Customer Reviews

Points of View: Landscape Quilts to Stitch and Embellish

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My love of fabric and landscapes can be satisfied with POINTS OF VIEW. This wonderful book walks you through the steps of how to create landscapes using fabrics in your stash.

The book begins with an explanation of how to look at fabric for things other than what is printed on it. For example, a fabric that has colorful fish on it can be cut so it looks like a wheat field on a rolling hill. You just need a viewfinder which is easy to make and the instructions for making and using it are included. A basic supply list allows you to have on hand all the things you need to make a landscape. And the first pattern starts with a basic landscape.

A materials list and instructions on how to create the landscape are well written with good graphics to show you what is explained. A template is included. Appliqué instructions --- needle turn, machine and fusible---are all covered. Technique Tips are found in colorful boxes throughout the book.

A section on how to color fabric, one on stitchery and one on mounting and framing your work are part of POINTS OF VIEW. The nine projects are all various sizes of wall hangings but you certainly could use one of them as a central panel and turn them into quilts. The book provides a great way to take one of your landscape photos and turn it into a fabric wall hanging. What a way to share your photos with family and friends.

I loved Valerie Hearder's book "Beyond the Horizon" and waited with anticipation for "Points of View". I wasn't disappointed. This book is so readable, with beautiful illustrations, clear instructions with visual aids, and fantastic tips for using various products. Valerie takes the reader to a place where creativity is the focal point, rather than following a standard pattern, allowing the quilter to create indivudual and unique landscapes. She teaches the quilter to "look into the fabric" rather than "at the fabric" to discover what is "hidden beneath". She creates a playground of cotton, silk, crayons, paint, dye, fusable web, and thread to get lost in and to throw away the fear many quilters have of "not doing it right"! A thoroughly enjoyable book and one that i will treasure. It is as gentle a book as Valerie is as a person. Thank you Valerie.

Valorie Rule, Nova Scotia, Canada

I am a landscape quilter and found this book very helpful and surprizing when I started noticing the size of some of the quilts. Ex. 3"x3". I have had a very interesting time creating mini landscapes. I must add that her advice also works on the large quilts too. A good buy!

I'm obviously in the minority but I'm disappointed. I should have researched Hearder's work more closely - it's simply not 'realistic' looking for my taste. I wanted a book that showed how to produce a fabric landscape that looks like an actual photo, rather than a more abstract one. That's simply a personal preference. There's also not nearly enough information regarding perspective, light source, etc.

I'm also disappointed regarding how few photos there are of the actual layering and stitching of the piece while in progress. I'm not interested in patterns for me to copy and reproduce - I expected a true technique book, not a pattern book. The previous reviews were very misleading for me.

This is an exceptionally well-written book. I was fascinated with the various techniques the author uses in her landscapes. Not only are they valuable resources for landscape art, but for all aspects of fabric art.

There are excellent step-by-step instructions on each technique she incorporates. She uses an iron-on transfer dye for painting the sky along with fabric crayons and oil paint sticks. Her technique for making a fence using "vanishing muslin" is another technique that I thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with.

She gives you all the information you will need to begin your first project along with nine beautiful projects to choose from. I was very pleased with my completed landscape - "Autumn Oak." POINTS OF VIEW is definitely a "must read."

Barbara [...]

Points of View is a wonderful book, rich in detail and information, and gorgeous photos of Valerie Hearder's quilts. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to do landscape quilting. Valerie's "viewfinder" idea for finding your correct section of fabric is great, the instructions are clear and easy to follow to make your version of each type of quilt.

If you love making quilted landscapes or are interested in learning how to make them, this is a great book. You learn easy as well as a little more advanced ways to make them. You learn how to look at fabric and see possiblilites in it that you had never seen before. Follow the patterns and techniques to make your own piece of art and then check out the gallery in the back of the book. Amazing! I had made landscapes before getting this book, but I have learned so much more from it.

Kay S.

In Points of View, Valerie outdoes her first book, Beyond the Horizon. She includes many more techniques and hints, along with gorgeous pictures of her work and that of others. It's a book to get lost in. Easy to translate the written word into real life works and be pleased with the results!

Bought this book as a gift, was amazed at the amount of quality illustrations, my friend absolutely delighted, and I must admit, though not a technique I use, I read the whole book before wrapping it up, could not put it down. Valerie Hearder's advice on colour is of great help to everyone, she is certainly is a wonderful teacher.

As a quilt teacher this is a must have tool. This book is one of the best landscape book out there, it so simple to use that a first timer can use it with their eyes closed. If you ever wanted to give it a try this is the way to go it has it all from the very simple to wow!!!!