Crazy Quilt Book Reviews
By Dawn Smith
In depth reviews of books that I have found helpful
or motivational in making crazy quilt projects.
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Crazy but Pieceable: Eight Charming Patterns to Make and Enjoy
Crazy with Cotton: Piecing Together Memories & Themes
Crazy Quilt Handbook
Crazy Quilt Odyssey
Victorian Elegance: Exquisite Stitches and Crazy Patchwork
Art & Inspirations: Judith Baker Montano
Crazy Quilt Workbook
Books with Crazy Quilt Projects
Forever Yours: Wedding Quilts, Clothing and Keepsakes
Embellishment Books
Elegant Stitches: An Illustrated Stitch Guide and Source Book Of Inspiration
Crazy Quilt Stitches
The Art of Silk Ribbon Embroidery
Machine Needlelace and Other Embellishment Techniques
Off the Beadin' Path:Discovering Your Own Creative Trail of Bead Embellishment
Books on Color and Dyeing Fabrics
Other Helpful Books
Crazy Quilt Book Reviews
Crazy but Pieceable: Eight Charming Patterns to Make and Enjoy
Hollie Milne
Paperback, 56 pages
That Patchwork Place
Publication date: 1997
ISBN 1-56477-190-3
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In her book, Hollie Milne presents eight country style wall hangings which incorporate crazy patchwork along with regular patchwork and appliqué. The wall hangings are made from quilting cottons and also may include yo yos, buttons, doilies or lace edged handkerchiefs. In addition to the eight patterns there are also photos of what Hollie calls "Creative Interpretations" of each pattern. These include a motif from the original wall hanging used in a different setting.
There are chapters on: fabric, tools and supplies, quilting basics, construction techniques and finishing as well as the eight projects. There is also a full-size pattern sheet with applique patterns and a 4" and 8" crazy patchwork block patterns.
Hollie presents a technique for crazy patching which is new to me. She provides a pattern for a basic square. Her technique calls for this pattern to be traced onto freezer paper which is then cut into the separate pieces and ironed to fabric. These are sewn together without using a fabric foundation to form the square. To get the various sized pieces for the projects squares are then either sewn together (for backgrounds), or cut into strips (for borders). Hollie also gives instructions for designing your own block patterns to use with her method.
With the authors use of cotton fabrics and freezer paper piecing, I think that this book will be especially appropriate for someone coming to crazy quilting from a traditional quilting background.
Crazy with Cotton: Piecing Together Memories & Themes
Diana Leone
Paperback, 96 pages
Published by C & T Pub
Publication date: 1996
Order Diana Leone's Crazy with Cotton from Amazon.com
Diana Leone describes in words and many pictures how to make a themed cotton quilt using a center and strips method of sew and flip crazy quilting.
This book is a good introduction to printed cotton fabrics which Diana calls storytelling fabrics. I especially enjoyed the four pages with photos of vintage and modern fabric samples. Diana also includes a brief history of crazy quilting and several color photos of antique quilts.
There is a section on making the quilts with children and several examples of quilts made by 9-12 year-olds. Some of the children's quilts are quite nice. I particularly like a flannel quilt made by a 12 year-old boy.
After a section on tools and supplies are sections on planning, choosing fabrics, making the crazy patch blocks, and sashing. Diana includes nine pages of step-by-step instructions for cutting strips and centers and assembling her crazy patch blocks. Then another fifteen pages on assembling and finishing the quilt top. Although she includes two pages about embellishments, Diana doesn't go into detail on embellishments, and there are not many examples of embellishments on the finished quilts.
There are yardage requirements and fabric suggestions for eight quilts, and patterns for various sided center pieces as well as a pattern for an appliquéd teapot and a pieced fan.
Although the quilts in this book are not in my usual preferred crazy quilt style, I thoroughly enjoyed the diverse print-fabric samples and the wonderful quilts by Diana and many others. I've started buying flannel to make the flannel quilt shown in this book, and it's going to be much harder now to walk past all the great cotton prints at the fabric stores on my way to the fancy fabrics.
The next two books, Crazy Quilt Handbook and Crazy Quilt Odyssey, are both by Judith Baker Montano. Judith and these books have inspired many needleworkers to become crazy quilters. I count myself in this group even though I first saw the design that got me started, a crazy quilt charm wreath by Judith, in a Better Homes and Gardens book. These are wonderful books for beginners and experienced crazy quilters will find many useful tips and methods as well.
