I'm so thrilled that I've gotten the opportunity to preview this wonderful book published by Stash Books (Yay we're practically cousins, Elizabeth. :P). I've been a fan of Elizabeth's blog since well, gee forever maybe?
Of all of Elizabeth Hartman's many creations, this is by far the best. Everything you need to know for modern quilting is what's featured in this book and I think even well versed quilters will pick up a few new tricks.
I always keep a good quilting book handy for those moments when I'm not quite sure about what I'm doing and I now know that I've found my new bible. The images are clean and beautiful to behold and Elizabeth's tone is very much the same as her blog "Oh, Fransson!" It's like having her right there in the house with you guiding you along.
She covers all of the quilting basics and also features a section about choosing fabrics and color. Warm vs. Cool. Monochromatic color, analogous color, and complimentary colors as well as value and intensity.
I was really interested to see what she had to say about this subject, because she has such a brilliant eye for color and picking just the right fabric for her quilts.
Elizabeth features many designs that will appeal to any level quilter with instructions and diagrams that are easy to follow.
I especially liked Birdbath............
and my absolute favorite ........
There are so many possibilities with this quilt block design. I'm thinking a few pillows for the couch with this one!
What I also love about this book is the little sections at the end of each project called "Alternate Ideas". Elizabeth shows you different ways that you could rock the block!
I can't wait to see what more Elizabeth has up her sleeve for the quilting industry in the future, but for now it seems like may have outdone herself! I love it!
Check out our little Q & A!
- Super huge congratulations on your book Elizabeth! It's absolutely fantastic. You must be so excited to see all of your hard work come to fruition and see it in print! How does it feel?
"Thanks! It's such a relief to have it all done, but it's also a little scary to see it go out into the wild knowing that I can't do anything more to change/improve/adjust it now. Honestly, the most exciting thing for me was seeing that my local libraries had ordered copies. I relied on library books a lot when I was learning to quilt, so it's nice to know that the same libraries that I used now have a book by me in them."
-What made you decide to write a book? Did you enjoy the process? Would you do anything differently if you had to do it again?
"Oh my! There are so many things I would do differently. Most of them just have to do with time-management behind-the-scenes stuff that wouldn't really have changed the content of the book. I think I'll enjoy the process more next time around, since I'll know what to expect."
- I've been a fan of your blog for quite some time and it's been amazing watching it's popularity grow. Why did you start blogging? Did you expect it to take off the way it has?
"Aw, thanks! I worked at a boring office job for years. I hated it, but lacked any kind of training or background to get a job in a more creative field. Starting a blog was a way of giving myself a second job that I liked more than my "real" one. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to get noticed and get the kind of opportunities that eventually allowed me to leave the job I hated."
-It seems you've made a great many quilts over the years. Do you know how many you've made? Do you have any favorites?
"Hmmm . . . I'm not sure how many exactly. I would guess that it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 100. I have favorites, but they change pretty regularly. Right now I'm kind of in love with my Tokyo Subway Map Quilt."
- For a lot of people in this industry, writing a book is a gateway to many other things. What's in store for Elizabeth and Oh, Fransson's future? Do you have plans to write another book? A fabric line maybe? Or can you even tell us? :D
"Oh, gosh! I probably shouldn't say too much. I'm definitely pursuing both though!"
Yay! Thank you for dropping in Elizabeth and congratulations on your book! It's so wonderful! ^_^
And since Elizabeth is such a sweetie, she's so graciously offered a free copy of The Practical Guide to Patchwork.....
......as well as this oh so sweet, cutie pie bundle of fat eights for one lucky winner!
I wonder, how many quilts have you made? 1? None? Dozens? Which is your favorite and what does it look like? Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win! Goodluck! This post will be open until Monday, November 1st! So get to commenting people! ^_^
Join Elizabeth in celebrating 'The Practical Guide to Patchwork's release and follow along on the rest of her tour!
Tour Dates
Sew Mama Sew ~ Wednesday, October 27
Film in the Fridge ~ Thursday, October 28
I Heart Linen ~ Friday, October 29
Tall Grass Prairie Studio ~ Saturday, October 30
Handmade by Alissa ~ Sunday, October 31
Connecting Threads ~ Monday, November 1
Rossie ~ Tuesday, November 2
One Shabby Chick ~ Wednesday, November 3
True Up ~ Thursday, November 4
Pink Chalk Studio ~ Friday, November 5
Whip Up ~ Saturday, November 6
