Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The phrase “quilt as you go” has occasionally – and unfortunately – encompassed quilting ON the go. Meaning, hand-pieced and/or hand-quilted projects are made mobile and portable: throw them in a bag and work on them in waiting rooms, on the bus, etc. That is not what is meant by QAYG. Jera Brandvig used 2 joining methods in her earlier book Quilt As-You-Go Made Modern (2014). Essentially, pieced blocks are quilted onto the batting without the backing piece. Later, the entire pieced and joined and quilted blocks plus batting are secured to the backing with secondary quilting lines. For those of us without a longarm, that means there will be bulk. And tucks, and curses, and possibly yet another UFO. Joining Method 3 of Quilt As-You-Go Made Vintage, however, is indubitably the traditional QAYG method. Each block gets quilted on its own as a 3-layered sandwich. Machine quilters without a longarm no longer have to pine and whine. Beginners will find it easier to acquire free-motion quilting skills since only 1 12-inch block is manipulated at a time. ~ ~ ~ So What Are The 3 Joining Methods? Method 1 joins blocks to blocks with no sashing strips; the pieced blocks each get quilted to a batting. Then they are all joined together and quilted onto the backing. Method 2 joins blocks and rows using a ½” finished strip which looks like a narrow sashing. This can get a big messy since longer and longer strips have to be used (and sometimes assembled from shorter strips) as the piecing of blocks and rows progresses. Then, as with Method 1, it all gets quilted again onto the backing. Really, only Method 3 is the new one here. All 3 parts of the 12”x12” quilt sandwich block get quilted. It’s easier in many ways, but still requires the joining strips used in Method 2 on BOTH front and back. ~ ~ ~ Any special tools? Brandvig does suggest a 60 mm rotary cutter for slicing through stacks of batting. Clover wonder clips are ideal for keeping the layers together. Binder clips also will work. A 14”x14” fully revolving cutting mat is also suggested, but not required. She also says a walking foot is optional, but I have never ever been able to quilt through all 3 layers without one. Some new machines do allow even-feeding without a walking foot, but not mine. And everyone, IMO, should have a 6”x24” ruler, as it allows cutting strips without having to fold the fabric too many times. Brandvig also offers her opinion on her favorite thread, which is a pleasant surprise I won’t spoil unless asked. ;) Add some curved safety pins and needle-punched batting … And you are ready to choose your 1st project out of the 9 projects. Or design your own using the 51 blocks provided. ~ ~ ~ 51 Blocks & 9 Projects? Quilt As-You-Go Made Vintage is the most value-laden creativity-producing book of the year by my vote. Not just 9, but 14 quilted projects are included. Some of those are pillow, miniature, or table runner versions of larger quilts. Some are mere gallery shots, but with sufficient information for you to work out on your own. Each of the 12”x12” 51 blocks are a wealth of designs and techniques with vintage appeal. Abundant tips and suggestions broaden the possibilities far beyond what the book’s title promises. These block patterns are just begging to be added to your block library. I found this book so much easier to understand than other QAYG books. If you have avoided free-motion quilting or are still a bit timid, Quilt As-You-Go Made Vintage is ideal for you. And if you are fully experienced, you will have pure fun coming up with your own designs.