Crazy Quilt Handbook
Judith Baker Montano
Paperback, 80 pages
ISBN 0-914881-05-1
Published by C & T Pub
Publication date: 1980
Order Judith Montano's Crazy Quilt Handbook from Amazon.com
This was Judith's first crazy quilt book. It's a good basic book for beginners. It is 80 pages long and contains thirteen pages of color photos and many black and white photos and diagrams.
Judith starts the book with her own introduction to crazy quilting followed by an historical perspective illustrated with photos of crazy quilts from the Denver Art Museum. There is also a color photo of a crazy quilt made by Judith's grandmother in the 1930's.
This historical section is followed by ideas for contemporary projects. Judith gives many hints for designing garments. She includes ideas for design placement, color, repetition and balance, texture, and fabric selection.
Judith covers three methods for laying the crazy quilt foundation: the antique method, fan style method ( which is the sew and flip method started in a corner), and the commonly used center piece method. The two sew and flip methods are illustrated in several steps with black and white photos. There is also a page of problem solving methods to help the crazy quilter out of the corners we sometimes sew ourselves into.
According to Judith, embellishments ore the best part of crazy quilting and she describes several: embroidery, punch needle, calligraphy, fabric painting, dying, marbleizing fabric (with detailed instructions), and fabric photos.
There are instructions for several ribbon embellishments and sections on beads, knots and tassels, buttons, and laces.
There are ten project patterns in the Crazy Quilt Handbook. They include a 30" x 40" wall hanging, a needle case, an evening purse, a fan necklace, what Judith calls crazy quilt paintings - these are matted and framed pieces with a four inch circle of crazy quilting featuring an embroidered tree, a heart pendant, a belt, a bag, a desert medallion, and oval belt buckles. There are color photos of all of the projects.
Most of these projects are done in what I consider classic crazy quilt style. Every seam is embroidered with Victorian combination stitches, and there are motifs on some of the patches. Some of the projects include piecing diagrams.
The last fifteen pages of the book are a stitch dictionary with basic stitches shown in diagrams and black and white photos. There are also variations of the basic stitches, several combinations and a page each for fans, spider webs, and trees.
Crazy Quilt Odyssey
Judith Montano
Paperback, 144 pages
ISBN 0-914881-41-8
Published by C & T Pub
Publication date: 1991
Order Judith Montano's Crazy Quilt Odyssey from Amazon.com
Crazy Quilt Odyssey is an updated and expanded version of Crazy Quilt Handbook with different projects and more detailed embellishment instructions. The color photos are grouped in 2-8 page sections with the rest of the book illustrated in sketches and black and white photos.
Judith starts this book with historical and personal perspectives of crazy quilting. Next is a chapter on wearable crazy quilting. The color section includes photos of several of her costumes made for the Fairfield Fashion Show. After the wearables chapter is one on crazy quilt landscapes. In the color section are four crazy quilt landscapes shown along with the landscape photos which inspired them. I found it interesting to see them side by side and to be able to compare them.
The fabric and color section was expanded from her first book. It includes information on sources for buying fabrics and a color wheel. The section on laying the foundation is the same as that found in CQ Handbook with the addition of a page on landscape foundations.
The embellishment chapter is expanded from thirteen pages in her first book to twenty-nine pages in this one. If I had to pick a favorite section of CQ Odessy, it would probably be the embellishment section. There are a large variety of ideas with good detail in the instructions. Judith has included embellishment ideas and tips from other crazy quilters as well as her own including a fabric painting method from Yvonne Porcella.
Two subjects covered especially well in this section are transferring photos and other images to cloth (four methods are shown), and punch needle embroidery.
The project section contains seventeen new designs. The crazy quilt designs include: a chatelaine, swing purses, earrings, a half-circle purse, an oval barrette, a pendant, a buckle, a Christmas wreath, Victorian ornaments (a basket, a heart, a stocking and a bell), a wide belt, and a Victorian picture frame. Non-crazy quilt projects include: earrings, a punch needle rooster purse, a punch needle floral picture, silk ribbon embroidery brooches and pendant, and a crystal pouch in Ultra Suede.
