Quilter's Haven
Rosemount, Minnesota

Quilter’s Happy Hour by Lori Buhler and published by That Patchwork Place truly will provide you with a “happy hour”.

As I initially looked through this book at the eleven quilts found in it, I thought that there were many attractive quilts.  As I looked closer, I realized that there was a lot of machine appliqué going on.  In the introduction to this book, Lori states that she basically avoided appliqué and curved pieces but the technique of using interfacing as part of the appliqué process opened a whole new world to her.  The interfacing technique is reviewed with illustrations that easily show you how the technique works.  This technique gives one the opportunity to do quilts that one might not try otherwise.  The added bonus is that each quilt has a recipe for liquid refreshment to reflect the name of the quilt.  The quilts are aptly titled Pina Colada, Tequila Sunrise, Stinger, Golden Mimosa, Raspberry Kiss, Blue Canary and Strawberry Daiquiri.  The remaining five quilts have equally interesting names and recipes.  I do like the use of fabric and color in these quilts so there is something for everyone from a little more traditional look to a more contemporary feel.  Stinger, Raspberry Kiss and Blue Canary are my favorites.

Skinny Quilts and Table Runners is edited by Eleanor Levie with the designs created “from today’s top designers”.  That Patchwork Place is the publisher.

I was fortunate enough to be in California for work last week and on the day I was leaving there was a quilt show sponsored by the Glendale Area Quilters in the hotel I stayed at.  Wow, what a bonus!  I saw this cute book that needed to make the trip home with me.  I brought it in to show Jean and she was a step ahead of me and already had the book.  There are fifteen runners or skinny quilts with a wide variety of “looks” for you to choose from.  I love anything by Kaffe Fassett and Rosy Runner is very well done.  He was joined by Liza Prior Lucy in designing this special runner.  Summer Picnic, created by Laurie Shifrin, uses a classic rail fence with some wonderful batik fabrics to create a truly beautiful runner.  Terry Atkinson has done a cute runner named Pinwheels.  Marti Mitchell thought she would be Astrological.  I think the black and white fabric with the pink and orange punches of color look great.  Churn Dash Stretch by Avis Shrier of Joined at the Hip is another nice runner that adds a little dimension with the leaves and berries done in felted wool.  Barb Cribb of Wild Thymes Pattern Company has created a true Garden of Seasons with a floral wreath in felted wool.  It is gorgeous!  I like the fact that these are small projects that can be completed in a short amount of time which makes them great gifts for a Mom, a sister or a new bride.

Heather Mulder Peterson has compiled a collection of Favorite Quilts from Anka’s Treasures.  That Patchwork Place has also published this book.

Heather is a designer who does use machine appliqué in many of her quilts.  In this book she provides well written directions to help you perfect your machine appliqué technique if you haven’t already done so.  The quilts that Heather has selected to feature in this book are some of my favorites as she uses both a light and dark palette for the quilts.  One thing that is nice about this book is that she shows one or two different color ways for each quilt.  Sweet Dreams is just that…very sweet looking with the soft fabrics used and the scalloped border.  Tiddlywinks is a simple snowball block with a touch of appliqué shown in both a rectangular shape and a square.  I liked the “look” of the square version.  Flower Boxes uses a log cabin block for both the main portion of the quilt and for the pieced border again with a touch of appliqué.  For this quilt, the options also include a very unique way to finish the quilt without borders which give it a very contemporary look.  I really like Christmas Glow as it can be used for either a table topper or a Christmas tree skirt.  It is set on point so it creates a unique quilt.  My favorite quilt in the book is Scrappy Stars…it is that diagonal chain that gives this quilt a “punch”.  I also love the fabric choices in this quilt.  Maple Harvest, April Showers, Sunny Morning and Lone Star Sensation (no set in piecing) are also wonderful. 

Simple Things, Small Joys is written by Brenda Riddle for the Acorn Quilt and Gift Company.  This book features some of the most wonderful fabric that has gorgeous flowers.  It would be fun to see these quilts done in other fabrics.  There are nine quilts, one table runner and Baby Squishy Blocks that are pretty cute and perfect for that new baby in your life.  I like all of the quilts in this book but my particular favorites are Nottingham (it has the diagonal thing going), Dover Gardens and the Baby Picnic Quilt.  This is just a sweet book.

A new designer that I was not familiar with is Jeri Kelly.  Jean has two of her books at the shop titled Every Month and Motif.  Every Month has a table runner for each month while Motif has fourteen small wall hangings for all the seasons, holidays and even a birthday wall hanging.  The shop has completed some  samples from Every Month that give you a real flavor for how truly beautiful all the projects in both books are.  The use of fabric is excellent but the fine detail of motifs is what makes these projects extra special.  I do plan to do some of these because they are all pretty “cool”.

