Reviews
The quilts in this book are big - queen-size or king-size - and they are made from many different fabrics. If you are looking for quick projects, this most definitely is not the book for you. As the author says in her introduction, 'Yes, it takes a long time to make a big scrap quilt, but so what? Do you have something better to do?'The 12 quilts include traditional patterns such as Flying Geese, Half Square Triangles, Thousand Pyramids (equilateral triangles), Bow Tie, Rocky Road to Kansas, Nine-patches, Churn Dash and Snowballs. There is also a lot of information about design fundamentals and quilt construction basics. Highly recommended., The brains behind the Quilty magazine and show, Mary Fons is making her author debut with Make & Love Quilts: Scrap Quilts for the 21st Century. Mary walks new quilters through the steps needed to start on the road to quilt-obsession with information on scale, hue, contrast, as well as basics on fabric construction and use. Experienced quilters are sure to learn, too, from her added tips, info and recommendations for making bed-sized quilts., This stunning collection of 12 quilts for larger beds is created from fabrics with a fresh and modern appeal. They are classified as scrap quilts and have a depth and beauty which may take time to finish, but can be completed by anyone with a passion for sewing. The book contains information on fabric, design fundamentals and tempting views of the quilts. Every project contains a full-page coloured photo of the finished quilt and fabric scraps. Clear cutting and construction details lead you through to backing suggestions and attaching the all-important label. A very informative book, it could take you a while to decide on your first project., Make + Love Quilts is an entirely different kind of quilt book...and I have a lot of them to compare. First of all, the 12 quilt projects are BIG! There are no pin cushions or place mats in there at all...because as Mary writes, "you can't make love under a table topper!" The patterns are scrappy. They make good use of a stash and allow you to select as many different fabrics as you want. Because of their size, these quilts can't be whipped up in a day. They are going to take some time and I think that makes them even more precious. They are designed to fit a king or queen sized bed...and keep you warm and snuggly when you are doing whatever under them., Fons has cobbled together a delightful book of instruction for making--and loving--quilts. Her quilts are "scrappy," comprising little bits of fabric to create big (and hence time-consuming) bed quilts. "For those who want a quick quilt fix, this book will make an excellent coaster," she jokes. Fons, editor of Quilty magazine and daughter of quilter Marianne Fons, backs her tops with grand swaths of yardage, and, unlike many quilt teachers, she shows those backs as part of the instruction package. The first part of her love letter to quilts covers "Theory + Practice," with attention to fabric, design, and construction. She discusses quilts in this century, cotton broadcloth, and, in her straightforward writing style, why not to prewash fabric; she considers the "Patchwork Quartet" (cutting, sewing, pressing, ripping), as well as assembling and layering. Within "Finishing Up,"she often adds humor to directions, for example, after sewing and layering "Northbound": "Crawl under for a long, deep sleep." A dozen projects fill the second half, with romantic quotes added to the love lessons., OOOOOhhhhhhh, I am in heaven. Should I flip right through it and get to the gorgeous pictures? No, It was with great anticipation I read the dedication, the acknowledgments, the introduction, the notes on this book, and a brief history of quiltmaking. I wanted to be in the correct space to see the quilts. Did I say I love everything Mary writes? She may not know it, but I feel we are on a first name basis. She invited me to her book opening! Well, me and everyone who reads her column. I thought about using my aeroplan points to go.My favourite quilt is in the book -- the one that is on all the ads -- My Dear, the nine patch with the wonderful row of rolling stone blocks. Oh and I want to make the 25 square block, Hello, There, and the flying geese quilt, Northbound, that is on the cover. And because I was reading and savouring every word I am not even through the book yet. Oh, I can go home and look at more!!!!Okay, the nitty gritty. I am following the pattern for My Dear. I am making a quilt for my cousin with leftover fabrics from her mom. Her mom was a quilter; she made a quilt for my daughter when she was born. Our grandmother also quilted. See? Mary and I have a lot in common; we come from a family of quilters. I am hopeful this pattern will work with various sized scraps. Not too much commitment from any piece of fabric. Just need a minimum of 4 squares.I read all Mary's suggestions for choosing fabrics and pared down my original selection. I kept with the blue and red material. I may branch out if I run short. Not sure what colours I will make the rolling stone blocks.Here are my sample blocks. I am in love with this quilt. The instructions are clear, if Mary has suggested a way to do something she always references back to the instruction and page number, and the numbers are correct; love that. I am enthused! Cut all the fabric!I am paring down the size of the quilt for my cousin. Most of the quilts in this book are queen or king size. As Mary says these quilts are a commitment and you will not be able to finish them in a weekend. That is okay! I am savouring the journey. Each step of the process is to be celebrated and enjoyed. "Quilters are impatient people" but we do love each part of the quilt making process.As I sew up this quilt I remember the strong wonderful women in my family, the pioneer women who created quilts that were utilitarian and beautiful, and the new generation of quilters starting out. My cousin will be able to wrap herself in this quilt and feel all the love I have for her. Mary Katherine Fons Make + Love Quilts -- yes it is in every stitch, a complete gift, and a beautiful and thought provoking book., Mary has designed scrap quilts for the 21st century in this new book. This collection, with its fresh, modern look, is sized to fit queen and king size beds. You will learn how to create a one-of-a-kind quilt using the author's signature, innovative "scrappy" technique. While they might take some time to finish, these quilts can be created by any quilter who has a passion for sewing, regardless of their current skill level., I love that what Mary Fons really wanted to call this book was Quilts to Make Love Under. It will come as no surprise that her editors at C&T's Stash Books balked, but I applaud that impulse and the fresh energy of this book.In an interview, Mary explained her idea to me: 'My mom always taught me that bed-sized quilts are the best. I know that wall hangings and table runners are popular, but the quilts that warm our lives and the quilts we would run into a burning house to save are big quilts. It will take you days to make one, but at the end of it you truly have something that is worth every second of the time you spent.'As many of you know, Mary Fons is the daughter of Marianne Fons, the co-creator of the uber quilting brand Fons & Porter. With a background in improv acting and slam poetry in Chicago, Mary got pulled into the quilt media world when Liz Porter stopped taping new TV shows and Mary started filling in. Next, came her sassy online TV show for beginners, Quilty, and then her magazine of the same name. The TV show has entered its fourth year (200-plus episodes, 6 to 10 minutes each), and the magazine its third. So Mary's got street cred, so to speak, of her own, and continues to carve out her own niche. The book is brimming with Mary's attitude, style and sense of humor. Her personality comes roaring through in this book, as in this excerpt from the Introduction: 'For those who want a quick quilt fix, this book will make an excellent coaster.'The 12 projects are generally well known traditional blocks like churn dash and bow tie, which mix Mary's reverence for old-fashioned patterns with the streamlined boldness and palette of the moderns. She calls them "21st-century scrap quilts" because they benefit from the vast choices of available fabric. So, for a simple but striking repeating triangle motif, she provides a beautiful example "using 20 different shapes of light green."The book is very beginner friendly partly because it is unusually generous with excellent tutorials on all the basic steps in quilt-making.
