt in particular.

The quilt pictured on the cover is the quilt I will be making. I, too, chose batiks, but I chose tans, browns and reds. It will match the great room in my house. However, I think I will be adding a narrow inner border and a wide outer border; I like the look of the two borders in a quilt.

Yesterday, I took this class. For all of the sewing and quilting I've done, it was the first time I'd ever taken a quilting class, and it was all that I'd anticipated that it would be. Granted, I did not learn anything new, and I moved quickly enough to complete all of my blocks by the end of the day, but I greatly enjoyed the experience. I will definitely do it again.

As of today, I have ironed all 30 blocks, and I am partway through the process of trimming them down to a uniform size. I'll keep you posted.