43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Judy Martin is a genius at making the ordinary extraordinary, February 24, 2010
This review is from: Stellar Quilts (Perfect Paperback)
I have no problem admitting that I am biased when it comes to Judy Martin. As an author, she goes way back on my bookshelves - back to the 80's. She is a master at designing extraordinary quilts using ordinary blocks and basic techniques.
Given that I have 4 of her books already, I snatched up "Stellar Quilts" as soon as it became available on Amazon. It is very similar to her earlier publication "Scraps", but obviously focuses on star shapes in refreshingly not-so-obvious ways. I would rate this book as somewhat advanced, but not exclusively so. If you are a quilter who has truely mastered the 1/4 inch seam (I know, I know, we all like to think - or assume - we have ...), this book will challenge you to stretch your knowledge of the fundamentals.
Using spectacular sets, curious shapes, optional templates, and a multitude of color/set variations, Judy Martin delivers a thoroughly top-notch publication. The first 10 pages of introduction are simply the most informative and useful I have ever read in a quilting book.
If you were to judge this book by thumbing through it, you might be a bit alarmed at the colorful assortment of templates and unfamiliar shapes you see. Martin provides rotary cutting details as an option to using the templates, and even these illustrations might cause you to gulp a bit audibly. But the idea here is to test and push yourself a bit, and Martin's text will tell you all you need to know and give you confidence to do more.
And don't be squeamish when you see Y-seams, required point trimming, and partial seams! If you've been avoiding every book that has these techniques, then make this the year you face them head on and master them. This book is the perfect resource that you will be returning to time and again for instruction and inspiration.
My only wishes for this book are rather minor, but would make it easier to assimilate and go back to something that catches the eye:
1) the Table Of Contents should be more prominent (it's hard to find!!)
2) the TOC should have a snapshot of each quilt alongside its name
3) each page should be labeled with the quilt's name for better organization
If you think you know stars or you just love anything stellar, you will understand Martin's double entendre here; you CAN make a uniquely captivating star-themed quilt with surprisingly stellar results.
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
what a quilting inspiration, February 20, 2010
This review is from: Stellar Quilts (Perfect Paperback)
When Judy Martin said she wanted "not your average quilts" she wasn't kidding. These are the best star quilt patterns. I have read this book like my best loved novel. Every quilt is better than the last. I am trying to figure out which one to do first and where it will go... Definitely worth the money for this book, you won't be dissappointed!
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love Judy Martin's books!, March 22, 2010
This review is from: Stellar Quilts (Perfect Paperback)
I like all of Judy Martin's books - and this one is no exception. I like how she plays with colors and layouts - it really sparks my creativity. Her directions are very clear and precise and, although I have only had time to make one block from this book, it came out perfect and I can't wait to make more. Beautiful quilts! Great Inspiration!
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