Kaffe Fassett’s Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts
Kaffe Fassett with Liza Prior Lucy
Abrams; $35.00

Once again, Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy have produced a book that whets your color and design appetite. Kaffe’s ambition for the book was to draw attention to the basic shapes we use in quilting as they appear in our surroundings. To do this, he uses lots of architectural and nature photographs to highlight shape. The photographs of the quilts then cause you to focus back on the simple shapes, squares, rectangles, triangles, diamonds, quarter circles, and circles. Some examples: Kaffe’s quilt Bounce filled with circles and the photo of the installation at the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland of a “pavement” made up of upside-down flower pots; the quilt Striped Donut and the old door made of concentric squares cut from strips of distressed wood. The book includes instructions for 23 quilts. I believe the book has sharpened my design eye a bit, and I’m seeing even more geometric shapes in my surroundings. Fans of Kaffe and Liza will love the book.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.

Paradise Stitched
Sylvia Pippen
C&T Publishing; $29.95

Sylvia Pippen was introduced to Sashiko, the art form practiced in Japan for centuries, by her mother, who was raised in China. Shasiko, which means “little stabs” in Japanese is a running stitch done in white thread on indigo fabric. Today Sylvia uses Shasiko and adds appliqué designs to complement the traditional designs. In this book she suggests using a variety of applique techniques, including her favorite, which is the press-over heat-resistant Mylar method that allows her to form crisp intricate pieces. Once you’ve learned both the appliqué and Sashiko technique, Sylvia offers six projects that combine the two plus embroidery.The book includes a nice gallery of work and full-size pull-out patterns. A plus is Sylvia’s discussion on choosing fabric; she includes photos of a variety of fabrics and shows you exactly where to cut to get the right shading and light for your pieces.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.

By Kim Schaefer
C&T Publishing; $19.95

This collection of 23 easy, pieced contemporary quilts, table runners and placemats is designed to make a dent in your stash. The blocks, all squares and strips, feature quick rotary cutting and straight-line piecing, perfect for the beginning quilter. While the blocks are really simple, the results do look more complicated and have a wonderful visual impact. The color palettes used also would be great if you are looking for a project for a man. I plan to hit my stash and piece a couple of tops.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.

Pretty Little Mini Quilts
ed. Ray Hemachandra
Lark Books; $17.95

Part of Lark’s Pretty Little series, Pretty Little Mini Quilts features 31 projects made by 25 artists. (You’ll recognize lots of the names, including Sarah Ann Smith, Jamie Fingal and Andi Stern.) The projects range from machine and hand quilting to embroidery and trapunto to fusing and embellishment to piecing and painted surfaces. You’ll find traditional and contemporary pieces, none larger than three feet. I like books that introduce a variety of techniques, and you’re sure to find a new technique to add to your toolbox.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.

Intuitive Color & Design
Jean Wells
C&T Publishing; $27.95

After quilting, teaching and running a shop for more than 33 years, Jean Wells decided she wanted to work more intuitively and create abstract designs. Her initial work with Nancy Crow started her on a wonderful path of exploration that she now shares with others. If you’ve not a class from Jean, this book is your chance to learn from her. To start with she suggests you really learn to see what’s around you and keep a journal. She includes a variety of exercises to help you develop your use of color, design and piecing with such assignments as intuitive angle piecing, proportion, and color and value. Doing the exercises will make you a better quilter, whether you stick with traditional quilts or make art quilts.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.

Gayle Bong
Martingale & Co.; $24.95