All of the projects include clear instructions and patterns or diagrams where needed. They are shown in beautiful color photos in the project gallery. Most of the photographed projects were made by Judith, but there are also photos of projects made by her students and friends.
You can see my version of Judith's wreath and her basket ornament (which I enlarged and changed some) on my gallery page.
The stitch dictionary includes many of the same stitches and diagrams as Crazy Quilt Handbook with the addition of several new stitches. There is also a new section on findings with descriptions and black and white photos of various beads, laces, needles and threads.
If I had to choose between the two books, I would probably choose CQ Odessy because of the expanded sections. I'm glad that I have both books though because of the different projects and photos.
Order Lezette Thomason's Victorian Elegance from Amazon.com
Lezette has written a small book with some really nice projects. She leans toward
monochromatic color schemes which make for some really classy looking crazy quilting.
The book starts with a short history of crazy quilting and a four-page section on choosing
threads, fabrics, and notions. The threads and fabrics are described and suggestions are
given for their use.
Next comes a section on piecing. Lezette gives instructions for three methods: "Working
from a Corner" and "Working from the Center" are the first two. These both use the
Judith Montano sew and flip method that we're all familiar with. The instructions are
pretty basic with no hints for getting yourself out of a corner, etc... The last method is
called "Pattern Piecing". All of the projects in the book have piecing patterns which can
be traced, reversed, and foundation pieced. This is the same as paper piecing except that
you use foundation fabric such as muslin instead of paper. This would be especially nice
for someone just starting crazy patching and a little hesitant about where to start -
especially if you already have experience with paper piecing.
The embroidery section of the book starts with four pages of close-ups of some of
Lezette's work. There are four color photos on each page so that you can really see the
detail. Then come eleven pages of stitch diagrams, combination stitches, flower stitches
(several of which use silk ribbon), and what the author calls "whimsies" - cute designs
like a beetle, a snail, and a bunny and carrots made from embroidery and buttons. The
basic stitch diagrams utilize only one diagram per stitch and wouldn't, in my opinion, be
the ones to use to teach yourself the stitches. When I finally learned feather stitch for
example, the book I used had 5 diagrams and a paragraph just to show feather stitching. I
think you need to see more than one simple diagram to learn. Another interesting thing
about this book is that feather stitching isn't shown. Instead Lezette shows what she calls
alternating buttonhole stitch which is basically the same thing.
I really enjoyed the gallery section. It includes twelve pages of nice color photos of each
of the projects. Some of the projects are shown in two, or more, versions. This is really
helpful - to see how it looks made up in different colors. The projects include a footstool
cover, a fan pillow, a lingerie bag with cq flap, an evening bag, a book cover, a scissors
case, an eyeglass case, a pillow made from antique linens (pillow cases just like my mom
made!), two picture frames, a Christmas stocking, a square Christmas ornament.
Complete patterns are included for each project down to a patching diagram and
embellishing diagram. I personally prefer to venture out on my own for embellishing, but
this is nice feature for someone a little timid about getting started. Most of the patterns
are on a pull-out pattern page. All are full-size. The instructions appear complete
although I haven't actually made any of the projects yet. I intend to make a book cover
soon. One thing that I found a little annoying was that the same 1/4 page of embroidery
instructions is included for each project. This paragraph is repeated 10 times. I wish she
had included new information instead.
All in all, I'm well pleased with this book, and intend to try several of the projects.
Victorian Elegance: Exquisite Stitches and Crazy Patchwork
Lezette Thomason
Paperback, 80 pages
That Patchwork
Place
Publication date: 1996
ISBN 1-56477-159-8
Art & Inspirations
Judith Montano
Paperback, 144 pages
ISBN 1-57120-037-1
Published by C & T Pub
Publication date: 1997
Being a big fan of Judith's work, I was excited when I heard this book was coming. I wasn't disappointed. As the title indicates this is definitely an inspiring book. For one thing all of the photos ( I counted 92 photos large and small of crazy quilting.) are in color and many are full-page size or larger. In addition to the crazy quilt photos there are many of silk ribbon embroidery and other embroideries and collages. Many of the projects from Judith's other books show up in this one, but the photos are often closer than before or larger. There are also photos of many of her new projects.
