Blog Tour: Inspired Free-Motion Quilting

Inspired Free-Motion Quilting
Bill Volckening
Mandy Leins
C&T Publishing $25.95;
e-book $20.99

One hundred and fifty years from now when a resurgence in quilt making begins yet again Inspired Free-Motion Quilting: 90 Antique Designs Reinterpreted for Today’s Quilter will serve as a resource for new quilters and quilt historians. These quilters will, following the tradition of quilt making, take these ninety antique designs and reinterpret each one for quilters of the day. There will be those quilters who embrace each reinterpretation with gusto and quilters who complain and all of this will be traditional as we all have opinions.

What I love best about Mandy and Bill’s book is the sense of historical collaboration between the quilters of multiple generations. Think about our fascination with the 1930’s and the variety of fabric lines inspired by them. Previous generations inspire us, inform our quilt making, giving us a foundation for our own quilts.

Each quilt in the book is worthy of our time and attention as we look for machine quilting inspiration. Take this Willow Tree Quilt Mandy worked out how to stitch out that tree. Willows are a great tree to practice with as it’s on the forgiving side. Actually all machine quilting motifs are forgiving however the bendy nature of the branches and the leaves give this particular tree the distinction of being worth of trying any day of the week. The grapes too offer us something of a forgiving motif. I wouldn’t worry too much about the circles being perfect. When you look at grape bunches either on the vine or at the local green grocer, grapes are different sizes and offer a bit of relief as we look at them.

We can be inspired by so much in any quilt, in the last twenty-five plus years of quilt making feathered wreathes are common in both hand and machine quilting. These wreathes offer us a different look at incorporating these designs into our quilts. Ya gotta love this quilters use of orange in this Appliqué Sampler with Wreaths and Birds Quilt.

The cool thing about any quilt we make is that we get to pick. I know that this gets overwhelming so using source material like Mandy and Bill’s book, old quilts and mother nature is a great beginning. Having the stitching paths worked out for us makes it easier until we get comfortable with making our own.

January 7: C&T Publishing, Bill Volckening

January 8: Amanda Murphy of Amanda Murphy Design
Kim Lapacek
Stephanie Palmer of The Quilter’s Planner

January 9: Teri Lucas,
Lynn Harris
Debby Brown of Debby Brown Quilts

January 10: Robin Koehler of NESTLINGS by Robin,
Patty Murphy of Patty Murphy Handmade
Mary Abreu of Confessions of a Craft Addict

January 11: Joanna Marsh of Kustom Kwilts
Amanda Leins of Mandalei Quilts

There is an opportunity to win a copy of Mandy and Bill’s book digital copy for those outside the US and softcover for those in the US. Let me know what your favorite quilting motif, or better yet one you want to try. I’ll draw a winner on Friday January 18th.
Be sure to visit the other bloggers.

Teri