Some new books

If you are a quilter like me you love a quilt book. If you ever come over you are welcome to my wonderful book collection. Well, here are 4 books that I bought recently.

This is the book that we will be using for our Kansas City Star Quilt of the month. It is not a newly published book, but new to me. It is a good book, and you can buy it for a song on Amazon...but be warned!!!!!! It is full of errors. make sure to test out block before you make an entire quilt. The good does out weigh the bad I assure you!

I love how the book features a  "modern" way to make each block.

It features the original block and some history. Thank goodness for the rotary cutter, right? Templates can be tedious to make.

The next book that is not new to publication either but new to me. American Beauties Rose and Tulip quilts is a wonderful book by Gwen Marston. I do love an applique book. This one can be found for super cheap on Amazon and it is well worth it! I don't think anyone can have too many Gwen Marston books.

This book was written when Gwen Marston (my very favorite quilter in the world) and Joe Cunningham were married.

This is a great book to actually read. All Gwen's books are great reads. She has so much wisdom to share and the books are so well written. I love how she and Joe try to set us free from templates and teach us how to make our own. I guess I have always done this since I learned to applique from Gwen, and it really didn't dawn on me that there was another way. But I love it that they have broken it down into "the way they work" steps.

Next up is a new book by Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession. Making Quilts. At my first flip through I was kinda turned off by the color pallets of all the quilts, but then I actually READ the introduction and first couple chapters and I love it. Her quilts are color inspired by the Australian Bush! In winter mind you...the colors are different in the summer. I loved her use of the glorious Australian light for her photography. I remember going out early to catch the sun light when it was just so....and returning to the same spot in the evening as the sun was setting to capture the moments when the trees shimmered from the sun setting on them. Nothing in the world like Australian light.

Kathy has some really great patterns. I like that many of the quilts are more challenging than the average quilt book being published these days. I love a challenge (I also love a quick and easy quilt).

I am mad for appliqué lately, so her appliqué quilts really speak to me.

This is definitely a great book to add to your library.

My last book to review is this great one by Lucie Summers. Quilt Improv. I adore this book for quite a few reasons. I love Lucie's voice. Reading her writing is just like talking with her in her Turkey Shed textile studio over a cup of tea. She breezes through explanations and has really simple step by step guide pictures. I love Improve quilting and I was afraid she would take something simple and freeing and make it complicated, but she did not! She made improve quilting appear just as simple as it actually is. She took something simple and made it simple. I love it!

I love her break down and inspiration pages and the book is filled with some fun projects.

I could have sworn there was a perfect page in the book that had all the techniques in one layout...but I can't find it now, so this is a good second favorite page of the book. This is the book that I have been carrying around in my bag and reading at doctor and dentist appointments. If only I could spend the same amount of time sitting in front of my sewing machine!

Anyway, check out some of the books see what you think...are there any books you love lately? I would love to hear about them!

*** By the way this is a totally unsolicited series of book reviews I get nothing at all for doing them and no one sends me free books, I just wanted to share them with you in case you are in the mood for something different.