The Complete Book of Patchwork, Quilting & Applique

A revised and expanded edition of a long-standing classic, this expansive book is the clearest and most comprehensive handbook for appliqué, patchwork and quilting available. This seminal reference guide remains the go-to masterwork for crafters, who will find hundreds of patchwork, appliqué and quilting techniques explained clearly and simply. The techniques range from fundamentals such as cutting fabrics and hand sewing; to advanced special effects and complex techniques like eight-seam joins. All are explained through more than 1,000 step-by-step illustrations, patterns and templates. The techniques range from the traditional – including Amish quilting patterns and Seven-and-Nine-patch patchwork – to more unusual, like yo-yos. The book also contains glossaries of terms, making this perfect for both beginner and expert. Over 200,000 copies of the previous edition have been sold worldwide. Praise for The Complete Book of Patchwork, Quilting & Appliqué: "Linda Seward’s book has been the essential volume on every quilter’s bookshelf since its publication in 1987 and has never been bettered. This new edition updates the original techniques and embraces the current developments of the craft. Its place on that bookshelf is assured for many years to come." – Lynne Edwards MBE, quiltmaker and teacher "A definitive choice for the beginner and one worth investigating for a more experienced quilter" – British Patchwork & Quilting "This is an amazing book for those embarking on a quilting journey and even for seasoned quilters. The illustrations and directions are easy to understand and great for the visual learner. As a quilting teacher I would highly recommend this book. The number of techniques alone will keep the reader up at night! Rock on Linda Seward!" – Kim Rudd, quiltmaker and teacher "Linda Seward’s guide has always been my go-to bible for every question I have about quilting. I didn’t think a new edition could be any better, but this refresh is even more inspiring. Not only has she updated technical aspects (adding sections on fusible web appliqué and free-motion quilting, for example), she has chosen spectacular recent quilts to illustrate the text. While marvelling over them, I was reminded that quilting is an ever-evolving art that brings joy and satisfaction. Linda's book captures that perfectly, and leads us through how to do it ourselves." - Tracy Chevalier, novelist and quiltmaker

Table of Contents:
Preface 6 The basics of quilting 8 Fabric and colour 12 Preparation of fabrics 17 Equipment 18 Templates and marking fabrics 20 Cutting fabrics 22 Rotary cutting 24 Hand sewing 26 Hand stitches 27 Machine sewing 28 Machine stitches 29 Pressing 30 Perfect patchwork 32 Patchwork designs 43 Hand piecing 48 Machine piecing 49 Drafting patchwork patterns 50 Joining patchwork pieces 51 Eight-seam join 53 Setting-in 54 Curved seams 55 Amish patchwork 56 Cathedral window 58 Crazy patchwork 60 Double wedding ring 62 Folded star 64 Foundation piecing 66 Gathered patchwork 68 Hexagons 70 Log cabin 72 Puff patchwork 76 Seminole patchwork 78 Shell patchwork 82 String patchwork 84 Strip piecing 86 Yo-yo 87 Special effects with fabric 88 Patchwork patterns 90 The art of appliqué 96 Appliqué designs 105 Preparation for basic appliqué 110 Hand appliqué 112 Machine appliqué 114 Fusible web appliqué 116 Broderie perse 118 Cut-and-sew appliqué 119 Hawaiian appliqué 120 Inlay appliqué 122 Reverse appliqué 124 Mola & Pa Ndau appliqué 126 Shadow appliqué 127 Stained-glass appliqué 128 Special effects with appliqué 130 Appliqué patterns 132 Quality quilting 136 Quilting patterns 145 Preparation for quilting 150 Quilting designs 152 Hand quilting 153 Machine stitching 155 Free-motion quilting 156 Quilt-as-you-go 158 Corded quilting 160 Sashiko 162 Tied quilting 163 Trapunto 164 Special effects 166 Quilts and other projects 168 Basic quilt sets 172 Estimating yardage 177 Joining quilt blocks 178 Borders 180 Blocking 182 Binding 183 Facings 185 Unusual finishes 186 Signing and hanging 187 Care of quilt 188 Small projects 189 Clothing 192 Footnotes 196 Featured quilt artists 197 A–Z of quilting terms 198 Bibliography 202 Index 206

About the Author :
Linda Seward has enjoyed doing needlework, sewing and handicrafts all her life. Her knowledge of quilting evolved while editing books on both sides of the Atlantic and by making her own quilts. She has written 12 quilting books, including The Complete Book of Patchwork, Quilting & Appliqué, originally published in 1987, and which is considered by many to be ‘the quilter’s bible.’ Linda has appeared on television, internet and radio shows and writes for several quilt magazines, including a regular column in The Quilter magazine which has been running for 18 years. She lectures internationally on quilt making and works as a freelance writer, editor and quilt judge. An American, Linda now lives in London and Oxfordshire with her husband and border terrier.

Review :
This revised edition of a classic quilters’ reference guide will be a welcome update for many readers, especially as the previous edition is out of print. This revision adds newer techniques to the original content and includes updates to the text and photographs to reflect current practices and works by contemporary quilt artists. Originally devised to be a one-stop reference book for those wishing to learn all the basics of quilting, this book still meets that purpose, covering fundamental techniques, patchwork, appliqué, quilting, and construction of quilts and other items using quilted textiles. The one great disappointment with this update is that nearly all the featured quilt artists are white, an appalling missed opportunity to showcase the robust community of Black, Indigenous, and quilt artists of color working today. Filled with diagrams, illustrations, and templates, in addition to explanatory background information and instructions for hundreds of techniques, the book packs a huge amount of information into just over 200 pages, making it still a prime reference for public-library collections. This is a new edition of the original publication from 1987, revised and updated. A popular book when initially published, this has been expanded to include some newer techniques with updated images of newer quilts from around the world. The basics of quilting are covered first which included preparation of fabrics, templates, marking and cutting and the different sewing options, both hand and machine. Patchwork is next with many different sections covering drafting and piecing of designs such as Amish Patchwork, Cathedral Window and Foundation Piecing amongst others.  The section on applique covers the standard methods along with a few others such as Mola and Pa Ndau Applique, which I found interesting. The different avenues for quilting are the discussed and finally there is a section on joining your blocks together, borders, blocking and bindings. Some small project ideas are also included but these are not full patterns as such and there are some small applique shapes for tracing.    The basics are covered really well with clear drawings, from the equipment you will need to the techniques shown step-by-step. The chapters on the different kinds of quilting and on applique are comprehensive and clear. Plenty of ideas, patterns and some project suggestions. This book will take you from beginning well into a lovely hobby and offers years of enjoyment. This revised and expanded edition of a long-standing classic is the most comprehensive handbook available for applique, patchwork and quilting. It remains the go-to reference for crafters of all abilities, with every technique explained clearly and simply.