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Color, Thread & Free-Motion Quilting {book review}

I’ve long been a collector of sewing and quilting books and I’m always adding to my library. Recently, I bought a stack of vintage quilting and quilt history book from an industry friend’s destash, but my newest addition is Color, Thread & Free-Motion Quilting: Learn to Stitch with Reckless Abandon by Teri Lucas.

Cover of Color, Thread & Free-Motion Quilting by Teri Lucas

Teri and I have known each other in the quilting industry for years now and I love her take on the quilt world as well as her way with words. Her book, published by C&T makes the most of both. Color, Thread & Free-Motion Quilting is a fresh take on learning how to use all three in your projects, but with a heavy emphasis on doing it all with some freedom and bravery.

I bought myself a Grace Company Q’Nique 15R with a Hoop Frame earlier this year, when I thought not traveling would give me time to really learn how to long arm. I’ve since learned I’m just as busy while staying at home, but I have been able to take time to learn a little about free-motion quilting. I think the biggest takeaway so far has been: longarm quilting is totally different from piecing quilts! There’s a whole other skill set to be learned and Teri’s book has been a great addition to my library as I learn more about color theory, designs, thread, needles, all the things that make quilt making a skill.

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Buy the Book: Quilt Talk

Quilt Talk by Sam Hunter One of the things I’m really grateful for (it is November after all) is knowing people like Sam Hunter.

I first heard of her and her amazing quilt late last year when I was working for Robert Kaufman Fabrics down in Los Angeles. Sam and I had, unknowingly switched places. She’d moved to Portland from LA just before I’d moved from Portland to LA. But she and I worked together to get her fabrics for myriad quilt and project patterns she was designing. She loves Radiance (a cotton/silk fabric from RK) as much as I do, I think, and that made her even more awesome.

Over the email conversations we became friends and I have been grateful to have her here in Portland when I returned. She is kind, supportive, generous and smart. Plus she doesn’t take sh*t from anyone. I love her for that.

Last month Quilt Talk, her first book with C&T Publishing, came out and I was lucky enough to get to try the paper piecing patterns out early and I love them! I had to wait for the book’s publication, though, to see all that she’d managed to do with this alphabet. And what she did is kick some butt.

Quilt Talk interior

The book is filled with projects that she shared with us at Market in Houston and I’ve been eagerly awaiting its arrival. Today it’s here and I’ve got my very own copy sitting on my desk. It’s taunting me, prodding me to get going on those Christmas projects that are swirling around in my head.

I can hardly wait to start, but until then I’ll let you have a little glimpse at what you can make, too. And tell you to go buy the book!

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Plus she’ll be teaching and signing books at Fabric Depot on Sunday. More info here.