Fanciful Stitches: Colorful Quilts review and giveaway

Welcome to the Fanciful Stitches Blog Tour Book Review

and 

GIVEAWAY!

1- You want this book because it's a fun read.

Laura Wasilowski's wit and personality shine through in her writing as well as her whimsical artwork. Instead of a dry academic tome from CSOF's dean, I found myself chuckling at titles such as "Couching Thread/ Hidden Needle." It's not all fluff though. When Laura talks about creating a stitch plan she mentions design elements and principles in a lighthearted and easily understood way. She explains what a focal point is and helps you see where you might want to add pattern, texture with your stitches.

2- The instructions are clear and well illustrated.

If you are a newcomer to fused quilts or to embroidery, have no fear. Laura walks you through each step with photos and explanations. In fact - when it comes to showing you how to make the actual embroidery stitches, the pictures do ALL the talking. Illustrations of each step of the stitch are paired with Laura's wonderful artwork so that you can see the stitches in action.

3- Patterns, Patterns, Patterns!

Each of the wonderful and whimsical quiltlets that illustrate Laura's stitches is fully laid out in with pattern and instructions so you can make your own little neighborhood of stitched wonderfun!

Now for the fun part

Leave a comment here telling me what you love about hand work. Personally, I love it's portability, it's improvisational nature (I don't plan ahead much) and spending so much time touching pretty things. On Friday I'll pick a winner from all the comments left on THIS POST. Make sure you leave a way for me to get in touch with you. Oh - and (I'm really sorry about this) this is sadly only for North American residents at the publisher's request.

Make sure to visit each of the other blogs on the tour and leave a comment on their specific tour date. That's a lot of chances to win!

April 19 - Annie Smith http://simplearts.com/blogs/

April 23 - Melody Johnson  http://fibermania.blogspot.com/

April 24 - Jane Moxey  http://moxeymusings.blogspot.com/

April 25 - Lyric Kinard (right here!)

April 26 - Judy Coates Perez  http://judyperez.blogspot.com/

April 28 - Linda Teufel http://dragonthreadsopenbook.blogspot.com

April 29 - Jane LaFazio  http://janeville.blogspot.com/

May 2 - Susan Brubaker Knapp  http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com/

May 3 - Frieda Anderson  http://friestyle.blogspot.com/

May 4 - Connecting Threads  http://quiltwithus.connectingthreads.com/

Family Ties I: new beginnings

Hello Friends,

I've been giving you little tastes of  the Family Ties series and hope you've enjoyed seeing them as much as I've enjoyed creating them. Over the next several days I'll show you each completed piece. 

I'm putting together a small book featuring this series and I'd love YOUR input.

Family Ties I: new beginnings

If you have a poetic turn of mind I would love to publish short verses or haiku to go along with piece. 

Please join me in this creative endeavor!

If this work inspires you in any way, please add your verse to the comment section. 

I haven't thought about it yet but I'd like to thank each poet somehow.

I look forward to seeing your poetry!

Work In Progress

Further work on the Family Ties series.

Work In Progress

more stitching

no. 7 in "Family Ties"

Work In Progress

I've been traveling most of the past two weeks and have two more days to go. All fun. All good. 

Lots of time on airplanes and in a car. More on that later. 

I had the best driver in the world which was absolutely lovely. Got some hand work done.

 One more for the "Family Ties" series.

Work in Progress

IV in my Family Ties series.

Work in Progress

Some more stitching on my "Family Ties" series.

Gotta say, white on white is hard to photograph.

Had to do some photoshopping to up the exposures.

Any tips for white on white photography would be greatly appreciated.

Work in Progress

The days of summer are here - wish I could call them "lazy" but all five kids are home.

I am getting some time to stitch - at the pool of all places.

Check below for day three's tutorial tsunami links!

And the fun continues with Art Spark's Tutorial Tsunami with Kelli Perkins Spoon Poetry.

and Tracie Lyn Huskamp's Butterfly-tastic Greeting Card