Improv Patchwork: Dynamic Quilts Made with Line & Shape

I pre-ordered this book and devoured it cover to cover as soon as I received it. This is a technique book, illustrating how to make stripes, plaids, zig-zags, checks and polka dots from solid fabrics. It does not contain “recipes” for quilts, but rather inspires confidence to create your own original works. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to advance their skills in improvisational quilt making. I am posting some photos of my attempts using Maria’s techniques. Very excited to use them in a quilt!

This is the first review I have ever written for a book but Improv Patchwork: Dynamic Quilts Made with Line and Shape exceeded my wildest expectations. I have had the book for about 10 days and can’t stop reading the text and looking at the beautiful quilts. I have followed Maria Shell’s Tales of a Stitcher Blog for a couple of years and anxiously awaited the release of this book. I am not disappointed. Maria has done a tantalizing job balancing eye candy quilt photos with pragmatic, easy to follow instructions for building “components.”These components excel in line, color and repetition and Maria will walk you though important elements for choosing color and incorporating value. This is not a book of patterns. It is a book of inspirational ideas for making prints from solids in bold and exciting compositions that allow for endless possibilities using a few simple techniques.Maria’s tone is inviting and informed. She dives right in with her story and her quilts and within a few pages you will be setting up shop with your rotary cutter and sewing machine, ready to get to work. She uses a simple logical progression that starts with line sewing and ends in beautiful stripes, plaids, zig zags and more.I recommend this book. Just the actual feel of the book is pleasing, the pictures are crisp and clear (quilts are often highlighted on a whole page for excellent viewing) and the text is precise, encouraging and at times humorous. It will make you happy, build your confidence (regardless of your current skill level) and become a staple in your quilt book library. This timeless material is destined to become a quilt book classic.

Maria Shell’s book Improv Patchwork is excellent in so many ways.It is loaded with clear, large photos of Shell’s gorgeous, unique quilts. Inspiring.The simple, straightforward text is easy to read. Thanks to colorful, large sized numbering of the paragraphs and short bullet points on the sidebar notes you never lose your place.The contents cover Shell’s technique from selection of colors through execution. She clearly spells out what it takes to make her type of quilt, and those quilts are a joy to behold!The book is clearly divided by topic and projects, so it’s easy to select what you want to tackle first. Although her quilts appear complex, Shell’s instructions are easy to follow thanks to the clear writing and layout.The inspiring work displayed here, plus the generous sharing of techniques, make the book outstanding to me.

There are thousands of quilt instruction books out there, but this one is truly different. This book takes a maker on a journey to create quilts of their own using mostly solid fabrics. This is the kind of book that can be enjoyed by a novice sewer or experienced quilter. The author takes the time to explain how to make your own designs and why techniques and tools matter, and how to use them best. She also offers a way to approach quilting as art, and in the process let yourself go and create something new entirely. Highly recommend.

This is an excellent book on improv piecing techniques and dynamic use of color.Maria uses line and color masterfully creating exciting, unique works of art (quilts)She develops the important idea of making units.

Very Nancy Crow without having to go to Ohio for a workshop.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking to to find a book with great instructions for Improv Quilt skills. This book has beautiful quilts made by the author Maria Shell and easy to read instructions to get you started on creating your own Improv Quilts. I can’t wait to get creating!

Without copying the exact designs in the book, it gave me a place to start with to make a scrap quilt that was my own creation.

A useful addition to my Modern Quilt Library with some new and inspirational ideas and techniques, I would recommend for anyone who wants to experiment with Modern Quilting not just follow a pattern. Easy to follow and well set out.

Maria's book is so accessible and confidence building to go improv adventuring. Well planned exercises and projects to build on skills at various levels. Dive in and have a go!

Maria Shell's colour choices are amazing!

I love this book.

Das Buch kam viel schneller/früher als angekündigt. Es war in einwandfreiem Zustand, somit bin ich mit dem Versender sehr zufrieden. Das Buch ist ebenfalls empfehlenswert für alle die das "improv patchwork" mögen. Ein echter Leckerbissen. Somit fünf Sterne für Lieferanten und Lektüre.