Jean has some new patterns in the shop from designers that I am not familiar with but I like the look of the projects. 

Fourth & Sixth Designs have done both Habitat and A Walk in the Woods. Both of the patterns are done in batiks which give them a special look.  Both are fat quarter friendly which makes it easier to select fabric I think.  The blocks in Habitat have an asymmetrical look and the fabric selection is what will make this quilt truly yours.  A Walk in the Woods has some appliqué but it is big so it would be easily done using any method of appliqué.  Jean has a vision for this quilt using colors that is a bit different from the picture on the pattern.  We all know Jean and what an excellent job she does selecting fabric so I can’t wait to see what she does with the quilt. 

D. Hall Designs features Cornerstone and Ribbon Dance both of which are table runners although Cornerstone also includes place mats.  Both of these patterns are quick and easy so they would make great gifts or you could even make them for yourself!

You’re Invited! Quilts and Homes to Inspire by Barb Adams and Alma Allen of Blackbird Designs.  The book is published by Kansas City Star Quilts.
The inspiration for this book is the three homes of friends who embrace art - each in her own unique style.  The photography is very well done throughout the book to provide a clear picture of the needlework and the quilts – both old and new – in each home. The book contains twelve projects ranging from a Floral Pincushion done very cutely in wool and fabric to my favorite quilts of which there are many in this book.  Charmingly Yours is a wall hanging that uses a pieced border and an appliqué block that only BarbAdams can do.  Winter Holly is another wall hanging that features both pieced blocks and appliqué with a pieced border that resembles peppermint stripes.  Chelsea Cottage is a 60” x 76” quilt with a welcoming appliqué cottage surrounded by log cabin blocks framed by three borders.  The inner and outer borders are pieced alike providing the “finishing” touch for this lovely quilt.  Country Sunshine is a 92” square with nine appliqué blocks, a pieced inner and outer border that frame the appliqué middle border.  In Mollie’s Garden is done in memory of designer Yelena Elliott’s Gran.  It consists of many signature blocks with one appliqué border at the top only because “Gran’s garden was her pride and joy”.  For those of you who don’t like to work with bias strips for vines when you appliqué, the Rick Rack Garden is the quilt for you.  All nine of the blocks use rick rack for the vines and the very outer edge of the quilt.  It is very nicely done.  I am always impressed with the quality of the projects that Barb and Alma design and this book is no exception – it is excellent.

Houses by Fig Tree Quilts is designed and written by Joanna Figueroa and Lisa Quam.  The book is published by That Patchwork Place of Martingale and Company.  This is another book that is very well done from the fourteen projects to the photography to the Schoolhouse Tips.  If you have a wonder floral fabric that you aren’t quite sure what to do with, then Stonehouse in Summer will put that floral fabric to good use.  There are alternating strip pieced blocks with a wonderful floral fabric block surrounding an appliqué house medallion block.  I love Village Square because it is done in red and white but the red schoolhouses surround a unique red and white fabric that just shouldn’t be cut into little pieces.  Jean has a rather lovely red and white fabric that she used for a table topper that I think could work with the project.  Family Villa Sampler is a combination of embroidery and appliqué that would look great in anyone’s home.  Main Street in Season is a four block quilt with a house and vine for each season.  This is another one that I particularly liked and it would easy to do as the appliqué pieces are a bit larger to work with.  Maison du Paris Purse is pretty cute – not everyone can have a purse that looks like a house.  Under the Tuscan Sun has its own villa with topiary trees and would look great over a sofa or above a mantel.  This book is a “keeper” and has something for everyone in the “house” department.

Cabin Fever by Whimsicals is another winner, in my view, that showcases the use of wool and fabric.  Jean is already selecting fabric for Cabin Fever, a quilt that has houses, wool trees and flower framed very nicely by log cabin blocks and is totally different from Chelsea Cottage by Barb Adams even though the log cabin blocks frame the center of the quilt.  Many of the projects in this book are perfect for winter like the Let It Snow wall hanging or the Peppermint Anyone? mantel cover.  The Company’s Coming table runner and coasters can be used all year depending on the fabric choice.  The Sleigh Ride tree skirt is one of the nicest ones that I have seen.  Meowry Christmas is a small wool appliqué picture featuring a sweet kitten with a Santa hat.  Holly Baskets can be used as either a table topper or wall hanging.  Now is the time to pick out projects for next year to compliment your holiday décor or make a winter project now.

