book reviews.....and some practicle quilting

OK, I really hate it when blogger decides to upload pictures in whatever order if feels like. How annoying and I am too stupid to fix it. As some of the Aussies would say I just can't be "fagged" with it. Speaking of Aussies, I just bought Material Obsession Contemporary Quilt Design (that link will take you to the US version on Amazon that you can pre-order if you so desire). I bought it as soon as I saw it sitting on the shelf in the local book shop. I hear they are hard to get back in the US, so I was pretty excited, especially since I had read so many glowing reviews about the book and how awesome it was. Well, I think it is just full of a bunch of quilts that clash and are copies from other designers. I was very disappointed. I know nothing is "New" anymore, just reinventions of the wheel, but this was really sad. Oh and for most of the "patterns" you need to have other tools to use as templates. That is annoying too. For me. I did try to love it. I even took it to my Pap smear appointment today. Which I was not real crazy about either. But who gets excited about a speculum? No one I know. I am sure you will be happy to know everything is as it should be.

I do kinda like this quilt, but you need to have a "Nifty Notion 22.5 degree wedge ruler" to make it easily. Maybe I am the only quilter on Earth who does not own one of these devices? Maybe I am just cranky....I do have hypertension. So that kinda stinks. I need to lay off the pot of coffee a day and all the wonderful salt.

This was supposed to be the first picture, so you could see all the books artfully arranged and then I would get into the reviews.

I didn't like Material Obsession, but I think I am the only one on Earth who feels that way, so sorry all you big fans of Doughty and Fielke. I will try to look at the book again tomorrow when I am not so irritable.

Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones, was pretty dull too. Maybe I am beyond sewing for my own babies, since my youngest is 3. Even when my tribe was younger I don't think I could have been "fagged" to deal with such complicated patterns. Dear Heaven! Maybe I am a craft retard? Is that it?

No no I don't think so, I do my fair share of sewing....every day I sew. But I like simple. Anna Maria Horner satisfied my Simple sewing criteria. There are several projects I will be making in her book, Seams to Me. Now this book is mostly "sewing" projects....not "quilting". There is one quilt in the book, a log cabin sort of deal. I like the 2 skirt patterns. I will give those a go this weekend. One for me and one for Emma. She liked the book too.

I don't only go for simple, I have been working on my Dear Jane quilt for almost 3 years and no one can call that simple.

In my opinion the best quilting books are Denyse Schmidt Quilts and Last minute quilted and patchwork gifts. Great books. If you are looking for something to start out with try those.

This is another quilt from Material Obsession. It is made with lots of Amy Butler's Charm fabric which I LOVE. I love anything Amy Butler (except Little Stitches for Little ones...but that is just not my area of interest, no offense Amy. I still Love you...if you are reading this for some reason). Oh another thing I don't like about Material Obsession is how expensive their fabric is on their website. Since I live in the middle of the outback I have to order all the time via Internet but I don't order from them, that is for sure. They charge like $22 a yard. Yes, it is Australian dollars, but until last week the Australian dollar and the US dollar were almost the same.

I finished this Hero quilt. Not my normal color family, but I like how it turned out. The Bamboo batting was awesome to work with!

I also made miss Emma a head band to match her school uniform. She is trying to grow her fringe out and gets in trouble if her hair accessories don't match. Don't you fuss at my baby! Hell, I can sew I will make her a matching head band, she will have the best darn hair band around. It is reversible too, so she can flip it as soon as she is off the grounds. It is first grade for heaven's sake not the infantry.

Wow...this post really had some emotion. Sorry about that ladies. After 92 full years my Grand Father died this morning and I am a bit cranky I can't be there for my mom. I don't want to even think about how I will feel when my parents pass. I have the best parents in the world. Sometimes it really stinks to be an Army family....I did not get to know my grandparents as I was growing up since we never lived close. I want my children to know how wonderful their grandparents are, I want our next assignment to be closer to them. At least in the same hemisphere. I love you mom. I wish I could be there with you.

I am going to go have a glass of red and talk to my mate.

xo,

Tia