After that giveaway, Lynn generously offered to send me copies of her first two books to be given away. So Scrap Quilters, here we go again!! To be entered you don't have to be a follower or post this on your blog, just leave a comment below. The books will be given away separately, so your comment will give you two chances to win. The RNG will choose a winner for each book. If you would like to be entered twice I will add your name a second time if you do post a link to this page and let me know that you have done so. If by some rare chance the same name comes up for both books, I will give that individual their choice of which book they would like and I will redraw for the other one.
The first book, Simple Strategies for Scrap Quilts, is a great place to start if you have never made a scrap quilt, but have been wanting to try. Lynn includes chapters on "Understanding Scrap Quilts", "Collecting Fabric", "Quiltmaking Basics", "Designing with Scrap Blocks", and "Finishing the Quilt". I love this statement from Lynn in the chapter "Understanding Scrap Quilts";
"Scrap quilts look great from a distance and are full of surprises when you get up close. I hate bed making, but when there's a scrap quilt on the bed, I can find joy in all the colors, textures, and patterns as I go through the drudgery."
There are kernels of quilting wisdom and knowledge in every section of this book. I wanted to include more of it, but I'm covering two books here, so I can't get very detailed or this will take forever. All of the quilts in this book are within the "beginner to intermediate" range. Most of them are surrounded by two straight borders, a narrow one and a wide one, though now and then a quilt will break that mold. All of the quilts are visually appealing. Enough said, let's look at some pictures!!
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| Lynn made this quilt using a consistent light fabric throughout the quilt. |
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| This quilt was created from blocks received in a swap. By reversing the value placement from one block to the next, the eye is kept hopping over this colorful quilt. |
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| If you like "scrappy", but with a little more controlled look, Lynn recommends using related fabrics in a quilt, as in this one made with 30s reproduction prints. . . |
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| . . . or this one in CW pinks and browns. |
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| These bow tie circles were made using highly contrasting fabrics and repeating the same in the outer border. |
That gives you a taste of the sixteen quilts within the pages of this book. All of the patterns offer clear, full color illustrations to go along with the concise instructions.
Let's move on to "Simple Strategies for Block Swap Quilts." I admit that I was hesitant to buy this, based on the title. I have never participated in a block swap and am not sure if I ever will. But once I looked inside the cover I was sold. There are so many wonderful scrap quilts here, with the patterns to make them from scratch, in case you are like me and don't have blocks from a swap.
Lynn offers this insight into why she loves swaps (she belongs to two swap groups), "The blocks I receive in trades are one step up from my fabric stash. They are a head start on a quilt, waiting there for me when and if I am inspired to use them."
Along with the sections on understanding scrap quilts and designing with blocks (which are not just lifted from the previous book, there is new stuff here), there is a section on how to organize and conduct a block swap. If you are looking for a project for a guild, or want to start a swap group, this section contains valuable helps. Lynn also discusses the "controlled" approach to scrap quilting versus the "just go for it" method. You will probably be able to define your style after reading this and trying your hand at a scrap quilt.
Many of the 15 patterns include alternative layouts for the block involved. Several patterns have tips to use if conducting a swap for that specific block.
Now let's see some of the treats in this book.
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| I always say I've never met a churn dash I didn't like and this is no exception. I especially like the secondary pattern created by the flying geese units in the sashing. |
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| Not all scrap quilts have to have a vintage look. This is a beauty, with the black chains making the bright colors shine. Mary (Quilt Hollow), if you are reading this, this is where I remembered seeing that block in your little Schnibbles quilt! : ) |
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| Doesn't get much scrappier than this. Love it!! |
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| This quilt was the result of a trade using blue and yellow HSTs and four patch units. Value placement made all the difference in creating a stunning pattern that spills into the borders. |
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| The swap that made this quilt happen consisted of trading 4 identical 4-patch units. The "on point" setting, placement of the light squares in the centers and corners, and creative sashing give so much visual interest and fool the eye into thinking the black lines are slashing through larger "Puss in the Corner" blocks. |
That about covers it. I just want to add that no give away copies of books were harmed in this post. All photos were taken from my own well-marked, tabbed copies of these books. If you win you will receive a pristine, "spine never cracked", autographed copy!
So leave those comments and if you want to be in the drawing twice you can blog about this and post a link. You have until 10:00 p.m. Saturday, MDT. I will post the winner later that night and ship the books out Monday! Good Luck!!
Until next time, from the little mountain valley where it looked like the mountains were on fire last night,
Janet O.