Nine by Nine by Cyndi Hershey is Published by That Patchwork Place of Martingale and Company.  The book has fourteen projects that – surprise – feature the nine patch block.  Now you may think a nine patch is a nine patch block but this book does have some nine patch blocks that I have never seen or envisioned before.  Several of the projects give us a unique perspective of the nine patch block as it is amazing what can be done with the simple nine patch block.  In these quilts fabric choice can really enhance the quilts as shown with Some Like It Hot.  Diamonz may not look like it but it really does use a nine patch as the key block.  Sudoku Sampler is a sampler that I really like.  It is a nine patch of nine patch blocks using Friendship Stars, Grecian Squares, Nine Patch, Double-X, Ohio Star, Ribbon Star, Rail Fence and Spool blocks.  The only thing I would change in this quilt is the type of fabric selected for the Spool block so that a print was used for both the spool and the background.  A very cool quilt especially if you are drawn to samplers as I am.  Picnic Bouquet is a 42” x 42” table topper that has a summery look and would look great in the Susan Branch fabric that Jean has at Quilter’s Haven.  Nine Patch Garden is not your ordinary nine patch quilt as it uses curved piecing which makes it more interesting.  No strip piecing with this one!

Sew Fun, So Colorful Quilts from Me and My Sister Designs by Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobson is published by That Patchwork Place of Martingale and Company.  These quilts are just that – colorful – with great names like Piranha, Feed Me Audrey, Busy Bees, Scardy Cats, Along Came a Spider, String Beans, Lost, I Know What You Did at Quilt Camp and Maui Waui.  These are fun quilts which make it a fun book.  It is so bright visually that you really need to take a look at it to see if you can guess what the quilts look like based on their names.  I liked this book as it is well done with excellent photography.

Heather hasn’t been busy just doing quilt books but also has a new pattern out called Charming Trios – The Kitchen Collection.  There is an apron pattern with a pin wheel block border, a table runner and two different potholders all designed around the 5’ charm squares.   These would make a great gift for your Mom or that new bride if you are looking for gift ideas.  You can never go wrong if you make it for yourself – what a novel idea!

Celine Perkins of Perkins Dry Goods has a new pattern called Three for Tea that is 5” charm square and Jelly Roll friendly.  This pattern has a table topper and two table runners that use nine patch and sixteen patch blocks.  The table topper has a more unusual edge that makes it special.

Spring Surprise by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts has designed the perfect bunny sitting under tulips surrounded by many eggs.  The wall hanging is 18” x 14” so it is a great size.  In looking at the appliqué pieces that are in the pattern, they are an easy size to work with so the appliqué would not be difficult.  Jean is already looking at the perfect batik fabric to make this spring bunny.

Comfort and Joy is written by Brenda Riddle for Acorn Quilt and Gift Company.  As I looked through this book, I found myself saying “Oh, I like this” over and over again.  There are ten projects in this book that range from quilts and wall hangings to garland and pillows.  The quilts have an open feeling, for the most part, in that you do see the background so the fabric and blocks are the focus.  I particularly liked the quilts named Simple Pleasures, For My Grandma’s, Summer Breeze and Coventry.  There is a really cute penny rug called Grandma’s Woolie Flower Garden that is a take-off on the Grandmother’s Flower Garden block but it is done in wool so it is easy.  The penny rug is shown in a table runner, table square and candle mat or coaster.  This would be a great project to take on a trip to work on.  Polka Dot Garlands is sweet looking and has that cottage feel.  You just make yo-yos and stitch them end to end in the length that works for you.  I do have to mention the Kilt-y Cottage Pillows as they rather charming due to their pleated edge.  This is another “must buy” for me even though I need another book case for my quilt books.

Simply Vintage is co-authored by Alma Allen and Cherie Ralston for Blackbird Designs.  I love their books and this one is a keeper also.  As with other books that they have done, they each do their own version of the feature quilt.  I am not sure which one I like better.  There are nine 20 by 20 inch squares in each quilt with appliqué that is not difficult and looks stunning.  The additional projects in the book include a wool Golden Pear pincushion, a small Endless Song hooked rug, Homeward Bound needlepunch, Life’s the Berries strawberry pincushion and three rather nice quilts.  I would like to make Coxcomb Stars quilt and Golden Star Quilt.  Dance With Me is also a rather striking quilt.  Something that I really haven’t seen in other books is CD case covers.  There are three versions with two done in wool and one done in linen and wool.  We all know people who take along their CDs and what a neat way to transport them or store them in a very attractive package.  This would make a quick yet easy Christmas gift.  This is a very nice book that I would recommend.

The Best of Blended Quilts from In The Beginning written by Marsha McCloskey and Sharon Evans Yenter contains just what it says….the best of the blended quilts.  I am still captivated by the blended quilts and have a few blended quilts to make.  In this book, you will find Simple Gifts, Fourpatch Strippy, Arabesque, Victoria’s Garden, Variable Jacob’s Ladder and Northwind.  Jean is working on another blended quilt which will be a treat for all of us to see.  She is a master at this technique.

Joan Rockvoy