When I get stuck on something I'm working on, I love to look through all the photos in this book for something new to add to my piece. So far, I haven't' been disappointed -- I always find something.
With all of this said, if you're looking for a basic how-to book for beginners, you need one of her other books or possibly Victorian Elegance by Lezette Thomason first. Art & Inspirations is full of what can be done, but there isn't a lot about how to do it. There are good instructions for sew and flip piecing and six sketchbook type pages of suggestions for using various stitches to make different plants and flowers. Mainly there are all those luscious photos where you can clearly see every stitch. Once you've learned a stitch, come here to see what can be done with it.
Much of the writing in Art & Inspirations is about Judith's life, her family, her travels and the things that inspired and continue to inspire her as an artist. She shares her development and growth as an artist through both words and photos. Along with this are hints and suggestions for using various materials, embellishments, and embroidery types. She also shares how she sets up her workroom.
I enjoyed reading Art & Inspirations and often re-read pages here and there, but it's the wonderful photos that make this one of my most used books.
David pieces his crazy quilts using the foundation piecing method . He gives basic instructions for piecing the patterns he provides using either muslin or paper as a foundation. The main focus of the book are the many different patterns for six inch squares.There are a few diagrams for basic embroidery stitches, a few hints in with the patterns, and suggestions for putting the blocks together. If six inch blocks aren't what you had in mind the patterns can be either shrunk or enlarged on a copy machine.
There are patterns, diagrams, and drawings in this book, but no photos.
This is a good book to give a beginner confidence in piecing. I have heard of several people who were timid about starting, and made nice blocks using David's patterns. It would be especially good for those with a background in paper piecing.
Crazy Quilt Workbook
David Small
Spiral bound Paperback, 98 pages
Small Expressions
Publication date: 1997
Reviews of Books with Crazy Quilt Projects
Quilted for Christmas contains fifteen projects by designers from Canada and the US. There are full page color photos, clear instructions and patterns for each design. Included are quilted wall hangings, a tree skirt and a stocking.
Of special interest to crazy quilters is a beautiful Crazy Patchwork Angel pillow by Lezette Thomason. The angel, whose dress is crazy quilted in various burgundy fabrics with gold embellishments, is appliquéd onto a white quilted background. She has gold lamé wings and gold bullion stitch hair.
Lezette has included a full size patching and stitching diagram for the angel's dress in addition to clear detailed instructions and diagrams for piecing the dress, appliquéing the angel to the background, embellishing the angel, and finishing the pillow.
There are also three pages of embroidery stitch diagrams covering all of the stitches and motifs used on the angel's dress.
Order Amy Barickman's Forever Yours from Amazon.com
This is a lovely book with projects and ideas that can be utilized even if you aren't
planning a wedding in the near future. Amy Barickman shares the many hand-crafted
projects from her beautiful vintage-theme wedding. The projects are the handwork of
several talented designers. I didn't count, but Amy says there are over 50 projects.
The crazy quilts projects include: a white-on-white piece in an oval frame, a vest for the
mother-of-the-bride, a necklace bag, a sewing kit with cq top (this is the French drop-
sided box I can't remember the French name.) and last, but certainly not least, a beautiful
wedding gown with a cq bodice.
The gown is made from pieces of Amy's mother's wedding gown and spectacular new
fabrics. There is no embroidery on the seams, but pearls are strewn over each patch. The
mother-of-the-bride vest relies on laces and silk ribbon embroidery for embellishment
and it's stunning as well.
Among the non-cq projects that would be excellent for crazy quilting is one I've never
seen anywhere else. It's called a slide bag, and it's basically a rectangular bag with
another rectangle that slides down over it - really clever!
The bulk of the book is made up of instructions for each project with color photos
throughout. There are many hints and suggestions for making the wedding memorable.
The last ten pages include instructions for basic techniques in embellishing and crazy
patching. The ribbon flowers are particularly nice.
I just barely touched on the non-cq projects. They include two quilts, bride and groom
dolls and doll clothes, a veil, a skirt and many keepsakes. I have two grown, single sons
and I hope to put this book to the use it was intended some day. In the meantime, I want
to make one of those slide bags!
