Mastering the Art of McTavishing [Paperback]

Karen McTavish (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2005

Quilters learn how to recreate the motion and texture of the author's popular namesake stitch as they follow along with this fully illustrated handbook and DVD. Inspired by the art nouveau movement's Alfonse Mucha, this freehand, background filler quilting design has electrified the quilting community. Dubbed "McTavishing," after its creator, it has become the most popular new design concept in quilting today. As shown in the 25 illustrated projects, McTavishing may be added to any quilt or garment, from wholecloth to contemporary art quilts, and done by hand, domestic machine, or longarm technique. The book's seven how-to chapters demonstrate the uses of the McTavishing stitch—as an addition to an open quilt block, in a border, to highlight complex applique, custom tailor a favorite garment, or as part of a larger overall design—while the accompanying DVD provides lessons from the author. Accompanied by interviews with accomplished hand and domestic machine quilters, this guide offers readers an unparalleled view of the exciting new quilting process.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: On-Word Bound Books; Pap/DVD edition (September 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974470619
• ISBN-13: 978-0974470610
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #114,003 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Karen McTavish has been quilting on a longarm since 1997 fulfilling her two passions: Heirloom Trapunto quilting and Wholecloth. Karen specializes in crafting award-winning quilts using techniques which allow machine quilters to replicate traditional 'hand-quilted' effects. She has been featured on Simply Quilts, and writes articles for national quilting magazines and journals. Karen's is the author of 5 books, Quilting for Show 1 & 2, Whitework Quilting, Mastering the Art of McTavishing and Secrets of Elemental Quilting. She has been a full-time professional longarm quilter since 1997 - supporting her family through her craft. Karen lives on Lake Superior's North Shore, quilting and teaching throughout the country and privately in her storefront 'McTavish Quilting Studio'. She has two children, Ally and Storm. Her website, gallery, and storefront is at ww.designerquilts.com

Karen also is the vocalist for her band called "Grounds for Dismissal" in Duluth Minnesota -
to check out her band go to www.myspace.com/grounds4dismissal

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

113 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An awesome technique..., September 11, 2005

By 

O'Irish "o_irish" (Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mastering the Art of McTavishing (Paperback)

I knew this book (w/DVD) was coming out and could hardly wait. I've been in awe of Karen's quilting work from the first time I saw her doing it. The book is filled with beautiful quilts in color, with background text for each; and an assortment of pics with diagrams on doing her McTavishing technique. But... for ME... the very BEST part is the DVD which is attached inside the back cover. Very lengthy and very detailed videos of Karen using her McTavishing via her long arm quilting machine, and verbalizing instructions for several different doodling designs (the sky's the limit), as well as beautiful heirloom feathers, all free-hand. There's also a segment working Karen's McTavishing technique with a regular domenstic home sewing machine. Karen says each person's McTavishing will have their own individual finger print on it. For ME, the DVD was worth the price of the book!! I'm really a visual person... I need to see something in action, and this provided all and more!!!

66 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy and Exciting, October 14, 2005

By 

Ralston "ralston" (Mill Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mastering the Art of McTavishing (Paperback)

The book, and most especially the DVD, teach a beautiful, fast, fun, and easy technique for machine quilting. I personally have never liked stippling as a background qulting design and so was very excited when I first saw a friend doing "McTavishing". In addition to the "McTavishing" design, Karen demonstrates about 6 other patterns including an amazingly graceful and fairly simple Victorian Feather. The book and DVD give you all the information you need to sit down and practice this technique and very quickly master it. I highly recommend it.

70 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Get it for the dvd, not for the book, July 10, 2006

By 

A. Frerichs "afrerichs" (Lincoln, NE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering the Art of McTavishing (Paperback)

I bought this book hoping it would have the answers I needed. Like most "how to quilt" books it doesn't show you how to quilt, but shows off the author's quilting. All these books show pictures of wonderful quilts and beautiful quilting but no mention of how the quilting motifs were chosen, found or drawn on. This book follows that exact formula of just teasing you. I sometimes wonder if there is a secret stash of quilt designs only privledged quilters are allowed to have.

The dvd was great. I thought it would be crappy for my 24.95 but I got 90 minutes of her quilting. The sound is on the loud side but the video is great. I loved that she made her quilting the star of the show and not herself as most quilting shows and dvds do.

Although she uses a longarm machine, you can use your home machine as well for any of her techniques. She follows the book, but having a visual to see how she does her quilting is awesome. She is a very relaxing teacher and not stuffy or snobby. She let the camera get all the angles of her quilting and it was great to see her enjoying doing this dvd. I personally don't care for "McTavishing" but I loved the freemotion Victorian Feathers and just watching her style of quilting. It was also nice to see how a longarm machine works and not an overpriced Bernina machine as most top quilters say you must have to do quilting.

The book is the same as any other quilting book. The dvd rocks. Buy it just for that and you won't regret it. Most quilting dvds run around 40 dollars and Karen was a genius for addding it with her book. I hope other quilters follow her path.

I have to apologize and say that "McTavishing" is stunning. I just did a quilt using "McTavishing". It took me five days by my regular sewing machine, left me with one very sore left arm, but produced a stunning quilt. I didn't like it at first because my practice drawings kept coming out "string-like". I had contacted Karen, who was very sweet and gracious, and asked several questions and she helped me out. I finally got the courage to try it and I reccomend this book, especially the DVD to anyone who is a visual person. You really do come out with an idividual quilting pattern that is uniquely yours. Thank you Karen, for inspiring me to try "McTavishing" despite my frustrations.

I still like the DVD better than the book, but I have a new found respect for quilting techniques that I didn't have before.