Customer Reviews

Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Applique: 2000 Traditional and Modern Designs, Updated History of Applique, Five New Quilt Projects!

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I cannot tell you how pleased I was to see that this book has been re-released. The first part of this book contains Barbara Brackman's essential work which includes the cataloguing of appliqué quilt patterns. It is clearly one of the corner-stones for quilt design identification (along with her book "Encyclopedia of Pieced Patterns") and is used by textile scholars, museums, and quilters alike.

Not just for quilt historians, however, the book also includes patterns for five appliqué quilt patterns. They are pure inspiration for all quilters who want beautiful traditional appliqué patterns. But what I find extremely valuable as a quilter is the huge resource of appliqué block design ideas and border treatments. I'll be using my copy to help me with design ideas.

For many years this book was unavailable except on the secondary market, and the price was very high because of the great demand for this information. The fact that it is available again and at a reasonable price is wonderful news!

I recently purchased this book and am very pleased! She really helps us understand the evolution of all of our favorite quilt patterns and as an appliquist it is great to see her genius focused on applique. I have referred to her pieced encyclopedia time and time again and I anticipate using this volume just as often. The patterns in the projects are creative and I am looking forward to tackling one in all my spare time!!

I have been waiting for this book to arrive and it does not disappoint! Everything from the gorgeous cover photo to the fabulous new patterns makes this book a terrific buy. It is a wonderful reference book for applique patterns beginning with a comprehensive section on the history of applique. If you are looking to identify and applique block, this is the book for you!

This book has a very extensive collection of designs that can be used to identify quilt patterns. I like it although when I bought it I was looking for design patterns that I could use and this is not that kind of book. I was a bit disappointed that there were not more usable patterns. However, if one is doing research, this is a valuable tool.

I have found this book invaluable in creating applique designs for quilts I am creating. Although only small thumbnail designs are given, they are easily enlarged and very usable. I love the freedom created by having only the black and white drawings giving me no indication of colors that could be used. For the creative part of me this book is one that started my journey in designing applique blocks.

Barbara Brackman's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF APPLIQUE provides a powerful reference for quilt collectors and applique fans, providing 5 applique quilt projects and an updated history of applique and offering blocks by subject, design and time period for quick and easy reference. The result is a survey of some 2,000 traditional and modern designs and an updated history that includes five new quilt projects, perfect for any quilter's collection.

Although this appears to be comprehensive, I felt the illustrations could have been more clear and better drawn. Nothing can beat thumbing through a book in a book store and I purchased this book without doing that. I was under the wrong impression that this book was more a template reference than just an "example" illustrative guide. However, it is still possible for me enlarge and draw better any example in the book. Still a good book for the price.

This is an excellent resource, but most of this edition consists of a reprint of Brackman's previously published encyclopedia of applique patterns. The new material consists primarily of several lovely applique patterns.

If you're an applique lover, then this is a fantastic source book to browse through and get inspiration from. Barbara traces the history of appliqué in America and it really seems that applique is a metaphor for the country itself. She says "Like much else in our culture, the appliqué quilt is a recipe for the melting pot. Beginning with a stock of English bedding traditions, quilters added substantial parts of German design and contemporary decorative arts, spicing the mix with images from diverse immigrant and native folk arts."

The book has 2000 traditional and modern applique designs organised so that you find them either by name or by image. This is a great reference book if you're putting together your Christmas Wish List.

I was somewhat disappointed in the book. It was well done but I expected more full sized patterns. If I had been able to look through the book before I purchased it, I would not have bought it.