Forever Yours: Wedding Quilts, Clothing and Keepsakes
Amy Barickman
Published by C & T Pub
Publication date: 1998
ISBN 1-57120-042-8
Paperback, 128 pages
Embellishment Book Reviews
The next two books I keep in my sewing tote to refer to as I embroider and embellish my projects.
Elegant Stitches: An Illustrated Stitch Guide and Source Book Of Inspiration
Judith Baker Montano
Spiral Edition
Hardcover, 176 pages
Published by C & T Pub
Publication date: May 1,1995
Dimensions (in inches): 8.85 x 6.08 x .65
Order Judith Montano's Elegant Stitches from Amazon.com
Judith's sub-title pretty much says it all. Not only does she present elegant stitches, but an elegant little book - perfect as she says, "to fit into your work basket."
Judith starts out with a chapter on the basics: fabrics, needles, threads, hoops and other tools, transfer methods, tips, etc.... Then comes the stitch guide. Each stitch is presented with diagrams and clear instructions. Many also include the stitch highlighted in a close-up color photo of Judith's crazy quilting. I counted 73 basic stitches in the first section. Also included are seventeen silk ribbon stitches, fourteen composite stitches, and nine basic stitches presented for left handers.
The next chapter is titled Crazy Quilt Combinations. This consists of 139 diagrams of beautiful stitch combinations. Many of these have found their way into my projects. I used several of them on the black vest in my project gallery. I found the diagrams easy to follow and especially enjoyed combining various thread colors to work the combinations.
The last chapter of Elegant Stitches is Free Form Stitchery. In this chapter Judith shares clear detailed photos of seven of her marvelous stitchery pieces along with describing some of the process she goes through in completing them. She talks about what inspires the pieces as well as the methods and stitches used. Judith even shares pages from her "sketch book of ideas", which she encourages everyone to keep.
From reading this review you can probably tell - this is one of my favorite books.
Crazy Quilt Stitches
Dorothy Bond
Self-published and available from the author for $15 postage paid.
Dorothy Bond
34706 Row River Road
Cottage Grove, Oregon, 94724
This is a small book with few words, but many words aren't needed. Dorothy gives us in diagrams the results of her extensive research on antique crazy quilt stitches. She documents over 1000 (her count - not mine!) stitch combinations used on these quilts. These are arranged according to the type of base stitch used and diagrams are also included for making the basic stitches. I learned one basic stitch , the rosette stitch, which I haven't seen anywhere else. I have incorporated many of the stitch combinations into my projects.
This book is similar to the combination stitches chapter in Judith Montano's Elegant Stitches, but surprisingly there is very little duplication. The books compliment each other and together provide the crazy quilter with a wonderful library of stitch combinations. Both authors recommend recording the combinations that you come up with, and I have done just that - recording many that I have seen on old quilts and many that I designed.
This is one of my favorite aspects of crazy quilting - the seemingly infinite possibilities for creating beautiful combinations of simple stitches.
Order Judith Montano's The Art of Silk Ribbon Embroidery from Amazon.com
The Art of Silk Ribbon Embroidery is another beautiful book by Judith Baker Montano.
Silk Ribbon goes wonderfully with crazy quilting, and Judith proves this over and over.
Judith was instrumental in helping to make silk ribbon embroidery popular in the United
States.
This book starts with a short history of silk ribbon embroidery. Then Judith introduces us
to twelve embroiderers who excel in the art of silk ribbon embroidery. These ladies all
either teach or write about silk ribbon embroidery. The first 8-page color section shows
us some of their marvelous work, as well as historical examples of ribbon work.
A section which Judith calls the Basics gives us just that. Hints on which stitches are
more wearable, choosing background fabric and colors, mixing silk ribbon embroidery
with crazy quilting and other media, threading the needle, clothing hints, and tools and
materials. This section covers twelve pages.
Twelve projects come next. These include:
1. Heart doll, ornament, and pendant
All of the projects are in the second color section. Judith gives us complete patterns,
directions and stitch diagrams. Several of the projects could be converted to crazy
quilting by simple using a crazy quilted fabric instead of a single fabric.
The last main section of the book is the stitch guide. Each stitch is described in a
paragraph which also lists different that the stitch is appropriate for, a diagram, and a
black and white photograph. There are 34 silk ribbon stitches, two flowers and a leaf
using satin ribbon, and six stitches using embroidery thread.
