BOOK NOOK
The latest new leaves, from handbooks
to hardcovers, inspiration to instruction.Oh, Scrap! by Lissa Alexander, US$27.99
Here at Homespun we just love scrap quilts: they’re a
wonderful opportunity to use an array of dif erent fabrics
in one quilt, imbuing it with memories of past projects or
the person who gave us a particular fabric. They allow us
to revel in shades and prints pulled from our stash. Lissa Alexander’s new book provides instructions
for 12 scrap quilts. All are based on traditional patchwork blocks and none is especially dif icult to make,
although many of them do have a lot of patches. Each quilt is shown in two quite dif erent colourways
- one as a model quilt in a photograph, the other as a line drawing – which is helpful to illustrate how
dif erent the project can look when made with dif erent fabrics. In addition to a preface written by
Barbara Brackman on the history of scrap quilts and an overview from Lissa of the principles of value,
scale and density of print, the instructions are peppered with helpful hints that will help you make
informed choices and improve your skills in mixing fabrics ef ectively to achieve glorious outcomes.
Published by Martingale. Available from selected craft shops or as an e-book from http://www.shopmartingale.com.
Child’s Play Quilts
by Stacey Day, US$25.95
Making small quilts for babies and
children can be very satisfying.
Without using too much time or fabric,
you can make a unique and heartfelt
gift and use some of the cute and fun
prints that always seem to attract the
eye in a patchwork shop. Stacey Day
discovered, however, that many
patterns for children’s quilts needed
yardage, which was a frustration for
her, as her stash is primarily comprised
of fat quarters and small cuts. So, she
has designed 20 quilts that look
sensational when made with lots
of scraps on a common background
fabric. There are seven appliqué and
13 patchwork projects, along with
some useful advice on building and
organising your stash. Each project
is shown in two colourways: one warm
and one cool. Many of the designs are
‘modern’ in style, featuring large areas
of negative space to highlight quilting
designs. It’s certainly worth adding
this book to your library if you find
yourself called upon to make quilts
for the little people in your life.Published by Stash Books. Available
from selected craft shops or as an
e-book from http://www.ctpub.com.Sew Creative
by Jennifer Pol
Colin, US$19.95
One of the keys to getting child
excited about sewing and crafting is
having them work on projects that they really want to
make. How many of us recall being forced to make dreary,
ill-fitting clothing in sewing classes at school, which had
the ef ect of turning us away from sewing for years?
Jennifer Pol Colin’s book helps to ensure that your child
won’t have to endure the same experience. After
introductory chapters about fabrics, sewing tools and
basic techniques, instructions are provided for 13 projects.
They include small bags and pouches, backpacks, T-shirts
and cushions. Each project features step-by-step
instructions and lots of photos and diagrams. We liked
the fact that most are shown in two, three or more variations, which makes it more likely that children will
see something that really appeals to them and showcases how easy it is for them to create unique
variations of their own. The book is intended for children aged eight years and older who have a little bit
of sewing experience, although a raw novice working with an experienced adult tutor will certainly be able
to succeed. Our only disappointment was that the publisher has oriented the book to girls: although some
of the projects are likely to appeal to boys, the photos that include children show girls exclusively.
Published by FunStitch Studio. Available from selected craft shops or as an e-book from http://www.ctpub.com.
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