A new book on my shelf - Quilting - from little things, Sarah Fielke

I had a reasonably ordinary weekend last weekend. Now it is Friday and almost the next weekend I can't remember all of the terrible so it can't have been all that bad but I do remember quite badly rotary cutting my finger and nail and needing to go to the doctor and that did put a slow down on lots if the quilt blocking I had planned to do.

Instead Nik and I went to Carlton to do a few things we had been meaning to go for a while and had a little walk around and an early but delicious dinner. On the walk I happened to pop into Readings bookshop - all the stores in this small (and I think only Melbourne based chain) are great but I have found the one in Carlton to have a particularly good sewing and craft section. And what do you think I saw, and a week before the publish date but Sarah Fielke's new book - Quilting: From little things! You know Sarah, she writes for Sewn and was one of the two co-authors Material Obsession: Modern Quilts with Traditional Roots and Material Obsession Two.

So, what do I like about this book? I love the way it is set out with the book working through different techniques with each being demonstrated by two quilts, a doll quilt and then a larger bed sized one. And, like all Sarah's books, they include some challenging and more time consuming quilts. There is a place for beginner and quick quilt books but I really enjoy some with more difficult quilts as well as they are so rare.  

 I really love this quilt and it is going on the list. I think it also shows really well one of the things I especially appreciate about both Material Obsessions books and this new on and is the focus on the whole quilt and not just the piecing. It is easy to finish a pattern by saying 'quilt and bind as desired' but I find the liberal use of hand quilting and the notes at the end of each pattern on how and why quilting methods and designs were chosen elevates what could just end up being a quilt top to an actual quilt.

And I think this quilt has to win the title for the best quilt name EVER and one of the nicest stories behind it.

 And one more thins I really love is this picture. Sarah is a wonderfully talented quilt maker and her designs and quilts inspire so many people but I love this picture as a demonstration of how nothing is absolutely perfect all of the time. See the seam allowance folded over in the middle?

 As I understand it this book is only available in Australia at the moment (and possibly the UK?) with this availability getting wider by the day. Should you not be in those areas and can't wait for it to come to a store near you I think Sarah has some for sale on her blog and Readings has it here ships worldwide.