Customer Reviews

Quilting Makes the Quilt

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this book as a companion book to "The Fabric Makes the Quilt" by Roberta Horton. Here are two quilters and one believes fabric makes the quilt, and the other believes the quilting design makes the quilt. I think they are both right! Having both these books for comparison--gave me quite a visual lesson in quilting! What is truly unique about Lee Cleland's book is that she photographs a quilt and shows you how it looks with different quilting patterns. She does this with twelve quilts and it makes you truly consider how you will quilt your design. Truly the quilting is itself a design element and after studying this book--you will never make the beginner's mistake of considering the quilting pattern an afterthought. The color photos in this book are clear and well thought out. There is a pull out quilting paper in the back of the book to practice some of Lee's patterns.

This book is the only one I've found that does a really good job of showing how the quilting can change the appearance of a quilt, by showing the exact same piecing with different quilt patterns. The photography is excellent and the subject fascinating. I don't mind at all that machine quilting was emphasized...

I absolutely love this quilting book. I find it hard sometimes to think of different ways to quilt designs on my quilt. I want something unique and this book offers that. I found the pictures wonderful and unlike the first person to review this book (who must have been having an awful day- LOL), I found the quilting to be of good quality and the stitches can been seen very nicely. You do have to have an open mind to find this book useful- if you only want the same old standard quilting patterns and ideas, then this book is too interesting for you. Enjoy!

The reviewer below seems to be biased in favor of hand quilting. Well, I'm biased in favor of machine quilting, and Lee Cleland is an amazine machine quilter, whose original designs give me many ideas. Most importantly, she demonstrates the effect different types of quilting have on the look of the finished product, which was the entire aim of her book. An EXCELLENT, WONDERFUL book!

I have hundreds of books on quilting, but Quilting Makes the Quilt is the one I could not do without. I never start quilting a new quilt top without looking through it to see the impact different styles and shapes of quilting have on different quilt tops. The photographs of five different versions of each of twelve quilts offer a tremendous variety of quilting styles and designs, so the serious quilter can see directly what rounded shapes quilted on straight-edged geometric quilt tops look like, what one huge quilting design across a quilt without the quilting following the quilt design looks like, and even what various similar patterns of differing density look like as well. It is a fascinating book to study and gives the reader a golden opportunity to see exactly what difference the quilting design makes in the final appearance of a quilt--before quilting a quilt of their own. While the quilts photographed have all been machine quilted, so that the book serves as a great inspiration to anyone trying to master that art, the demonstration of the difference the quilting makes in a quilt's final appearance would be equally useful to hand quilters trying to choose a quilting design. This is a truly wonderful book.

I do both hand and machine quilting, and I find the author's presentation of different ways to quilt the same top to be equally valuable for both. One of the hardest things for me to visualize is how the quilting will alter the look of the patchwork. When I'm mulling different quilting designs, I can get out this book and find examples of the types of designs I'm considering, usually on patchwork that is similar to mine. She really does have a wonderful variety and some very creative and delightful quilting designs (e.g., the diamonds and the chevrons on the log cabin quilt). This is definitely a book I'm glad I own. And, by the way, the workmanship on the quilts is excellent. I'm truly in awe of quilters who can do what Cleland does.

Great book because it shows the same piecing with different quilting patterns to provide visual opportunity to see how the quilting really does "make the quilt." Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so it also reveals how creative you can be. I didn't mind that it used machine quilting because anything a machine can quilt should be able to be hand quilted for those who have the time and wish to do so. I don't think it takes away from hand quilting at all.

I found this book to be excellent in showing how different quiltng designs will effect the look of the quilt. The author chose 12 traditional quilt patterns and made each five times, using the same fabric and batting. Then quilted a variety of designs.

The photography is wonderful. You can see the quilting design and how different quilting designs effect the look of the quilt.

If you are looking for a book to help you decide on what quilt design to use. This book is a great resource!

I can't add much to everyone else's reviews except to say that this is a wonderful book which I take out of my personal library every so often just to look at the photos. This book shows 12 quilts, each one done 6 times! Such great quilting ideas BUT I appreciate that I can also see ways that I will NOT have a quilt quilted. Since I have begun paying to have someone quilt for me I can show them what I want so much better (I hate the quilting part but love the designing & making the top).

A wonderful machine quilting reference book for those who have some previous experience in machine quilting. Lee has beautifully illustrated examples of twelve quilts all quilted in five different patterns. The contrast in the finished effects is very interesting to see. The strength in this book is the finished look achieved with expert skills and clear photographs. It assumes that the reader has had some experience in machining quilting techniques. I bought the book after a workshop with Lee, so the timing is perfect for me. It is great for ideas and inspirations.