24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I bought it and I don't even do applique (but now I will), December 14, 2010
This review is from: Flower Show Quilts: Stunning Applique on a Patchwork Canvas (That Patchwork Place) (Paperback)
Seriously, I applique only when I absolutely have to. (Love the look, but hate the process.) And foundation piecing? I'd rather go paperless. Yet I bought Lynn Ann Majidimehr's Flower Show Quilts knowing it involved both techniques. Why? I took a few good looks online (using Amazon's "See All Product Images") and clicked "Add To Cart" within seconds.
The quilts are beautiful, not only because of the lovely layered applique, but also for their richly pieced backgrounds, which vary from a basic checkerboard ("Summer Floral Tablerunner") to one with Courthouse Steps blocks ("Pink Dahlias").
What you can't see so well online is the amazing detail in the quilting itself. Not only are the backgrounds quilted in imaginative ways, but the appliques themselves are extensively quilted, adding more depth and contour. Nothing flat going on here! Crazy quilting stitches, embroidery, and beading make these quilts even more spectacular.
About the applique:
The author uses both fusible applique (she prefers Mistyfuse for its thinness) and freezer-paper/glue-based applique (for larger designs). Each project is clearly identified by which of the two applique methods it employs, and ample instructions and illustrative photos are provided. The results reveal layers of detail, rich without being fussy or complicated.
About the foundation piecing:
Only one project (the Asymmetrical Clematis) uses foundation piecing. Even the author admits to not liking certain aspects of traditional paper-piecing; she prefers the freezer-paper method because it eliminates the need to pick out all those pesky little bits of paper. She explains very well how this is done, and I am looking forward (gasp!) to trying this method.
About the projects:
There are 10 applique projects, all of which feature show-stopping florals: spider mums, orchids, poppies, lilies, 2 different clematis variations, iris, dahlias, and 2 summer medleys .
Some projects feature just a single appliqued set, while others use repeated blocks of appliqued flowers. Finished block sizes run from 12x12 to 18x18. Finished quilt sizes vary from one table runner (shown in 3 colorations) to wall-hangings (all around 36x36) to lap-size (the largest is 51x68.5). These are sizes that can be easily quilted on any domestic-arm sewing machine.
About The Author:
The author writes that she uses a computer to generate her designs and fuel her creativity; honestly, I am impressed that a computer could yield such organic and beautifully layered projects. Clearly, the author is underselling her own innate artistic talents here.
Ms. Majidimehr also has a website [...], which has more ideas and gallery shots. I was pleased to see it is not a hard-sell for the book (though it has every right to be!) and I have a sense that there is a lot more to this author than what we get to see in her book.
I happened to discover that the author is very accessible; I had a question about something I read in the book, so I emailed the address on the website. She responded to me in less than 18 hours, with a very friendly and detailed response. I don't often get a chance to make contact with authors, and in this case I particularly like knowing there really is someone behind a book I am enjoying so much.
Ms. Majidimehr is causing me to happily reconsider my previous dislike for the methods of both applique and foundation piecing. If I could make a quilt even half as lovely as what she offers in Flower Show Quilts, I might also find happiness turning under all those edges. Seriously!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Appliqué on patchwork, March 20, 2011
This review is from: Flower Show Quilts: Stunning Applique on a Patchwork Canvas (That Patchwork Place) (Paperback)
The subtitle of this book is "Stunning Appliqué on a Patchwork Canvas." What a great idea! I always think that a combination of patchwork and appliqué makes the most appealing quilts.
The front matter of Flower Show Quilts is a treasure trove of information. The author starts with quiltmaking basics, ranging from sewing supplies to presser feet to needles to fabric choice and preparation.
Then, there's a fantastic photo tutorial on a method of foundation piecing where you don't sew through the foundation. No tearing paper away!
Then we move to the appliqué information. Lynn takes us through two methods. First, there's a tutorial on using fusible web that has no paper backing. This method always confounds me, so it was great to have it laid out before me step by step. Second, there's a new take on freezer-paper, glue-basted appliqué.
Quiltmaking basics continue with assembling the quilt top, borders with mitered corners, layering and basting, and a fantastic section on machine quilting. This is not your "quilt as desired" type of thing; Lynn includes tons of great information and photo examples of quilting by machine. There's even specific, illustrated information on binding and adding a sleeve! Very comprehensive!
Then the author presents a collection of beautiful floral appliqué projects, all on patchwork backgrounds. Beautiful.
Kay Mackenzie
Author,
Inspired by Tradition: 50 Applique Blocks in 5 Sizes
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