Monday, April 19, 2010

Book Reviews and Give A Way

Oh Happy Day! I was so thrilled to be asked to review some books for Martingale & Co. I had my choice and chose what seems to be on the surface 2 very different books. But at their core is the opportunity to stretch your creativity.

Mary Lou Weidman has distilled her creative process and has articulately included it in Out Of The Box, unleash your creativity through quilts. This is truly fabric folk art with all of the how to's. Mary Lou offers extensive tips on how to come up with a theme, how to put together fabrics, putting words on the quilts and where to find inspiration.


You can't help but smile as you leaf through this book. The fabric color choices - plaids and polka dots and stripes - and the people depicted as caricatures, are bright and cheerful. These are combined to enable you to make a quilt that tells a story - the joy of becoming a Grandmother or a tribute to her Grandmother, the cowgirl. Included there are also lots of quilts created by her students. An added bonus is directions for preparing these wild scrappy borders, that she calls hoochy mama borders. But be warned, this book assumes prior knowledge and gives little instruction on applique - the predominant technique used for putting together the quilts.

Although you may be attracted to this book by the colorful quilts, all of Mary Lou's tips and techniques can be added to your quilt design toolbox, no matter what your color palette.

The second book is Pat Durbin's Fabric+Paint + Thread = Fabulous. This book involves the use of paint and threadwork to create nature type art quilts. It is a peek into the methods that Pat uses to maker her amazing landscape quilts. Since these techniques were new to me, I decided to give them a try. I went to my local chain craft shop looking for the paint that Pat recommends in her book - SoSoft Acrylic by DecoArt. I didn't find that brand, so I chose what I thought was a suitable substitute. For the threadwork, I already had the water soluble stabilizer and the spring loaded embroidery hoop and lots of different thread.
I love making trees, so I thought this might be a good opportunity to use Pat's method and make a little artquilt with a painted background. I started by painting an 8x10ish piece of fabric. I learned that less is more. Since you start with damp fabric, it is best to let the paint move a bit on its own.



While it was drying I worked on the trees. I thread painted a large one and 2 smaller ones. They were fun to make. To keep it simple, I cut the background to make 2 little pieces. I really didn't want to add any other elements.



I layered with batting, did a little free motion quilting, fused and stitched down the moon and then added the trees. I finished one as a postcard



and the other I bound as a little piece.



This was a lot of fun. I am happy to say that I have added some techniques to my toolbox. And I would like to share the fun with you. I want to give this book away! Leave a comment here before Thursday, April 22rd. On Friday, April 23rd at noon, EST I will pick a name from everyone who left a comment, with a random number generator. If your name is chosen, I will send you this wonderful book via US Mail. BUT, YOU MUST LIVE IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. (Sorry to my overseas friends.) So check back here on Fridayto see who the lucky winner will be.

35 comments:

  1. Your postcard turned out wonderfully! I'm not sure I can do the thread painting...I'm not very artistic but your picture looks great!

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  2. The book looks very cool and I love how you turned them into postcards.

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  3. I already use these some of these techniques and would love to see how Pat uses them. Your trees came out fantastic for a first attempt-just imagine what you will accomplish with practice!!!

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  4. I love your little quilts! How fun!

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  5. I just LOVE the idea of combining painting and quilting! I've ventured through books by Irena Bluhm to start my skill set, but would love to learn the realistic landscape theory!

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  6. Ooooooh, both these books look like so much fun. Your trees in the sample are very realistic.
    Maribeth Schmit
    in historic Cedarburg, WI
    NQA Certified Quilt Judge
    www.wiquiltjudge.com

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  7. Wonderful review of a couple of great books. Thanks for the opportunity to see your first attempts at some new techniques. The results are great.

    Pati Cook

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  8. I would love to try Pat Durbin's methods of fabric painting. Your two samples are wonderful.

    Norma

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  9. I love your mini quilt. I've painted fabric with Phil Beaver but would love to try Pat Durbin's method.

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  10. Love your experiments with Pat's book.

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  11. I just came back from the Chicago Quilt Festival and have picked up a few tips for using paint and dyes in my quilts. I would love to read this book!

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  12. Both of the books are awesome, lucky you for reviewing them......either book would fit well in my collection.........I've been working on thread and painting sometime but still have a long way to go.

    jan in indiana

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  13. Your little quilts are awesome. I'd love to win Pat's book so I can try some of the techniques.

    Marilyn in Alberta

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  14. I am glad you were able to select the books you wanted to review. Mary Lou's work always makes me smile. I am glad when a book assumes that the reader has some knowledge and skills (ability to applique), as so many books spoon feed us and I would prefer the book to skip the basics.
    Lunachance
    Redmond, WA

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  15. Fantastic! Love your trees -- almost look like painted lace. I'm just learning about painting on fabrics, and small, postcard size would be a great way to practice. Both books look great, thanks for the reviews.

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  16. don't your postcards look terrific and the background was a real surprise considering the before shots. Thanks for the info about them and the chance to win. BTW if you pull my name, although I live in Australia, my son lives in Boston and as I am seeing him in a few months will that allow me to qualify for location?

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  17. Cinzia - I definitely can mail the book to Boston. You're in! Good luck.

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  18. I love Mary Lou's book as well. Had the fun of taking one of her classes. I do a lot of landscapes in my art work. Pat's book would make a great addition to my library.

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  19. You are brave and jumped right in, didn't you? Both books look interesting. Thanks for sharing.

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  20. Excellent review. I am particularly attracted to art quilts of nature subject, and especially trees. So I loved that you put trees on your blog. I would love to get this book!

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  21. Your mini quilts are beautiful! I love the background colors and your thread-painted trees are just lovely. I would love to win this book so I can give some of these techniques a try.
    Carole Blackburn

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  22. I would like to give her technique a try.

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  23. How kind of you to share one of your free books. I liked the painted landscape project with the thread-painted trees and would love to win that book.

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  24. I have done some painting and thread painting on my quilts in the past, and I am curious to know how Pat's work is different. I think it could be a hoot. It is an interesting process.

    I Love Mary Lou and her new book is the best of all of them in my mind. I found a copy of it and have been slobbering all over it.

    Peace and many blessings, Annie

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  25. I'd love to learn morea about Pat's method. I'm planning a summer camp with my grandkids to paint fabric and sew what they've created.

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  26. This is very intriguing. I would love to work with some of her methods. This incorporates the skills that I love to work with.

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  27. Thanks for sharing your projects. Your trees look 3D! I would love to win the book and give the techniques a try.

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  28. I'm starting my first landscape quilt and like the ideas you shared from the book, and the techniques you tried and shared. Looks like a great book to work with! Thanks for the review.

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  29. I also like to make trees with various techniques, so would be interested in seeing some new ones!

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  30. Thanks for posting your step-by-step visuals. Looks like a very interesting book and a technique worth exploring.

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  31. OK, I might need to try both these new books. Glad I still have space on my new bookshelf. Keep up the good work. CK

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  32. I guess I am too late for the giveaway, but thanks for the review and inspiration! I just might have to add this book to my collection!

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  33. Hello Cheryl,
    I am catching up on all your blogs I've missed since February. I'm sorry I missed out on your book drawing!! Your work is beautiful and I always enjoy your adventures.
    Sandy

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