A New Book Found at Quilt Camp

If you are like me, you have many books, patterns, and magazine in your personal Quilt Library.  It seem to me that no sooner do I sternly tell myself that I can't purchase another one, I do.  Strangely enough though, that was not an admonition I made to myself before last weekend's Quilt Camp.  Maybe I should have.

I didn't intend to come home with another book, and truth be told, I didn't. I came home with three (gasp!).  The number surprised me when I typed it just now; I hadn't counted them up until then.  One was for crazy quilting, one for classes I might possibly teach, and the third one?  Well, the third one sang to me and practically leaped off the rack into my hands.

For those of you who have been quilting longer than I, the author might be familiar from her previous book for Martingale.  Cheryl Wall wrote Country Comforts which I've never seen but may have to track down now.  If any of you have it, I'd love to hear your review of it and what you made from it.

Here's a picture of her second book that's in the stores now:

Oh, what a pleasure this book is!  I could happily make everyone of her designs.  The fact that she, too, loves plaids and stripes in lovely warm colors doesn't hurt.  If you don't, look at this book anyway.  You know I love batiks, these quilts would be gorgeous in those fabrics.  For those of you who are repro fans, they'll work here.  You want to do a baby quilt?  Just re-size and you'll be ready to go with sweet baby fabrics.  As with so many books, the author may have a particular fondness for a certain type of fabric, but if you use what you love - well, the finished project will sing to you.

Cheryl Wall has some words of wisdom in that vein that I'd like to share with you from this book:

 The few times I've tried "stretching myself" by using fabrics that typically would not be my preference, I found that making the quilt became tedious and not nearly so enjoyable.  If you love what you're working with, the process of creating is a lot more fun." (p 88)

She has a point and if it suits you, adopt it as your own.  I understand what she is saying, but I will continue to try new fabrics in different styles and colors so I continue to grow and discover things I do like after all (my pinwheel wall hanging, for example).  I figure that if I hate something after it's made, I will have learned a lesson, and some charity will be the richer by one quilt.  But it is important for me to remember that there are always differing opinions out there, and they all have merit and meaning to someone. 

All that is just to say that if you don't like "country" and plaids or stripes, check this book out anyway and imagine the pieces made in your choice of fabrics.

Have fun dreaming!