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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of very different quilts, March 3, 2010
This review is from: Color Shuffle: New Quilts from Karla Alexander (That Patchwork Place) (Paperback)
I love the quilts, as always. You can see them on the quilt show with Alex Anderson (episode 603) . You can also see them in her gallery at Saginaw Street Quilts . She uses wild colors --which I love--but I have seen her quilts in soft florals and structured Asians. The quilts are all rotary cut and pieced as apposed to applique or paper pieced . There are 16 quilts in the book.
There are so many different construction techniques--the wavy half squares and semi-applique of Somersault, the curved piecing in Blue Moon , the calming geometric Plaid Passion and Quilters Weave . I am part way through 2 of these and her directions are so precise they help a perpetual intermediate like me figure it all out. Most $25 or $30 books are variations on one or 2 quilts , this a true explosion of creativity coupled with the ability to explain how to do it. A bargain to be sure . Its actually fun and I gain the confidence , as I have with her prior books to do it my way however strange that may be, enlarging, transferring techniques, shrinking or growing the squares,using fabric with frogs or cars or almost-naked hikers or shades of blue or black and white . My 20 something kids love the quilts, my 80 something MIL likes them in softer fabrics and I love them just as they are.
All of the quilts are do-able . None of them are the uncoordinated mash of bright colors and big prints that I think of as "fabric in a blender". One of my two kids loves that look. Let her make her own quilt, I say. Karla uses a million pieces of fabric , but there is structure and consequently movement in each quilt. She's an artist not just a seamstress .
No, I am not her sister or best friend. I am eagerly awaiting a 2012 book.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific book!, December 19, 2009
This review is from: Color Shuffle: New Quilts from Karla Alexander (That Patchwork Place) (Paperback)
This book is more of Karla's great ideas. Even if you struggle to be creative (as I do), her methods can make everyone (including yourself) believe you really are creative! And if you are already creative, you will go crazy using her patterns and methods. It is great fun - once you make one of Karla's patterns, you'll have to do more. They are easy, beautiful, and open ended for adaptations. Don't miss out!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for scraps even though it isn't stated to be for scraps, September 18, 2010
This review is from: Color Shuffle: New Quilts from Karla Alexander (That Patchwork Place) (Paperback)
Scraps, scraps and more scraps. What to do with all the scraps? Well this book may just help even though it isn't touted as a quilt book for using scraps.
It begins with the usual eight pages of basic quilting techniques. Throughout the book, there are tips given and set off in colored boxes. Each project shows a full color page of the finished quilt and also tells the finished quilt and block size. The materials list tells how much yardage you need but if you look at the various quilts, you will easily notice that many of them can be done with scraps you have left from other quilts OR those fat quarters you just couldn't resist buying. The quilt named SIDEWAYS is a perfect example of this. And some are perfect with scraps if you pick a background fabric in the required yardage. ELECTRIC FENCE is an example of this. AND best of all, the author even provides a quilt that is specifically for scraps - CRITICAL (STASH) MASS.
The patterns continue with a cutting list and lots of graphics for following the written instructions. As with most quilting books, the instructions for quilting are listed "as desired". Templates are included and are full sized so no copying needed.
With 16 quilts, many perfect for scraps, you can use up your bits and pieces and make beautiful quilts too. Even if you don't have scraps, just following the directions will give you a wonderful quilt to snuggle under come winter.
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