Posted by @giucy_giuce
When I make a quilt, the actual quilting is often an afterthought. I do it out of necessity, not out of love. This is mostly due to the fact that machine quilting is incredibly intimidating to me. I’ve sewn my whole life but the actual process of quilting is fairly new to me.
Upon going through Christa Watson’s new book Machine Quilting With Style, the first thing that struck me is how easy the techniques in the book seem to be. This is not to say that the book is simplistic. That’s hardly the case. The patterns and techniques in the book are quite sophisticated, classic and modern all at once. The reason the quilting techniques in the book seem so possible is because of how deftly Christa instructs the reader. She is careful and precise, meticulous but not overwhelmingly so. She is just really good and explaining how it’s done in a very efficient way.
The book really does make you feel like machine quilting is within your grasp. Some of the quilting motifs are just darn clever. I particularly enjoyed Christa’s use of straight line quilting. It shows up a few times throughout the book and each time it is incredibly different and surprising.
The book isn’t just a book on machine quilting techniques. It also showcases 12 quilt patterns, each one more lovely than the last. The thing that I really appreciate about these quilts is that there are endless possibilities for each one. The fabrics chosen for many of them could be changed a million different ways to transform the project. I think that that’s the hallmark of a great pattern, the ability to transform the look just based on the prints used within the quilt. I’m particularly fond of Pearl Gray, shown below [photo credit: Brent Kane]. It uses Lizzy House’s Pearl Bracelets very cleverly. They break up the rigid blocks so beautifully.
I really enjoyed this book. It has opened my mind to new possibilities in quilting. I think that with my next project I’ll be able to come at quilting with a bit more courage having read this book.
And now for some more fun…
Christa is planning a quilt-along this January and needs your help deciding which quilt to make. Which would you choose? Click here for the chance to vote for your favorite.
And now… A GIVEAWAY! Want to win your very own copy of Machine Quilting With Style, a limited edition Alison Glass tote, and a 10”x 10” stack of Lizzy House’s Mini Pearl Bracelets? Head on over to our Instagram page for a chance to win!
Be sure to check the full schedule of Christa’s blog hop here to see all the amazing projects people have created from the book as well as additional giveaways! And most importantly of all… Go buy the book! Click here to buy your SIGNED copy today.