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Years of long workdays and little sleep as a political campaigner are about to pay off now that Lucy Toomey's boss is entering the White House. But when her estranged older sister, Alice, unexpectedly dies, Lucy is drawn back to Nilson's Bay, her small, close-knit, Wisconsin hometown.
An accident in her teens left Alice mentally impaired, and she was content to stay in Nilson's Bay. Lucy, meanwhile, got out and never looked back. But now, to meet the terms of Alice's eccentric will, Lucy has taken up temporary residence in her sister's cottage--and begins to see the town, and Alice's life, anew. Alice's diverse group of friends appears to have little in common besides an interest in quilting. Yet deep affection for Alice united them and soon Lucy, too, is brought into the fold as they share problems and stories. And as she finds warmth and support in this new circle, Lucy begins to understand this will be her sister's enduring gift--a chance to move beyond her difficult past, and find what she has long been missing. . .
The Elm Creek Quilters have begun a Round Robin quilt, created by sewing concentric patchwork borders to a central block, as a gift for their beloved fellow quilter Sylvia Compson. But even as the quilt is passed from friend to friend, its eloquent beauty increasing with every stitch, the threads of their happiness begin to unravel. As each woman confronts a personal crisis, a painful truth, or a life-changing choice, the quilt serves as a symbol of the complex and enduring bonds between mothers and daughters, sisters and friends.
Do you believe rules were meant to be broken? If so, this improvisational quilt-as-you-go technique is for you. Instead of dealing with precise paper patterns and cutting measurements, you'll learn how to piece fabric onto small, manageable batting blocks. Let your creative juices flow as you quilt directly on the blocks (not the entire quilt!), whether in large abstract zigzags or small structured stitches. After the blocks have been joined, all you need to do is add backing fabric and binding, and—voilà—it's finished!
Bestselling author Judith Baker Montano is back with a new comprehensive stitch guide that will take you beyond traditional embroidery. She’ll show you how to create stunning landscapes and seascapes by applying fine art principles to your fabrics, threads, and fibers. Learn how to use these materials with other embellishments to convey lifelike trees, flowers, ocean corals, and more with 60 stitches and 67 stitch combinations. Learn artistic embroidery techniques for building layers, creating dimension and perspective, and blending shapes—translate your favorite snapshot of any landscape or seascape into fiber art!
Quilting is a fun hobby -- but where do you begin? From selecting fabrics and designing a quilt to stitching by hand or machine, this friendly guide shows you how to put all the pieces together -- and create a wide variety of quilted keepsakes for your home. We'll have you in stitches in no time!
Discover how to
* Select the right fabrics and threads
* Design your masterpiece
* Use quilting software
* Save time with rotary cutters and other cool tools
* Quilt by hand or machine
* Get creative with applique
As Bonnie’s adventure unfolds, it quickly becomes clear that Claire’s new business isn’t the only excitement in store for her. Her cheating, soon-to-be ex-husband decides he wants her stake in Elm Creek Quilts, which threatens not only her financial well-being but her dearest friendships as well. Luckily she has the artistic challenge of creating her own unique Hawaiian quilt pattern to distract her—and new friends like Hinano Paoa, owner of the Nä Mele Hawai‘i Music Shop, who introduces Bonnie to the fascinating traditions of Hawaiian culture and reminds her that love can be found when and where you least expect it.
Expand your skills beyond those using a traditional sewing machine to discover these ease and versatility of creating wonderful projects with a serger instead. Renowned author and sewing expert Nancy Zieman shows you everything you need to know about serging through easy-to-follow instructions featured in Serge with Confidence.
First build your confidence by learning the basic techniques and tools needed on your way to serging success, and then put those skills to use by creating one of the many showcased projects.
Whether you are a beginning serger or you have been using your machine for years, Serge with Confidence is the No. 1 resource to have on hand in your quest for serging excellence.
You'll find: Comprehensive overview of a serger and how to use it Overview of the types of stitches available, products and tools 18 inspirational projects, from wardrobe pieces and accessories to home decor, and holiday ideas, all fully illustrated and beautifully photographed Through guide to keeping your serger running smoothly and trouble-free
• 14 sophisticated floral appliqué projects include pillows, table runners, and small tapestry-style quilts and wall hangings
• Full-size templates for 45 appliqué flowers, 2 butterflies, and 5 borders
• Stitch up the projects as shown, or mix-and-match patterns to create your own masterpiece
Plant an indoor garden with a bounty of lyrical appliqué designs. All the project patterns are interchangeable, so you can create endless combinations of flowers and leaves. See how color-saturated cottons, vibrant silks, and tone-on-tone chintzes breathe new life into botanical appliqué.
From Victorian quilts to contemporary works of art, crazy quilting has evolved into a beautiful mixture of piecing, embroidery, and fabric techniques.
Crazy Quilting - The Complete Guide tells you everything you need to know to create your own beautiful heirloom crazy quilts, including: 10 different methods for piecing. More than 100 embroidery stitches for ribbons, flosses and threads. Techniques for dyeing, painting, stamping, printing, and embroidering on silk, cotton, rayon, wool and linen. Instructions for adding buttons, beads, tassels, cording and other dimensional embellishments. Tips for finishing your quilts. Whether you are just getting started or have been quilting for years, Crazy Quilting - The Complete Guide is guaranteed to be the crazy quilting resource you turn to the most.