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New Pathways into Quilt History written by Kimberly Wulfert, www.antiquequiltdating.com

Review by Kimberly Wulfert, PhD

 A new CD and journal from 
Jinny Beyer and Breckling Press

"Hand Piecing with Jinny Beyer : A One-on-One Tutorial with 
Master Quilter Jinny Beyer
" and
 "A Patchwork Notebook"


Jinny Beyers's new CD is taken from her book Quiltmaking by hand: Simple Stitches, Exquisite Quilts. For me, who prefers to do machine piecing , the CD is the perfect version in which to look at the possibilities of hand piecing and understand how it is done quickly with precision in mind.

There are several segments with short videos that give you the verbal and visual experience of piecing by hand, including threading a needle and making knots, piecing straight lines and joining them together, forming stars, and joining angled segments to make a mariner's compass. Jinny shares tips on how to get many stitches onto one needle that keeps the stitching straight on the front and back.  She is speed piecer to be sure.

The CD also provides still photos from the book, with written instructions under each photo on the same subjects. There are some templates included for a quilt pattern of Jinny's that uses all of the various methods she taught, but not the Mariner's compass.

This short CD is good idea for beginners, a group, or an experienced quilter who has trouble keeping the stitches straight, or perfectly matching the center points of 8 pointed stars. Jinny believes it is easier to hand piece than machine and faster too because it is portable. After watching this CD, I think it is possible she's right!

(Amazon lists this CD as not yet available, but this is wrong, it is available now and can be ordered through them  for a quick delivery)



A Patchwork Notebook
  

There are alot of personal journals for quilters on the marketQuiltmaking by Hand : Simple Stitches, Exquisite Quilts today, as well as books for recording the quilts one makes. This journal or notebook is different from those in a few ways.

It is hardbound with a cover that reflects Jinny's Far Eastern style of fabric in blues and dark and lime green. A clasp closes it with an invisible magnet that flips up from the back. It feels more like a diary, and we historians love diaries!

Inside the pages are a grey-blue color, peaceful and calm, with lines and a space for the date. On every third or fourth page Jinny provides sewing by hand in general, and quilting  tips and guidelines, in the personal and warm manner we associate with her teaching. Each thought is complete and thorough in it's presentation, not just one line, but a paragraph. In other words, these are useful!
A Patchwork Notebook

On the opposite of each tip page she has chosen an old quote or story and sometimes a picture. She quotes from authors, such as Marie Webster and Ruby McKim, and lesser known authors. These quotes tell us about how women thought to do their quilting and pattern marking, the tools they used and why, making quilt frames, and designing their quilts. Here's one of my favorites, written by Ruth Finley in 1929:

"Ninety nine percent of all pieced quilts represent the working  out of geometrical designs, often so intricate that their effective handling reflects most creditably on the supposedly non-mathematical sex." 

Old Patchwork Quilts and the Women Who Made Them

The last pages are graphed out into 1/4" segments, for those creative impulses that hit while you are writing. Attached to the back inside cover is a pocket to hold notes, scraps, pictures whatever reminders you need on your quilting path. It's a small enough journal to keep in her purse at shows and on tours.

This is a lovely journal and fun to read and own. For  $15.95 or $10.85 from Amazon you can't go wrong considering this book as a gift or  thank you to your quilting friends.

 

Flower Days : A Creativity Journal for QuiltersFLOWER DAYS: An Origami-Inspired Creativity Journal

Breckling Press has published a very similar journal, in style and format, by Kumiko Sudo that teaches the writer about Origami folding for paper or fabric.

Instead of quotes, Kumiko put illustrations on how to sew her various three dimensional origami style flowers. The basic color is pink, rather than blue. Kumiko shares where her inspiration comes from in  nature. She has templates in the back that are the correct size for the flower patterns and there are blank pages for drawings.

Kumiko suggests folding paper or fabric to calm yourself before bed! 

 

* My Book Reviews

 

© 2005 - 2010 Kimberly Wulfert, PhD. Absolutely no copies, reprints, use
of photos or text are permitted for commercial or online use. One
personal copy for study purposes is permitted.

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