Adding Layers—Color, Design & Imagination

March 15, 2014

Australia-based quilter Doughty (Material Obsession) made a name for herself with modern interpretations of traditional quilt designs. Her latest collection is more of the same--reinterpreted traditional blocks using modern fabrics and old-fashioned techniques. Color, layout, and scale are the main themes of the book, and the sample quilts are scrappy riots of color at first glance, but further exploration shows the thoughtful layout behind the colorful chaos. Techniques range from both simple to curved piecing to Y-seams and are best suited to intermediate quilters, although an ambitious beginner could easily follow Doughty's instructions and attempt any of the projects. Handy tips for everything from efficient cutting to design and layout are included. VERDICT Australia is a hotbed of modern traditionalist quilting--Doughty and her contemporaries Sarah Fielke and Jen Kingwell are making a splash in the United States. Intermediate quilters who enjoyed the two Material Obsession books will gravitate to this one.

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