Wednesday, January 13, 2016

What's On The Bookshelf Wednesday - A Treasure Trove of Ideas!

Hi, all!

Time to see What's On The Bookshelf!  This week's book hasn't actually made it to my bookshelf yet, because I've been spending so much time poring over its pages!  Come take a peek inside...


Free-Motion Quilting Idea Book by Amanda Murphy has 155 mix-and-match designs to use in blocks, borders, sashing, and all over - and she really goes all out showing you how to use them!  


The quilting design pages are sorted by type, and have very clear step-by-step directions on how to create each type of design.  She also shows "coordinating families" of designs that will work well with each design.


And then she moves into using the quilting designs on blocks.  As you can see from the section cover page, she uses her designs on some pretty basic blocks, such as the church dash block...


Here's one great plan for quilting a churn dash block - but wait, there's more!


There's another great plan for quilting a churn dash block!  But wait...


Here's yet another great design!  She shows just how flexible these quilting designs can be, sparking your own creativity in putting them together on your own quilt.


Just to give you a taste of what's in the book, there are designs for herringbone quilts...



...Irish Chain quilts...


...and Stacked Coin quilts, plus many more!


There's a great index, too, showing which blocks use each family of quilting design.  

But I think the best design feature of this book is the way it is put together.  Here's a pic of the book closed.  Looks just like any other book on your bookshelf....


But open it up, and you see that it is spiral bound inside!


This allows the pages to lay flat, making it very easy to see the designs as you learn them.


Kudos to Stash Books for a great, functional book!!  

This is strictly a quilting book, not a book of quilt patterns - you won't find quilts you want to make in here - but you will find ways to finish that stack of unquilted tops you have tucked away in the closet!  Whether you quilt on your domestic machine, by hand, or on a long arm, this book will help you FINISH quilts this year - and isn't that everyone's goal?

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That's what's on my bookshelf today!  Have you taken a look at yours lately?

Hugs!

Sarah

9 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for the detailed review. Just what I needed. I ordered the book.

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  2. I have this book also and love it as a reference when I'm stuck. Have you checked out Natalia Bonner's newest book? I think it's called Next Steps in Machine Quilting. Actually the official title is longer than that. I was thinking about ordering it.

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  3. This book sounds like it belongs in my library of machine quilting books. I'll be ordering it soon. Thanks for the review, Sarah.

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  4. Glad to hear you like this. I recently ordered it and am anxiosly awaiting its arrival.

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  5. I've added this to my wish list. I always struggle with knowing how to quilt a quilt. This would be a great help.

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  6. Thanks for sharing a review of this book. I've been wondering about it. Looks like a good one!

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  7. That is such a great and accurate review of Amanda' book Sarah. I got the book just before Christmas and love it. Would highly recommend it to anything thinking of purchasing it.

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  8. Oh wow! I agree on the design of that book! This format not only lays flat but the spiral is protected from getting bent or snagged on others. I've heard some people take their bound books to an office supply store to have the binding cut and put a spiral bind on them. I'm afraid to do that . . . what if they goof and my book is ruined?!

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  9. That looks like a really helpful book, and I love that it's spiral bound on the inside. Thanks for the peek inside and the review.

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