Like many quilters, I love to make quilts for family members. The latest to receive a quilt is my niece Abby.

Abby is my youngest niece and she lives outside Chicago. She is also a college freshman and her quilt is going to college.

My other two nieces grew up five miles from me. I was blessed that they spent hours at my home being creative. They started sewing early on. If you search back through the blog, you’ll find photos of the work they did, from scrunchies to quilts.

When I started Abby’s quilt, I knew I wanted to make a fresh, happy, colorful quilt. I asked her for a little guidance on color. She told me she liked blues and purples.

I had lots of scraps. What quilter doesn’t?

Urban and Amish: Classic Quilts and Modern Updates
Myra Harder
That Patchwork Place; $24.99

Amish quilts have stood the test of time, looking both contemporary and traditional at the same time. In this book, Myra Harder has taken Amish designs, which she knew as a child living for a few years in Lancaster County, Pa., and used them as a jumping off point for what she terms urban quilts with their bold fabrics. The urban quilts are not just reproductions of the Amish quilts in today’s fabrics. They have their own style. She includes eight Amish quilts and their eight counterparts with patterns for all. It was fun to see how the Pineapple block became her Chinese Lanterns or how the strong Amish Bars became pieced Horizontal Lines. You can either recreate Myra’s designs or set off on your own modern interpretation.

Look for this book at your favorite quilt or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Celebrate Christmas With That Patchwork Place®
That Patchwork Place
Martingale; $26.99

It’s Christmas in July time! Lots of shops hold Christmas workshops to get everyone started making holiday gifts, and this selection of 22 designs has arrived just in time. You’ll find full-size quilts, table runners, mantel covers, stockings, an advent calendar and much more from a variety of designers. You’ll even find a Festival of Lights table runner to celebrate Hanukkah. I particularly liked the ruffled Christmas Cookie Apron by Mary Burns and Ode to the Grinch Quilt by Jenny Wilding Cardon. I’m sure you’ll be charmed by several of the designs.