A source guide and a bibliography finish the book. The are of Silk Ribbon Embroidery is
a visual feast and in my opinion would be worth owning for the motivational factor of the
photographs alone. Whenever I'm looking for ideas for adding silk ribbon embroidery to
my crazy quilt projects, this is one of the first books I turn to.
The Art of Silk Ribbon Embroidery
Judith Baker Montano
Paperback, 120 pages
ISBN 0-914881-55-8
Published by C & T
Pub
Publication date: 1993
2. Bow ties
3. Shell purse and seaweed medallion
4. Music box sachets ( fabric bags with music boxes inside)
5. Victorian Moiré frames
6. Ribbon brooches
7. Ring bearer's pillow
8. Oriental pouches
9. Embroidered photographs (the photos are transferred to the fabric)
10. Garden path (landscaped painting)
11. Floral needle and scissors case
12. Wisteria boudoir set (jar, brush and mirror)
Machine Needlelace and Other Embellishment Techniques
Judy Simmons
96 pages, color throughout
ISBN 1-56477-162-8, $24.95
That Patchwork Place
Judy Simmons shows you how to do needlelace and other embellishments using your sewing machine. Nearly all of her techniques can be done using a straight stitch or zig zag. You don't need a computerized machine to use this book.
The beautiful color photos in the book showcase the techniques on clothing (several of Judy's garments from the Fairfield Fashion Show are shown) and quilts, but many of her ideas could be used on crazy quilting as well.
Some the techniques that I think would be appropriate for crazy quilting are: dying fabric with silk paint, using the dyed fabric to make appliqués with or without needlelace inserts, free-motion embroidery, highlighting print fabrics with free-motion embroidery or needlelace, openwork needlelace overlays, three dimensional needlelace flowers and insects ( a beautiful gold dragon fly is shown), thread fuzzies, bobbin couching and bobbin curls. The thread fuzzies, which are basically pompoms made with specialty threads, and bobbin curls especially intrigued me. I can see all sorts of uses for these in crazy quilting.
In addition to these techniques I also enjoyed the sections on decorative threads and satin stitch. There is an excellent photo of twenty-five different types of thread shown as they come from the store in the thread section. In the satin stitch section, there is a two-page spread on setting up the machine to do perfect satin stitching and techniques for using satin stitch on appliqué.
This book has inspired me to try and use my machine more for embellishing my crazy quilting.
Off the Beadin' Path:Discovering Your Own Creative Trail of Bead Embellishment
Nancy Eha
Creative Visions Press
ISBN0-9656476-0-9
6" x 9", 131 pages
Nancy.M.Eha-2@tc.umn.edu
Signed copies can be ordered with check or money order. (No credit card orders.)
Send $19.95 plus $3 shipping to:
Creative Visions Press
3898 Dellview Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55112
Nancy Eha has written a good book on several methods of adding beads to fabric. Her instructions and diagrams are clearly written and easy to follow.
What knocked my socks off, however, was a technique she calls crazy beading. I hadn't seen this anywhere else and I love it. Basically she does traditional embroidery stitches such as feather stitch, chevron stitch and lazy daisy stitch completely with seed beads. As soon as I tried, this I was hooked! I've been incorporating it into all of my pieces. I intend to try out several of her other techniques, especially the beaded fringe, but for now I feel that my repertoire of embellishment techniques has been greatly enhanced by the inclusion of crazy beading.
Nancy starts her book with four short chapters on unleashing the creativity within all of us. These are followed by a chapter on materials and tools.
Next is a chapter on bead appliqué. This is the style of beading favored by many Native Americans. Patterns are filled in either with a geometric gridded type of appliqué or couched in curvy lines.
The next chapter takes the beads up off the surface of the fabric to add texture. Some of these stitches would look great used to sew on buttons as well as on their own.
After the chapter on texture is one on edgings and fringe. I can see some of these on the edges of patches to give movement to the crazy quilting, as well as on the bottoms or edges of purses, ornaments, or other projects.
My favorite chapter, Crazy Beading, has directions for fans, cretan stitch, chain stitch, floral patterns, and several embellishment variations, as well as the stitches I already mentioned. There is a black and white photo of a crazy quilted piece by Nancy on which most of the embellishment is beading in the various techniques detailed in this book. One of the few weaknesses of this book is its lack of color photos. This is a self-published book and limited resources demanded that the only color photos be on the covers. The color close-up of Nancy's crazy quilt piece on the back cover makes me long for more color photos. It is beautiful!!! There is a COLOR PHOTO available on the web. Be sure to check it out.
The remaining chapters in Off the Beading Path cover: quilting with beads, beaded trapunto, beaded coils, sculpting fabric shapes, and beading on counted canvas. This last resembles needlepoint or cross stitch and can be done using the same gridded patterns.
In the appendix Nancy has included two methods of laying a crazy patch fabric foundation, making a canvas stretcher floor stand, a bibliography, and sources for supplies.
I'm glad to have this book in my workroom and I'm sure it will continue to inspire me.
Color: The Quilter's Guide
Christine Barnes
Paperback, 127 pages
ISBN 1-56477-164-4
That Patchwork Place
Choosing colors is one of the most important and also most fun aspects of crazy quilting.
My first step in a project is always deciding on my colors and pulling fabrics and threads
for my "palette".
This book is like a class in using color. It starts out defining the vocabulary used in color theory. One of my favorite parts of the book is a two-page spread with two color wheels side-by-side, one of which uses fabrics instead of blocks of solid colors. I think this concept, carried out though the book, is why I found this book more helpful and easier to learn from than other books I've read on color - everything is related to fabrics and illustrated with fabrics.
Color combinations such as monochromatic and analogous are explained in detail in the next chapter. An interesting aspect of this chapter is a page which shows several multi- colored prints and explains which type combination each print contains.
Next is a chapter on special effects. These are the fool-the-eye uses of color which add depth and vibrancy to a project.
I found the chapter on fabric really informative. Christine explains the vocabulary of fabrics and prints, and gives suggestions on building and working with your fabric stash. I love her idea for putting snippets of your fabrics in a photo album arranged in color families. The picture she includes has motivated me to get this job done.
I also like the way she describes the "cast of fabrics" in a quilt with the lead fabric and supporting-role fabrics. This is one of my favorite ways to choose fabrics for crazy quilting.
In another section, four quilt artists share their feelings about the colors in their quilts. The 25-page color gallery has one or two quilts per page. My favorite is "Crazy for Chloe" a beautiful cotton crazy quilt in light colors with black embroidery on each seam and a wonderful border treatment.
Color: the quilter's guide ends with a color workshop with nine exercises for exploring color and patterns for six quilts and wall hangings.
I learned a lot from this book about expressing myself with color.
The next two books showcase Yvonne's techniques for hand painting fabrics and include a variety of projects, many of which could be converted to crazy quilting.
Colors Changing Hue
Yvonne Porcella
Paperback, 96 pages
ISBN 0-914881-86-8
Published by C & T
Pub
1994
The first thing I noticed as I flipped through Colors Changing Hue was the soft, flowing colors. Many fabric stores carry cotton fabric which imitate Yvonne's work and she says these can also be used in her projects, but I hope to try her methods on silk and utilize the resulting fabric in my crazy quilting.
Most of the equipment detailed in the first chapter can be found around the house. Yvonne stresses that she uses fabric paints, not dyes, and natural fiber fabrics.
The second chapter is on paint techniques. The basic method is sort of a scrunch and blot affair. Yvonne also shows how to paint silk ribbon which looks like it would be easy and fun to use.
Chapter Three deals with sewing and embellishments. Yvonne shares techniques for sewing and piecing with silk, including the burned-silk appliqué which Judith Montano uses in her crazy quilted landscapes.
The remaining chapters showcase the projects: wall hangings, vests, dolls, gifts and gift wrap. There is also a pull-out pattern section with full-sized patterns for three different ladies size medium vests.
Reviews of Other Helpful Books
Many Victorian crazy quilters finished their quilts with a pieced border. These borders highlighted and drew attention to the crazy quilt.
If you're considering adding a border to a crazy quilt you are making, check out this book. It gives updated methods for speed-pieced and foundation pieced borders that look mush easier to me than traditional piecing methods. The speed-piecing makes use of strips or rectangles which are sewn together and then trimmed to form other shapes.
Information is given for each border on changing sizes and estimating fabric. There is an 8-page color gallery which shows the borders used in quilts.
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